clĭpĕus (in inscrr. and MSS. also clŭp- and clyp-), i, m. (clĭpĕum, i, n., Verg. A. 9, 709; Liv. 1, 43, 2; 34, 52, 5; 35, 10, 12; 38, 35, 5; 40, 51, 3; Licin. et Laber. ap. Non. p. 196, 22 sq. al.) [root in clepo].
I The round brazen shield of Roman soldiers (diff. from scutum, which was oval, and made of wood covered with bull's hide; cf. Dict. of Antiq. p. 268 sq.), Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 93 Müll.; id. ap. Prisc. p. 838 P. ( Enn. Ann. 364 Vahl.); Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 195; 3, 2, 93; id. Truc. 2, 6, 25; Cic. Fin. 2, 30, 97; id. Div. 1, 44, 99; id. Tusc. 1, 15, 34; id. de Or. 2, 17, 73; Nep. Iphic. 1, 3; Liv. 1, 43, 2; 8, 8, 3; 9, 19, 7; Verg. A. 2, 443; 7, 626; 8, 447; Hor. C. 1, 28, 11; Ov. M. 8, 27; 12, 621.—Prov.: clipeum post vulnera sumere, i. e. to do something when it is too late , Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 35. —
B Trop., a shield , protection , defence , Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 433.—
II Meton., of objects in the form of a shield. *
A The vault of heaven : in altisono caeli clupeo, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 73 Müll.—*
B The disk of the sun , Ov. M. 15, 192.—
C A round meteor : clipei et vastorum imagines ignium, Sen. Q. N. 1, 1, 15; 7, 20, 2; Plin. 2, 34, 34, § 100.—But esp. freq.,
D A bust of the gods or distinguished men , represented upon a shield-formed surface (of gold, silver, etc., skilfully prepared, and often laid up as sacred gifts in the temples; so mostly in neutr. form; v. supra init. ): scutis qualibus apud Trojam pugnatum est, continebantur imagines, unde et nomen habuere clipeorum, Plin. 35, 3, 4, § 13; Liv. 25, 39, 13; 35, 10, 12; Tac. A. 2, 83; Suet. Calig. 16; id. Dom. 23; Dig. 9, 3, 5 fin. —
E Clipeum antiqui ob rotunditatem etiam corium bovis appellarunt, in quo foedus Gabinorum cum Romanis fuerat descriptum, Paul. ex Fest. p. 56 Müll. (cf. the same use of ὅπλον, Corp. Inscr. Graec. II. p. 664).