I.clear, bright (opp. obscurus, caecus; very freq. in all periods, and in all kinds of composition).
I. Lit.
A. Relating to the sight, clear, bright, shining, brilliant, etc.
(α).
Absol.: “luce clarā et candidā,” Plaut. Am. 1, 3, 49: “ut mulierum famam multorum oculis lux clara custodiat,” open day, Cic. Leg. 2, 15, 37; cf.: “frequentissimā celebritate et clarissimā luce laetari,” id. Cael. 20, 47: “lumen,” Lucr. 3, 1: “oculorum lumina,” id. 4, 825; cf.: “mundi lumina (i.e. sol et luna),” Verg. G. 1, 5: “oculi,” Cato, R. R. 157, 10: “incendia,” Verg. A. 2, 569: “lucerna,” Hor. S. 2, 7, 48: “scintillae ignis,” Lucr. 6, 163: “fulmina,” id. 6, 84: “vestis splendor,” id. 2, 52: “color,” id. 5, 1258; cf.: “color clarissimus,” id. 2, 830: “candor,” id. 4, 232: “loca,” id. 5, 779 al.: “caelum,” Tac. A. 1, 28: “nox,” id. Agr. 12: “pater omnipotens clarus intonat,” in the clear sky, Verg. A. 7, 141 Serv.; cf. Cic. Arat. 4: “sidus,” Hor. C. 4, 8, 31: “clarissimae gemmae,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 27, § 62; cf. “lapides,” Hor. C. 4, 13, 14: “vitrum,” Ov. M. 4, 355: “purpurarum sidere clarior usus,” Hor. C. 3, 1, 42.—
(β).
With abl.: “speculo,” Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 112 dub.: “argento clari delphines,” Verg. A. 8, 673: “rutilis squamis,” id. G. 4, 93: “ferrugine,” id. A. 9, 582; cf. id. ib. 11, 772 Wagn.: “auro gemmisque corona,” Ov. M. 13, 704; 2, 2; 11, 359: “albo Lucifer exit Clarus equo,” id. ib. 15, 190: “claraeque coruscis Fulguribus taedae,” Lucr. 5, 295 al. —*
2. Poet., of the wind (cf.: albus, candidus, and in Gr. λαμπρὸς ἄνεμος; v. Lidd. and Scott under λαμπρός), making clear, i. e. bringing fair weather: “aquilo,” Verg. G. 1, 460 Forbig. ad loc.—
B. Relating to the hearing, clear, loud, distinct: “clarā voce vocare,” Lucr. 4, 711; Cic. Clu. 48, 134; id. Caecin. 8, 22; Liv. 7, 31, 12; 42, 25, 12; Ov. M. 3, 703: “lectio,” Cels. 1, 2: “clariore voce,” Caes. B. G. 5, 30; cf. Cic. Tusc. 5, 7, 19: “sonor,” Lucr. 4, 567: “clamor,” Plaut. Poen. 5, 3, 27: “plausus,” id. As. Grex. 6: “plangor,” Ov. M. 4, 138: “latratus,” id. ib. 13, 806: “ictus,” id. ib. 2, 625: “strepitus, Suet. Vit. Luc.: vox (opp. obtusa),” Quint. 11, 3, 15; 9, 4, 136 Spald.: “spiritus,” id. 11, 3, 55; cf. id. 11, 3, 41 and 82: “syllabae clariores,” id. 8, 3, 16.—
II. Trop.
A. Clear, manifest, plain, evident, intelligible (syn.: “planus, apertus, perspicuus, dilucidus, etc.): vide ut mi haec certa et clara attuleris,” Ter. Hec. 5, 4, 1 Ruhnk.; cf.: “omnia non properanti clara certaque erunt,” Liv. 22, 39, 22: “clara res est, quam dicturus sum, totā Siciliā celeberrima atque notissima,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 25, § 61; 2, 5, 38, § 101; id. Tusc. 1, 32, 78: “luce sunt clariora nobis tua consilia,” id. Cat. 1, 3, 6: “id quod est luce clarius,” id. Tusc. 1, 37, 90: “si ea, quae dixi, sole ipso inlustriora et clariora sunt,” id. Fin. 1, 21, 71; id. Div. 1, 3, 6: “caecis hoc satis clarum est,” Quint. 12, 7, 9: “lumen eloquentiae,” id. 3, 8, 65; cf. id. 12, 10, 15; 11, 1, 75: “in narrando (T. Livius) clarissimi candoris,” id. 10, 1, 101 Spald. and Frotsch.: “Massinissam regem post LXXXVI. annum generasse filium clarum est,” Plin. 7, 14, 12, § 61: “somno clarius,” Ov. F. 3, 28: “exempla,” Tac. Or. 8; id. A. 4, 11: “documenta,” id. ib. 6, 22.—
B. Brilliant, celebrated, renowned, illustrious, honorable, famous, glorious, etc. (cf.: illustris, insignis, eximius, egregius, praestans, nobilis; a favorite epithet, esp. in the sup., like fortissimus, designating the highest praise of the honor-loving Roman; hence, a standing title, at all times, of distinguished public characters, as consuls, proconsuls, pontifices, senators, etc.): “nobilitas,” Plaut. Rud. 4, 2, 28; “opp. to obscurus,” Lucr. 1, 639; so Quint. 5, 10, 26: clari viri atque magni, Cato ap. Cic. Planc. 27, 66; Cic. Sest. 69, 144: “certe non tulit ullos haec civitas aut gloriā clariores, aut auctoritate graviores,” Cic. de Or. 2, 37, 154: “vir fortissimus et clarissimus,” Cic. Verr. 1, 15, 44; cf. id. ib. 2, 5, 58, § 153; id. de Or. 1, 45, 198; id. Clu. 48, 134: “exempla clara et inlustria,” id. Div. 2, 3, 8: “pugna clara et commemorabilis,” Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 111: “pax clarior majorque quam bellum fuerat,” Liv. 10, 37, 4: “animus abunde pollens potensque et clarus,” Sall. J. 1, 3; so, “facundia clara pollensque,” id. ib. 30, 4: “clara et magnifica,” id. ib. 4, 8: “clari potentesque fieri,” id. C. 38, 1: “familia,” Tac. A. 2, 37; 3, 76: “majores,” id. ib. 4, 61: pater si in Equestri gradu clarus, clarior vitricus, Plin. Ep. 2, 13, 4: “clarissimi consules,” id. ib. 7, 33, 8: “generis clarissimus auctor,” Ov. P. 2, 9, 19: “clarissima civitas,” Nep. Thras. 2, 1: “apud Germanicos quoque (Titus),” Tac. H. 2, 77: “scriptores,” id. A. 1, 1.—
(β).
