CLAUDIUS, a Latin poet, who flourished in the fourth century, under the emperor Theodosius, and under his sons Arcadius and Honorius. It is not agreed of what country he was a native; but he came to Rome in the year of Christ 395, when he was about twenty years old, and there insinuated himself into the favour of Stilicho, who being a person of great abilities both for civil and military affairs, though a Goth by birth, possessed so much influence under Honorius, that he may be said for many years to have governed the western empire. Stilicho afterwards fell into disgrace, and was put to death; and it is more than probable that the poet was involved in the misfortunes of his patron, and severely persecuted in his person and fortunes by Hadrian, an Egyptian by birth, who was captain of the guards to Honorius, and succeeded Stilicho. There is reason, however, to think that he rose afterwards to great favour, and obtained several honours both civil and military. The Princess Serena having a great esteem for Claudian, recommended and married him to a lady of high quality and fortune in Libya. There are a few little poems on sacred subjects, which through mistake have been ascribed by some critics to Claudian, and so have made him be thought a Christian; but St Austin, who was contemporary with him, expressly says that he was a heathen. The time of Claudian's death is uncertain, nor do we know any further particulars of his life than are to be collected from his works, and these we have related above. He is thought to have more of Virgil in his style than all the other imitators of the Mantuan. The best editions of Claudian are that of 1765, cum notis variorum, in 8vo; the Delphin edition of 1677, in 4to; that of Gesner, published at Leipsic in 1759, in two vols, 8vo; and that of Burman, published at Amsterdam in 1760, in 4to.