I.clearness, brightness, splendor (in good prose, most freq. in the post-Aug. per.).
I. Prop.
A. Of objects affecting the sight (so for the most part only in Pliny the elder): “sidus Veneris claritatis tantae (est), ut, etc.,” Plin. 2, 8, 6, § 37; cf. id. 2, 8, 6, § 30; 23, 4, 41, § 84: matutina, id. 9, 35, 54, § 107: “visus,” id. 31, 10, 46, § 116; cf. “oculorum,” id. 18, 11, 29, § 114; 20, 10, 42, § 108: AD CLARITATEM (sc. oculorum), for clearness of sight (label of an ointment box), Inscr. Orell. 4234.—
B. Of objects affecting the hearing, distinctness, clearness: “claritas in voce,” Cic. Ac. 1, 5, 19: “sonituum chordarum,” Vitr. 5, 3, 8: “vocis,” Quint. 6, prooem. § 11: “ vocalium,” id. 9, 4, 131; 11, 3, 41.—
II. Trop.
A. Intellectually, clearness, distinctness, perspicuity (rare): “pulchritudinem rerum claritas orationis illuminat,” Quint. 2, 16, 10; so id. 8, 3, 70; Cod. Th. 1, 1, 6, § 1.—
B. Morally, celebrity, renown, reputation, splendor, high estimation (so most freq.; several times in Cicero, who never uses claritudo, while in Sallust only claritudo is found, q. v.; cf. “also amplitudo, splendor, nobilitas, gloria): num te fortunae tuae, num amplitudinis, num claritatis, num gloriae poenitebat?” Cic. Phil. 1, 13, 38, id. Div. 2, 31, 66: “quae ex multis pro tuā claritate audiam,” id. Fam. 13, 68, 1, cf. Quint. 3, 7, 11: “viri claritate praestantes,” Nep. Eum. 3, 3: “nominis, Auct. B. Afr. 22: generis,” Quint. 8, 6, 7; cf. id. 5, 11, 5; 3, 7, 11: “natalium,” Tac. H. 1, 49: “personarum,” Plin. Ep. 2, 14, 1: “Herculis,” Tac. G. 34 fin.: “vino Maroneo antiquissima claritas,” Plin. 14, 4, 6, § 53: “litterarum,” id. 14, 4, 5, § 44: “herbarum (i.e. nobiliores herbae),” id. 24, 19, 120, § 188.—In plur.: “claritates operum,” Plin. 35, 8, 34, § 53: “ingeniorum,” id. 37, 13, 77, § 201.