claustra (clostra, Cato R. R. 13, 3; 135, 2), ōrum, n. (in sing.: claustrum, i, rare, Caes. Germ. Arat. 197; Curt. 4, 5, 21; 7, 6, 13; Petr. 89, 2, 7; Gell. 14, 6, 3; Luc. 10, 509; Ap. Met. 4, 10, 7; Amm. 23, 4, 6; 26, 8, 8: clostrum, Sen. Ben. 7, 21, 2) [clausum, claudo], that by which any thing is shut up or closed, a lock, bar, bolt.
I Prop.: claves, claustra, Varr. ap. Non. p. 545, 12: claustra revellere, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 23, § 52; Liv. 5, 21, 10: januae pandere, * Cat. 61, 76: laxare, Verg. A. 2, 259: relaxare, Ov. Am. 1, 6, 17: rumpere, Verg. A. 9, 758: diu claustris retentae ferae, Liv. 42, 59, 2: ferae claustris fractae, Plin. Pan. 81, 3: claustra pati, to submit to confinement , Col. 8, 17, 8: discutere, Petr. 11, 2: reserare, Sil. 7, 334: portarum ingentia claustra, Verg. A. 7, 185; Val. Fl. 3, 53: ferrea, Mart. 10, 28, 8: sub signo claustrisque rei publicae positum vectigal, Cic. Agr. 1, 7, 21. —
B Trop., a bar , band , barrier , bounds : arta portarum naturae effringere, i. e. to disclose its secrets , Lucr. 1, 72; cf.: tua claustra fregerunt tui versus, i. e. have become known , public , Plin. Ep. 2, 10, 3: pudoris et reverentiae refringere, id. ib. 2, 14, 4: vitaï claustra resolvere, to loose the bands of life , Lucr. 1, 416; 3, 397; 6, 1152: temporum, Vell. 1, 17, 4: (animus) amat spatiis obstantia rumpere claustra (the figure drawn from the bounds of a racecourse), Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 9.—
II In a more extended sense, a door or gate that shuts up any place , a dam , dike; meton., a place that is shut up : urbis relinquant, Ov. M. 4, 86; cf. Thebarum, Stat. Th. 10, 474.—Of sunken ships, closing a port, Liv. 37, 14, 7; cf.: ubi demersis navibus frenassent claustra maris, id. 37, 15, 1: maris, i.e. a harbor , haven , Sil. 12, 442: undae, a dam , id. 5, 44; cf.: Lucrino addita, Verg. G. 2, 161; cf. id. A. 1, 56: Daedalea, i. e. the Labyrinth , Sen. Hippol. 1166 al.—
B In milit. lang., a barricade , bulwark , key , defence , fortress , wall , bank , etc., for warding off an enemy: claustra loci, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 32, § 84: Corinthus in faucibus Graeciae, sic ut terra claustra locorum teneret, id. Agr. 2, 32, 87: Sutrium, quae urbs socia Romanis velut claustra Etruriae erat, Liv. 9, 32. 1: Aegypti, id. 45, 11, 5; Tac. H. 2, 82; Suet. Vesp. 7: tutissima praebet, Liv. 42. 67, 6; cf. id. 6, 9, 4; 44, 7, 9; Tac. A. 2, 61 al.: montium, id. H. 3, 2: Caspiarum, id. ib. 1, 6: maris, id. ib. 3, 43; cf. Sil. 12, 442; Tac. A. 2, 59: suis claustris ( walls , intrenchments ) impeditos turbant, id. ib. 12, 31; cf. id. ib. 4, 49: regni claustra Philae, Luc. 10, 312: Africae, Flor. 4, 2, 70.—
C Trop.: cum ego claustra ista nobilitatis refregissem, ut aditus ad consulatum pateret, Cic. Mur. 8, 17: annonae Aegyptus, Tac. H. 3, 8.