clēmens, entis (abl. usu. -ti; but -te, Liv. 1, 26, 8; Laber. ap. Macr. S. 2, 7, 3), adj. [etym. dub.; cf. lemures; and Germ. hold].
I Orig. (in the class. per. very rare), of the quiet, placid, pleasant state of the air, wind, or weather, mild , calm , soft , gentle ( = the class. placidus, quietus): undae clementi flamine pulsae, * Cat. 64, 272: clementior Auster vela vocat, Stat. Th. 5, 468: aura Favoni, Claud. Cons. Prob. Olyb. 272; cf. id. III. Cons. Hon. 165; Val. Fl. 6, 747: clementior dies, Col. 11, 2, 2: clementior Arctos, Sil. 1, 198: clementiores plagae (opp. Septentrio), Pall. Febr. 12, 1.—Hence,
B Esp.
1 Of the gentle motion of the sea, rivers, etc., placid , calm , etc.: mare, Gell. 2, 21, 1: Pasitigris clementiore alveo praeterit, etc. (preced. by: praeceps inter saxa devolvitur), Curt. 5, 3, 1: quā sit clementissimus amnis, Ov. M. 9, 116.—
2 Of places (opp. praeceps), smooth , of a gentle ascent : clivulus, Ap. Met. 4, 5, 19.—Far more freq.,
II Trop.
A Of a calm, unexcited, passionless state of mind, quiet , mild , gentle , tranquil , kind (syn.: placidus, lenis): clementem vocabo non in alieno dolore facilem, sed eum, qui cum suis stimulis exagitetur, non prosilit, etc., Sen. Clem. 1, 20, 3: egit semper vitam... clemens, placidus, Ter. Ad. 864: vita urbana atque otium, id. ib. 42 (cf. with Cic. Rab. Post. 7, 17: vita quieta atque otiosa): ille suam semper egit vitam in otio, in conviviis: clemens, placidus, Ter. Ad. 864; Liv. 38, 17, 17 (cf. the passages under clementia, cited from Flor.): cupio, patres conscripti, me esse clementem: cupio in tantis rei publicae periculis me non dissolutum videri, Cic. Cat. 1, 2, 4: etsi satis clemens sum in disputando, tamen interdum soleo subirasci, id. Fin. 2, 4, 12: (Arimphaeis) ritus clementes, Plin. 6, 13, 14, § 35.—
2 Transf. to animals. tame , domesticated : clementius genus columbarum (opp. agrestes), Varr. R. R. 3, 7, 2.—
B Specif.
1 Mild in respect to the faults and failures of others , i. e. forbearing , indulgent , compassionate , merciful (class.; syn.: mitis, benignus, humanus, lenis, facilis, indulgens; opp.: crudelis, inhumanus, asper al.): clementi (mi) animo ignoscet, Plaut. Mil. 4, 6, 37; Ter. Hec. 472: judices et misericordes, Cic. Planc. 13, 31; cf. * Hor. C. 3, 11, 46; Tac. A. 2, 57: vir et contra audaciam fortissimus et ab innocentiā clementissimus, Cic. Rosc. Am. 30, 85; Nep. Epam. 3, 2: legis interpres, Liv. 1, 26, 8: dominus facilis et clemens, Suet. Aug. 67: justa et clemens servitus, Ter. And. 36: castigatio, Cic. Off. 1, 38, 137: clementior sententia, Liv. 8, 31, 8.—More unusual: rumor, i. e. non nimius, mild , mitigated , πρᾶος (acc. to Prisc. p. 1202 P.), Sall. J. 22, 1.—
2 Poet. of places: pars (insulae) ratibus clemens, accessible , Claud. B. Gild. 511.—Adv.: clē-menter .
I (Acc. to I. A.) Gently , softly , mildly : non desiit adsidue tremere Campania, clementius quidem, sed ingenti damno, Sen. Q. N. 6, 31, 1: agitant venti oleas, Pall. Nov. 5: spirant clementius Austri, Stat. S. 2, 2, 27.—So of moderate, slow action gen.: Eu. Sequere sis. Ch. Sequor. Eu. Clementer quaeso; calces deteris, Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 111; so id. Stich. 4, 1, 26; id. Ep. 2, 2, 23. —
B (Acc. to I. B. 2.) By degrees , gradually , gently : clementer et molliter assurgens collis, Col. 2, 2, 1; cf. Tac. A. 13, 38: editum jugum, id. G. 1; Sil. 1, 274; Sen. Oedip. 280: accedere, Tac. A. 12, 33; cf. in comp. : explorare, si quā Appennini juga clementius adirentur, id. H. 3, 52.—
II (Acc. to II. A.) Quietly , placidly , tranquilly , calmly : accipere aliquid clementius aequo, * Lucr. 3, 314: si quid est factum clementer, ut dissolute factum criminer, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 8, § 19: leniter hominem clementerque accepit, id. ib. 2, 4, 40, § 86: ferre aliquid, id. Att. 6, 1, 3: consolationes clementer admotae, Plin. Ep. 5, 16, 11: quo id pacto fieri possit clementissime, Plaut. Mil. 4, 3, 5: leo caudam clementer et blande movet, Gell. 5, 14, 12.—
B (Acc. to II. B.) With forbearance , mildly , with indulgence : clementer et moderate jus dicere, Caes. B. C. 3, 20: clementer a consule accepti, Liv. 27, 15, 2: clementer ductis militibus, i.e. peacefully , without plundering , id. 29, 2, 1.— Comp. : clementius tractare aliquem, Plin. Ep. 8, 24, 5.— Sup. : clementissime scribere de aliquo, Gell. 1, 18, 3: qui victoriā civili clementissime usus est, Sen. Ira, 2, 23, 4.