clĭpĕus (in inscrr. and MSS. also clŭp- and clp-), i, m. (clĭpĕum, i, n., Verg. A. 9, 709; Liv. 1, 43, 2; 34, 52, 5; 35, 10, 12; 38, 35, 5; 40, 51, 3; Licin. et Laber. ap. Non. p. 196, 22 sq. al.) [root in clepo]. I.The round brazen shield of Roman soldiers (diff. from scutum, which was oval, and made of wood covered with bull's hide; cf. Dict. of Antiq. p. 268 sq.), Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, 93 Müll.; id. ap. Prisc. p. 838 P. (Enn. Ann. 364 Vahl.); Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 195; 3, 2, 93; id. Truc. 2, 6, 25; Cic. Fin. 2, 30, 97; id. Div. 1, 44, 99; id. Tusc. 1, 15, 34; id. de Or. 2, 17, 73; Nep. Iphic. 1, 3; Liv. 1, 43, 2; 8, 8, 3; 9, 19, 7; Verg. A. 2, 443; 7, 626; 8, 447; Hor. C. 1, 28, 11; Ov. M. 8, 27; 12, 621.—Prov.: clipeum post vulnera sumere, i. e.
to do something when it is too late
, Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 35. —B.Trop., a shield, protection, defence, Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 433.—II.Meton., of objects in the form of a shield.A.The vault of heaven: in altisono caeli clupeo, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, 73 Müll.— B.The disk of the sun, Ov. M. 15, 192.—C.A round meteor: clipei et vastorum imagines ignium, Sen. Q. N. 1, 1, 15; 7, 20, 2; Plin. 2, 34, 34, 100.—But esp. freq., D.A bust of the gods or distinguished men, represented upon a shield-formed surface (of gold, silver, etc., skilfully prepared, and often laid up as sacred gifts in the temples; so mostly in neutr. form; v. suprainit.): scutis qualibus apud Trojam pugnatum est, continebantur imagines, unde et nomen habuere clipeorum, Plin. 35, 3, 4, 13; Liv. 25, 39, 13; 35, 10, 12; Tac. A. 2, 83; Suet. Calig. 16; id. Dom. 23; Dig. 9, 3, 5 fin.—E. Clipeum antiqui ob rotunditatem etiam corium bovis appellarunt, in quo foedus Gabinorum cum Romanis fuerat descriptum, Paul. ex Fest. p. 56 Müll. (cf. the same use of o(/plon, Corp. Inscr. Graec. II. p. 664).