With abl.: “clariores gloriā,” Cic. de Or. 2, 37, 154; v. supra: “arte medicinae,” Quint. 3, 6, 64: “eloquendi suavitate,” id. 10, 1, 83: “sententiis,” id. 10, 1, 90: “Juppiter giganteo triumpho,” Hor. C. 3, 1, 7: “agendis causis,” id. Ep. 1, 7, 47: “Ajax toties servatis Achivis,” id. S. 2, 3, 194: “bello,” Tac. Agr. 29; id. H. 3, 44: “gens memoriā nominis,” id. ib. 1, 67: “Cluvius Rufus eloquentiā,” id. ib. 4, 43.—
(γ).
With in: “in arte tibiarum,” Quint. 2, 3, 3; cf.: “clarissimi in eā scientiā,” Plin. 36, 5, 4, § 11: “in litteris,” Quint. 1, 6, 35: “in agendo,” id. 12, 10, 49: “in foro,” id. 10, 5, 14: “in contionibus,” id. 12, 2, 7; 12, 10, 49.—*
(δ).
With ex: “ex doctrinā nobilis et clarus,” Cic. Rab. Post. 9, 23.—（ε) With ob: “ob obscuram linguam,” Lucr. 1, 639: “ob id factum,” Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 32; cf.: “urbs clara ob insignem munimento naturali locum,” Liv. 24, 39, 8.—（ζ) With ab: “Trojanoque a sanguine clarus Acestes,” Verg. A. 1, 550.—（η) With gen.: “artis ejus,” Plin. 37, 1, 4, § 8.—
2. As a title: “clarissimus vir,” Cic. Att. 15, 20, 2; cf. id. ib. 14, 11, 1: “clarissimi consules,” Plin. Ep. 7, 33, 8; cf. Dig. 49, 14, 18; Lampr. Elag. 4; “Alex. Sev. 21 al.: permitto tibi vir clarissime Veiento (a senator), dicere,” Plin. Ep. 9, 13, 19; so, “ordo = senatorius,” Vop. Aur. 18 fin.; cf. also Isid. Orig. 9, 4, 12.—
b. Meton., of the wives of such distinguished public characters: “clarissimae feminae,” Dig. 1, 9, 8.—
c. In a bad sense, notorious: “minus clarum putavit fore quod de armario quam quod de sacrario esset ablatum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 12, § 27; 2, 1, 19, § 50; 2, 4, 12, § 29: “ecquid hoc totā Siciliā clarius, ecquid indignius? etc.,” id. ib. 2, 5, 7, § “16: populus (sc. Campanus), luxuriā superbiāque clarus,” Liv. 7, 31, 6.—Hence, adv.: clārē (freq. and class.).
I. Lit.
1. Of sight (acc. to I. A.), brightly, clearly: “clare oculis video,” Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 35: “clare fulgens caesaries,” Cat. 66, 9: “occidere,” of a star, Col. 11, 2, 52.—Comp.: “clarius micare,” Plin. 10, 20, 22, § 43: “nitere,” Stat. S. 4, 1, 4. —Sup.: “clarissime lucere,” Vitr. 9, 4.—
2. Of hearing (acc. to I. B.), clearly, distinctly, plainly, aloud: “clare recitare,” Plaut. Pers. 4, 3, 30: plaudite, id. Am. fin.; cf. id. Bacch. fin.: “dic,” Ter. And. 4, 4, 15 Ruhnk.: “gemere,” Cic. Att. 2, 20, 3: “res clare enuntiare,” Quint. 8, 3, 62: “sonare,” id. 11, 3, 55: “exscreare,” id. 11, 3, 160: “maledicere,” Suet. Vit. 14 et saep.: “palam et clare,” id. Claud. 3; cf. Mart. 7, 92, 5.—Comp.: “clarius fabulari,” Suet. Calig. 22.—Sup.: “pisces clarissime audiunt,” Plin. 10, 70, 89, § 193; Vitr. 5, 3.—
II. Trop.
1. Mentally (acc. to II. A.), distinctly, intelligibly, clearly: “clare atque evidenter ostendere,” Quint. 8, 3, 86; cf. id. 4, 1, 1: “aliquid intellegere,” Plin. 37, 2, 6, § 16. —Comp.: eo clarius id periculum apparet, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 14, 2; so, “clarius intellegi,” Quint. 2, 5, 7: “clarius elucebit,” id. 12, 1, 26: “clarius ostendemus,” id. 2, 17, 25 al.— Sup., Quint. 9, 1, 19.—
2. Morally (acc. to II. B.), illustriously, honorably (very rare): “clarius exsplendescebat,” Nep. Att. 1, 3.
