προστάτης

προστᾰτ-ης, ου, ὁ, ([etym.] προΐστημι)

A one who stands before, front-rank man, f.l. for πρωτοστάτης in X.Cyr. 3.3.41, Eq.Mag.2.2,6:—but elsewh.,

II leader, chief, esp. of a democracy,

προστάτεω ἐπιλαβέσθαι Hdt.1.127

, 5.23;

οἱ π. τοῦ δήμου Th.3.75

, 4.46,66; οἱ τῶν δήμων π. Id.3.82;

ὁ π. Κλέων Ar.Ra.569

, cf. Eq.1128 (lyr.);

μεταβολὴ ἐκ προστάτου ἐπὶ τύραννον Pl.R.565d

; [Σόλων] πρῶτος τοῦ δήμου π. Arist.Ath.2.2,al.

2 generally, ruler, opp. ἀστοί, A.Supp.963;

Καδμείων Id.Th.1031

;

Κνωσίων Arr.Epict.3.9.3

;

Μολοσσῶν GDI1334

(Epirus, iii B.C.); χώρας, χθονός, E.Heracl. 964, IA373 (troch.); τῆς Ἑλλάδος προστάται, of the Spartans, X.HG 3.1.3, cf. Isoc.4.103, D.9.23; π. τοῦ ἐμπορίου, of Greeks in Egypt, Hdt. 2.178;

τοῦ πολέμου X.Cyr.7.2.23

; προστάται τῆς εἰρήνης its chief authors, Id.HG5.1.36; τῆς πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς ἐπιμελείας π. D.22.78; administrator,

τῆς κεχωρισμένης προσόδου PTeb.81.19

(ii B.C.); [τοῦ ἱεροῦ] OGI531.3 (Bithynia, iii A.D.); θεᾶς ib.209.4 (Philae, iii A.D.), cf. Ostr.412, al. (i A.D.): metaph.,

ἔρως π. τῶν ἀργῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν Pl.R. 572e

.

3 president or presiding officer,

π. τοῦ γυμνασίου CIG2881.16

([place name] Branchidae), cf. OGI130.16 (Egypt, ii B.C.), Supp.Epigr.4.598.37 (Teos, i B.C.), IG22.1368.13; π. συνεδρίου ib.9(2).205.33 (Aetolian League); προβούλων ib.9(1).694.116 (Corc.); [γερουσίας] ib.7.2808 (Hyettus, iii B.C.); δαμιοργῶν ib.5(1).1425.16 ([place name] Messene); [βουλᾶς] ib.14.256.5 ([place name] Phintias);

τῆς μέσης Ἀκαδημίας S.E.P.1.232

: freq. in pl., = πρυτάνεις, SIG194.15 (Amphipolis, iv B.C.), etc.; γνώμα προστατᾶν ib.187.1 (Cnidus, iv B.C.), cf. IG12(8).264.13 (Thasos, iv B.C.).

III one who stands before and protects, guardian, champion,

πυλωμάτων A.Th.408

, cf. 798;

πόλεως Pl.Grg.519b

; [τῆς ποιητικῆς] Id.R.607d;

τῆς πάντων ἐλευθερίας D.15.30

, etc.; epith. of gods, as Apollo, S.Tr.209 (lyr.), IPE12.89 (ii A.D.).

2 at Athens, etc., patron who took charge of the interests of μέτοικοι, etc.: hence ἐπὶ προστάτου οἰκεῖν live under protection of a patron, Lys.31.9, 14, Lycurg.145; προστάτην ἐπιγράφειν τινά choose as one's patron, Luc. Peregr.11;

αὑτῷ πονηρὸν προστάτην ἐπεγράψατο Ar.Pax684

;

ἔχειν Id.Pl.920

, cf. S.OT882 (lyr.); νέμειν π. Arist.Pol.1275a13; also γράφεσθαι προστάτου to be entered by one's patron's name, be attached to a patron,

οὐ Κρέοντος προστάτου γεγράφομαι S.OT411

.

3 = Lat. patronus, Plu.Rom.13, Mar.5, IG3.687, 14.1078 (Rome, iii A.D.), OGI549.6 (Ancyra, iii A.D.), etc.

IV θεοῦ π. one who stands before a god to entreat him, suppliant, S.OC1278, cf. 1171.

V Medic., prostate gland, Herophil. ap. Gal.UP14.11 (v.l.).