I.a steersman, pilot (cf.: magister, navarchus, nauclerus, navicularius).
I. Lit.: “si tu proreta isti navi's, ego gubernator ero,” Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 75; id. Am. 3, 2, 69: “gubernator clavum tenens sedet in puppi quietus,” Cic. de Sen. 6, 17; id. Phil. 7, 9, 27; id. Ac. 2, 31, 100; id. de Inv. 1, 34, 58; id. Rep. 1, 40; 5, 3; Quint. 2, 17, 24; 34; 4, 1, 61; Verg. A. 3, 269; 5, 12; 6, 337 et saep.—Prov.: “tranquillo quilibet gubernator est,” Sen. Ep. 85 med.—
II. Transf., a director, ruler, governor: cum in rebus animalibus aliud pro alio ponitur; “ut de agitatore (Ennius): Gubernator magna contorsit equum vi,” Quint. 8, 6, 9; the same, Enn. ap. Charis. p. 244 P. and ap. Diom. p. 451 ib. (Ann. v. 160 Vahl.): “poli,” i. e. God, Sen. Hippol. 903: “custodes gubernatoresque rei publicae,” Cic. Rab. Perd. 9, 26; cf.: “quasi tutor et procurator rei publicae: sic enim appelletur, quicumque erit rector et gubernator civitatis,” id. Rep. 2, 29.