I.fut. pass. custodibitur, Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 71), v. a. id., to watch, protect, keep, defend, guard (freq. and class.).
I. In gen.
A. With material objects: Q. Caepio Brutus pro consule provinciam Macedoniam, tueatur, defendat, custodiat incolumemque conservet, Cic. Phil. 10, 11, 26: “tuum corpus domumque,” id. Mil. 25, 67: “quod me receperit, juverit, custodierit,” id. Planc. 10, 26; cf.: “in meā salute custodiendā,” id. ib. 1, 1: “me non solum amicorum fidelitas, sed etiam universae civitatis oculi custodiunt,” id. Phil. 12, 9, 22: “ut haec insula ab eā (Cerere) ... incoli custodirique videatur,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 49, § 107: “urbes,” Quint. 7, 10, 13: “maritimam oram viginti navibus longis,” Liv. 36, 2, 11 (cf. tueri, id. 36, 2, 7): “officinam diligentiā,” Plin. 12, 14, 32, § 59: “castra nocte, ne quis elabi posset,” Liv. 9, 42, 6: “amictum,” Quint. 5, 14, 31: “poma in melle,” to lay up, preserve, Col. 12, 45, 3: “paries, qui laevum marinae Veneris latus Custodit,” Hor. C. 3, 26, 6: “tua,” id. S. 2, 3, 151: “hic stilus ... me veluti custodiet ensis,” id. ib. 2, 1, 40.—Esp.: se, to be on the watch: “quanto se opere custodiant bestiae,” Cic. N. D. 2, 49, 126: “fac ut diligentissime te ipsum custodias,” id. Att. 14, 17, A, 8.—
(β).
With ab: “Gortynii templum magnā curā custodiunt non tam a ceteris quam ab Hannibale,” Nep. Hann. 9, 4: “poma ab insomni dracone,” Ov. M. 9, 190: “cutem a vitiis,” Plin. 28, 8, 25, § 89.—
B. With immaterial objects (freq. in postAug. prose), to keep, preserve, regard, take heed, observe, maintain: “id quod tradatur posse percipere animo et memoriā custodire,” Cic. de Or. 1, 28, 127: “dicta litteris,” id. ib. 2, 2, 7; cf.: “ex his (arboribus) quas memoria hominum custodit,” Plin. 16, 44, 85, § 234: “illa quae scriptis reposuimus, velut custodire desinimus,” Quint. 11, 2, 9; “opp. mutare,” id. 12, 8, 6: “modum ubique,” id. 4, 2, 35: “regulam loquendi,” id. 1, 7, 1: “praecepta,” Col. 1, 8, 15: “eam rationem,” id. 4, 29, 11: “ordinem,” id. 12, 4, 1: “quae custodienda in olearam curā ... praecipiemus,” Plin. 17, 18, 29, § 125: “morem,” id. 14, 12, 14, § 88: “religiose quod juraveris,” id. Pan. 65, 2 et saep.—
(γ).
With ut or ne: “in aliis quoque propinquitatibus custodiendum est, ut inviti judicemur dixisse,” Quint. 11, 1, 66: “quo in genere id est praecipue custodiendum, ne, etc.,” id. 8, 3, 73; 8, 5, 7; Col. 4, 24, 11: “ut custoditum sit ne umquam veniret, etc.,” Suet. Tib. 7.—
II. With the access. idea of hindering free motion, in a good or bad sense.
A. In gen., to hold something back, to preserve, keep: “multorum te oculi et aures non sentientem ... speculabuntur atque custodient,” Cic. Cat. 1, 2, 6: “aliquem, ne quid auferat,” to watch, observe, id. Div. in Caecil. 16, 51: “ejus (sc. epistulae) custodiendae et proferendae arbitrium tuum,” Cic. Att. 15, 13, 1: “librum,” id. Fam. 6, 5, 1: “codicillos,” Suet. Tib. 51: “prodit se quamlibet custodiatur simulatio,” Quint. 12, 1, 29.—
B. Esp., to hold in custody, hold captive: “noctu nervo vinctus custodibitur,” Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 71; Cic. Fragm. ap. Quint. 9, 3, 50: “ducem praedonum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 27, § 68: “obsides,” Caes. B. G. 6, 4: “Domitium,” id. B. C. 1, 20: “bovem,” Verg. A. 8, 218 et saep.—Hence, * cu-stōdītē , adv. (acc. to I.), cautiously, carefully: “ut parce custoditeque ludebat!” Plin. Ep. 5, 16, 3.