(adjective) : clēmens, entis (abl. usu. -ti;
* But -te,Liv. 1, 26, 8; Laber. ap. Macr. S. 2, 7, 3), etym. dub.; cf. lemures; and Germ. hold.
* 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
* Esp.
* Trop.
* Of places (opp. praeceps), smooth, of a gentle ascent: clivulus,App. M. 4, p. 144.—Far more freq.
* (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.
* Transf. to animals. tame, domesticated: clementius genus columbarum (opp. agrestes), Varr. R. R. 3, 7, 2.
* (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.
* 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. 3, 5, 22: 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. 1, 1, 9: 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.
* Poet. of places: pars (insulae) ratibus clemens,accessible,Claud. B. Gild. 511.—Adv.: clē-menter.
* (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.
* (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.

s. TLL