Claudianus, Claudius

a Latin poet, B. at Alexandria, flourished under the reigns of Theodosius, Arcadius, and Honor i us; was patronized by Still i cho, and had a statue erected to his honor in the forum of Trajan. His larger poems lose some of their value from being courtly panegyrics; but in all his poems he displayed a brilliant fancy and much polished elegance. Clau'dicant, a. [Lat., from claudicare.] Limping; halting in gait. (R.) Claudication, n. [Lat. claudicatio.] Habit of halting or limping. Claudius I., TIBERIUS DRUSUS NERO, surnamed GERMANIC US, and BRITANNICUS, 4th emperor of Rome, B. at Lyons B. c. 10. After spending 50 years of his life in a private station, unhonored, and but little known, he was, on the murder of Caligula, his nephew, A. D. 41, proclaimed emperor by the soldiers, and confirmed in the sovereignty by the senate. At first he performed some praiseworthy acts, but he soon became contemptible for his debauchery and voluptuousne ; and he died, A. D. 54, of poison administered by his 2d wife, A grip pin a. Claudius went to Britain two years after his acce ion, and made it a Roman province. He built the port of Ostia, the Claudian aqueduct, and executed other great works. CLAUDIUS II., MARCUS AURELIUS FLAVIUS, surnamed GOTHI cus, Roman emperor, B. in Illyria A. D. 214, was raised to the throne on the death of Gallienus, in 268, and by his virtues as well as by his splendid victories over the Goths, he proved himself worthy of his exalted station. D. 270 A. D. Claudius Appius, a Roman decemvir. See APPIUS. Claudius Pul'cher, PUBLIUS, a profligate Roman patrician, especially known as the enemy of Cicero. He served as a soldier in Asia for some years, and being at Rome in 65 в. с., persecuted Cat i line, and took a bribe to drop the proceedings. He became most notorious by his daring entrance, dre ed as a woman, into the house of Cæsar, during the celebration of the mysteries of the Bona Dea, in 62 B. c. On his trial, the evidence of Cicero was decisive against him, and thenceforth his aim was revenge on Cicero. From a patrician he became a plebeian, in order to be eligible for a tribune, and procured the banishment of his great enemy, who was however soon recalled. He afterwards went about the city with a band of gladiators, and had frequent combats with Milo and his band. It was in one of these combats that he was at last killed, B. с. 52. Clause, ( klawz ,) n. [Fr. clause ; Lat. clausus, from claudo , to shut, to inclose; allied to Gr. kleio, kleisõ , to shut.] An article, or a distinct part of a contract, will, deed of agreement, .; a stipulation or proviso in any legal document; as, a clause in an indenture. "The clause is untrue concerning the bishop." - Hooker. (Gram.) A member or subdivision of a period or sentence; so much of a sentence as may be construed together.