So Claudius was led out, and the first to be asked his opinion was Father Janus: he had been made consul elect for the afternoon of the next first of July,[Footnote: Perhaps an allusion to the shortening of the consul's term, which was done to give more candidates a chance of the honour.]

In addition to the flour each received a piece of bacon or fat meat, from which they got the shortening for their biscuit.

D = total shortening at elastic limit, inches.

Roller bearings should be placed between the bearing blocks and the knife edges of the crosshead to allow for the shortening due to flexure.

As a result the shortenings on the upper side of the beam become considerably greater than the elongations on the lower side.