a confused noise or shout of joy, by which the public express their applause, esteem, or approbation.

a more proper sense, denotes a certain form of words, uttered with extraordinary vehemence, and in a peculiar tone somewhat resembling a song, frequent in the ancient assemblies. Acclamations were usually accompanied with applause, with which they are sometimes confounded; though they ought to be distinguished; as acclamation was given by the voice, applause by the hands; add, that acclamation was also bestowed on persons absent, applause only on those present. Acclamation was also given by women, whereas applause seems to have been confined to men.

Acclamations are of various kinds; ecclesiastical, military, nuptial, senatorial, synodal, scholastic, theatrical, &c. We meet with loud acclamations, musical and rhythmical acclamations; acclamations of joy and respect, and even of reproach and contumely. The former, wherein words of happy omen were used, were also called Laudationes, et bona vota, or good wishes; the latter, Execrationes et conciones. Suetonius furnishes an instance of this last kind in the Roman senate, on occasion of the decree for demolishing the statues of Domitian, when the fathers, as the historian represents it, could not refrain from contumelious acclamations of the deceased. The like were thrown after the death of Commodus, where the acclamations run in the following strain: Hoc patriae honores detrabantur, parricide honores distrabantur; hodie statuas undique, parricide statuas undique, gladiatoris statuas undique, &c.—The formula, in acclamations, was repeated; sometimes a greater, sometimes a lesser, number of times. Hence we find in Roman writers, acclamatum est quinque, et vices; five times, and twenty times; sometimes also sexagesies, and even octagies; sixty and eighty times.

Acclamations were not unknown on the theatres in the earliest ages of the Roman commonwealth; but they were articles then, and little other than confused shouts. Afterwards they became a sort of regular concerts. That mentioned by Phaedrus, Letare incolumis Roma salvo princeps, which was made for Augustus, and proved the occasion of a pleasant mistake of a flute-player called Princeps, shews that musical acclamations were in use in that emperor's reign. Revertentem ex Provincia modulatis carminibus prosequabantur, says Suetonius, who gives another instance in the time of Tiberius: a false report of Germanicus's recovery being spread through Rome, the people ran in crowds to the capitol with torches and victims, singing, Salva Roma, Salva Patria, Salus est Germanicus.—Nero, passionately fond of music, took special care to improve and perfect the music of acclamations. Charmed with the harmony wherewith the Alexandrians, who came to the games celebrated at Naples, had sung his praises, he brought several over to instruct a number of youth, chosen from among the knights and people, in the different kinds of acclamations practised at Alexandria. These continued in use as low as the reign of Theodoric. But the people did not always make a single chorus; sometimes there were two, who answered each other alternately: thus, when Nero played on the theatre, Burrhus and Seneca, who were on either hand, giving the signal by clapping, 5000 soldiers called Augurii, began to chant his praise, which the spectators were obliged to repeat. The whole was conducted by a music-master called Melchior or Paularius.—The honour of acclamations was chiefly rendered to emperors, their children, and favourites; and to the magistrates who presided at the games. Persons of distinguished merit also sometimes received them, of which Quintilian gives us instances in Cato and Virgil. The most usual forms were, Felicitas, Longegete victor, Amos felices. The actors themselves, and they who gained the prizes in the games of the circus, were not excluded the honour of acclamations.

To theatrical acclamations may be added those of the soldiery and the people in time of triumph. The victorious army accompanied their general to the capitol; and, among the verses they sung in his praises, frequently repeated, Io Triumphi, which the people answered in the same strain. It was also in the way of acclamation, that the soldiery gave their general the title of Imperator, after some notable victory: a title which he only kept till the time of his triumph.

The acclamations of the senate were somewhat more serious than the popular ones; but arose from the same principle, viz. a desire of pleasing the prince or his favourites; and aimed likewise at the same end, either to express the general approbation and zeal of the company, or to congratulate him on his victories, or to make him new professions of fidelity. These acclamations were usually given after a report made by some senator, to which the rest all expressed their consent by crying Omnes, Omnes; or else, Equum est, Iustum est. Sometimes they began with acclamations, and sometimes ended with them without other debates. It was after this manner that all the elections and proclamations of emperors, made by the senate, were conducted; something of which practice is still retained at modern elections of kings and emperors, where Vivat Rex, Vive le Roy, and Long live the King, are customary forms.

The Greeks borrowed the custom of receiving their emperors in the public places from the Romans. Luitprand relates, that at a procession where he was present, they sung to the emperor Nicephorus, that is, Many years: which Codin expresses thus, by