I. A calm, tranquil state of the elements, calmness, mildness, tranquillity (like clemens in this signif. mostly post-Aug.): “clementia ventorum, tranquillitas maris,” App. de Deo Socr. p. 52, 1: “soli caelique,” Flor. 3, 3, 18; cf.: “emollit gentes clementia caeli,” Luc. 8, 366: “aestatis,” Plin. Ep. 5, 6, 5: “hiemis,” Col. 5, 5, 6: “nascentis anni,” id. 11, 3, 9: “diei,” id. 9, 13, 4: “Nili,” Stat. Th. 3, 527.—
II. (Acc. to clemens, II. B.) Indulgent, forbearing conduct towards the errors and faults of others, moderation, mildness, humanity, forbearance, benignity, clemency, mercy (the class. signif.; very freq., esp. in prose; “syn.: benignitas, comitas, lenitas, mansuetudo, etc.): clementia (est), per quam animi temere in odium alicujus concitati invectio comitate retinetur,” Cic. Inv. 2, 54, 164: “clementia est temperantia animi in potestate ulciscendi, vel lenitas... in constituendis poenis,” Sen. Clem. 2, 3: facilitas et clementia, * Ter. Ad. 5, 4, 7; cf. Cic. Off. 1, 25, 88: “illam clementiam mansuetudinemque nostri imperii tantam in crudelitatem inhumanitatemque esse conversam,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 44, § 115; id. Deiot. 15, 43; id. Lig. 3, 10: “lenitas et clementia,” id. Att. 14, 19, 2: “clementia et probitas vestra,” Sall. H. 1, 41, 1 Dietsch; Liv. 3, 58, 4; Ov. M. 8, 57; Quint. 9, 2, 28; Tac. H. 3, 19: “juris,” Quint. 7, 4, 18 Spald., and antith. to jus asperius, id. 9, 2, 90; “opp. severitatem,” Sen. Clem. 1, 1, 4: “elephanti contra minus validos,” Plin. 8, 7, 7, § 23: “leonis in supplices,” id. 8, 16, 19, § 48; “and as an attribute of princes,” id. 8, 7, 7, § 48; Vop. Aur. 44; whence a title of the emperors, v. IV.—Less freq.,
B. Kindness, sympathy: “satrapes violare clementiam quam regis opes minui maluit,” Nep. Alcib. 10, 3.—
III. Clementia, personified as a deily, the goddess of grace, Plin. 2, 7, 5, § 14; Stat. Th. 12, 482 sq.; Claud. Laud. Stil. 2, 6 sq.—