I.a watching, watch, guard, care, protection (freq. and class.).
I. In gen.
A. Lit.: “in tuam custodiam meque et meas spes trado,” Plaut. Most. 2, 1, 59: “agitare custodiam,” to keep guard, id. Rud. 3, 6, 20: “iis impedimentis custodiae ac praesidio VI. milia hominum unā reliquerunt,” Caes. B. G. 2, 29: “sub hospitum privatorum custodiā esse,” Liv. 42, 19, 5: “tam fida canum,” Cic. N. D. 2, 63, 158: “pastoris,” Col. 8, 4, 3: “paedagogorum,” Quint. 1, 2, 25: “dura matrum,” care, oversight, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 22 et saep.: “navium longarum,” Caes. B. C. 3, 39: “ignis (Vestae),” Cic. Leg. 2, 12, 29: “urbis,” Caes. B. C. 1, 17; 2, 36; Liv. 5, 10, 4; cf.: “urbis, sui,” Suet. Aug. 49: “corporis,” id. Galb. 12: “illa (sc. pontis),” Nep. Milt. 3, 2: “portus, Auct. B. Alex. 17: cum in ejusdem anni custodiā te atque L. Murenam fortuna posuisset,” Cic. Mur. 31, 64: “aliquid privatā custodiā continere,” id. Sull. 15, 42: “circum familias conventus Campaniae custodiae causā distribuit,” Caes. B. C. 1, 14 fin.: “in muro custodiae causā conlocati,” id. ib. 1, 28; “Auct. B. Afr. 46: navis quae erat ad custodiam ab Acilio posita,” Caes. B. C. 3, 40: “tribunus adpositus custodiae (alicujus),” Tac. A. 1, 6: “ignaviam suam tenebrarum ac parietum custodiis tegere,” Cic. Rab. Perd. 7, 21: “a cujus audaciā fratris liberos ne materni quidem corporis custodiae tegere potuissent,” id. Clu. 11, 31: “fida justitiae,” id. Fin. 2, 34, 113: “una fidelis memoriae rerum gestarum (litterae),” Liv. 6, 1, 2: “libertatis,” id. 4, 24, 4: “suae religionis,” Quint. 6, 1, 20: “decoris,” id. 11, 1, 57 et saep.—
B. Meton.
1. Usu. in plur. and in milit. lang., persons who serve as guards, a guard, watch, sentinel: “colonia meis praesidiis, custodiis, vigiliis munita,” Cic. Cat. 1, 3, 8; 2, 12, 26; Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 24, § 60: “neque clam transire propter custodias Menapiorum possent,” Caes. B. G. 4, 4; 7, 19; 7, 27 et saep.—In sing. (collect.), Cat. 62, 33: “abest custodia regi,” Ov. M. 14, 371: “unicus anser erat, minimae custodia villae,” id. ib. 8, 684: “corporis,” a body-guard, Curt. 5, 1, 42.—
2. A place where guard is kept, a watch- or guard - house, watch - station: “haec (urbs) mea sedes est, haec vigilia, haec custodia,” Cic. Phil. 12, 10, 24: “privata,” id. Sull. 15, 42: “in hac custodiā et tamquam speculā,” id. Phil. 7, 7, 19: “ceteri in custodiam conditi,” Tac. H. 4, 2.—In plur., Cic. Imp. Pomp. 6, 16; id. Rab. Perd. 7, 21—
II. With the access. idea of hindering free motion, a watching, guarding, custody, restraint, confinement.
A. Lit.: “nec cuiquam uni custodiam ejus (sc. Philopoemenis capti) satis credebant,” Liv. 39, 50, 2: quive (servi) inve ludum custodiamve conjecti fuerint, Gai Inst. 1, 13: “animal quod custodiam nostram evadit,” id. ib. 2, 67: “famulos vinclis atque custodiā ... tueri,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 21, 48. —Plur.: “in praedonum hostiumque custodias tantum numerum civium Romanorum includere,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 55, § 144: “libera,” private custody, confinement in one's house, Liv. 24, 45, 8; Vell. 1, 11 (cf.: “libero conclavi,” Liv. 39, 14, 9); and in plur.: “in liberis custodiis,” Sall. C. 47, 3; cf. “trop.: domi teneamus eam (eloquentiam), saeptam liberali custodiā,” Cic. Brut. 96, 330.—Perh. in a play upon the words libera custodia: “ut sis apud me ligneā in custodiā,” Plaut. Poen. 5, 6, 28. —
B. Meton.
1. A place of confinement, a prison, hold: “Lentulus comprehenditur et in custodiā necatur,” Caes. B. C. 3, 104 fin.; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 27, §§ 68 and 69; id. Cat. 1, 8, 19; id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 4, § 14; id. Div. 1, 25, 52; id. Tusc. 1, 29, 71 et saep. —Trop.: “corporis custodiis se liberare,” Cic. Rep. 6, 15, 15.—
2. Persons in confinement, captives, prisoners (post-Aug.): “in recognoscendis custodiis,” Suet. Tib. 61; id. Dom. 14: “unus ex custodiarum agmine,” Sen. Ep. 77, 18.—Of a single person: “eādem catenā et custodiam et militem copulat,” Sen. Ep. 5, 7.
