A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

CLA UDIANUS.
We have as yet said nothing of the Rape of
Proserpine, from which we might expect to form
the most favourable estimate of his genius, for here
at least it had fair and free scope, untrammeled by
the fetters which cramped its energies in panegyric.
But, although these causes of embarrassment are
removed, we do not find the result anticipated.
If we become familiar with his other works in the
first instance, we rise with a feeling of disappointment from the perusal of this. We find, it is true,
the same animated descriptions and harmonious
numbers; but there is a want of taste in the arrangement of the details, of sustained interest in
the action, and of combination in the different
members, which gives a fragmentary character to
the whole, and causes it to be read with much
greater pleasure in extracts than continuously.
The subject, although grand in itself, is injudiciously handled; for, all the characters being gods,
it is impossible to invest their proceedings with
the interest which attaches to struggling and suffering humanity. The impression produced by the
commencement is singularly unfortunate. The
rage of the King of Shades that he alone of gods
is a stranger to matrimonial bliss, his determination to war against heaven that he may avenge his
wrongs, the mustering and marshalling of the
Titans and all the monsters of the abyss for battle
against Jupiter, are figured forth with great dignity
and pomp; but when we find this terrific tempest at once quelled by the very simple and sensible suggestion of old Lachesis, that he might probably obtain a wife, if he chose to ask for one, the
whole scene is converted into a burlesque, and the
absurdity is if possible heightened by the blustering harangue of Pluto to the herald, Mercury-.
Throughout this poem, as well as in all the other
works of Claudian. we lament the absence not only
of true sublimity but of simple nature and of real
feeling: our imagination is often excited, our intellect is often gratified; but our nobler energies are
never awakened; no cord of tenderness is struck,
no kindly sympathy is enlisted; our hearts are
never softened.
Of the Idylls we need hardly say anything;
little could be expected from the subjects: they
may be regarded as clever essays in versification,
and nothing more. The best is that in which the
hot springs of Aponus are described. The Fescennine verses display considerable lightness and
grace;.the epigrams, with the exception of a very
few which are neatly and pointedly expressed, are
not worth reading.
The Editio Princeps of Claudian was printed at
Vicenza by Jacobus Dusenius, fol., 1482, under
the editorial inspection of Barnabus Celsanus, and
appears to be a faithful representation of the MS.
from which it was taken. Several of the snialler
poems are wanting. The second edition was
printed at Parma by Angelus Ugoletus, 4to., 1493,
superintended by Thadaeus, who made use of
several MSS. for emending the text, especially one
obtained from Holland. Here first we find the
epigrams, the Epithalamium of Palladius and Serena, the epistles to Serena and to Hadrian, the
Aponus, and. the Gigantomachia. The edition
printed at Vienna by Hieronymus Victor and Joannes Singrenius, 4to., 1510, with a text newly
revised by Joannes Camers, is the first which contains the Laudes Herculis, In Sirenas, Laus Christi,
and Miracula Christi. The first truly critical edi

CLAUDIUS. 73.
tion was that of Theod. Pulmannus, printed at
Antwerp by Plantinus, 16mo., 1571, including the
notes of Delrio. The second edition of Caspar
Barthius, Francf. and Hamburg. 1650 and 1654,
4to., boasts of being completed with the aid of
seventeen MSS., and is accompanied by a voluminous commentary; but the notes are heavy, and
the typography very incorrect. The edition of
Gesner, Lips. 1759, is a useful one; but by far
the best which has yet appeared is that of the
younger Burmann, Amst. 1760, forming one of the
series of the Dutch Variorum Classics, in 4to. An
edition was commenced by G. L. Kanig, and one
volume published in 1808 (Gbtting.), but the work
did not proceed farther.
The " Raptus Proserpinae" was published separately, under the title " Claudiani de Raptu Proserpinae Tragoediae duae," at Utrecht, by Ketelaer
and Leempt, apparently several years before the
Editio Princeps of the collected works noticed
above, and three other editions of the same poem
belong to the same early period, although neither
the names of the printers nor the precise dates can
be ascertained.
We have a complete metrical translation of the
whole works of Claudian by A. Hawkins, 2 vols.
8vo., Lond. 1817; and there are also several English translations of many of the separate pieces, few
of which are of any merit. [W. R.]
CLAUDIA'NUS (KAavclavOs), the author of
five epigrams in the Greek Anthology (Brunck,
Anal. ii. p. 447; Jacobs, iii. p. 153), is commonly
identified with the celebrated Latin poet of the
same name; but this seems to be disproved by the
titles and contents of two additional epigrams, ascribed to him in the Vatican MS., which are addressed "to the Saviour," and which shew that their
author was a Christian. (Jacobs, Paralip. ap. Anthol.
Graec. xiii. pp. 615-617.) He is probably the
poet whom Evagrius (Hist. Eccl. i. 19) mentions
as flourishing under Theodosius II., who reigned
A. D. 408-450. The Gigantomachia, of which a
fragment still exists (Iriarte, Catal. MSS. Msatrit.
p. 215), and which has been ascribed to the Roman
poet, seems rather to belong to this one. He wrote
also, according to the Scholia on the Vatican MS.,
poems on the history of certain cities of Asia Minor
and Syria, ardapta Tapcrov, 'Avamdpeov, Brpvirov,
Nucamas, whence it has been inferred that lie was
a native of that part of Asia. (Jacobs, Anth. Graee.
xiii. p. 872.) [P. S.]
CLAUDIA'NUS ECDI'DIUS MAMERT US.
[MAMERTUS,]
CLAU'DIUS, patrician. [CLAUDIA GENS.]
1. APP. CLAUDIUS SABINUS REGILLENSIS, a
Sabine of the town of Regiilum or Regilli, who in
his own country bore the name of Attus Clausus
(or, according to some, Atta Claudius; Dionysius
calls him Tiros Kauistos), being the advocate of
peace with the Romans, when hostilities broke out
between the two nations shortly after the beginning of the commonwealth, and being vehemently
opposed by most of his countrymen, withdrew
with a large train of followers to Rome. (a. c. 504.)
He was forthwith received into the ranks of the
patricians, and lands beyond the Anio were assigned to his followers, who were formed into a
new tribe, called the Claudian. (Liv. ii. 16, iv. 3,
x. 8; Dionys. v. 40, xi. 15; Sueton. Tib. 1; Tac.
Ann. xi. 24, xii. 25; Niebuhr, i. p. 560.) He
exhibited the characteristics which marked his