Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.a stronghold, castle, citadel, fortress, ἀκρόπολις; in Rome, the Capitolium.

I. A.. Lit.: arce et urbe orba sum, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 44 (Trag. v. 114 Müll.): optumates, Corinthum quae arcem altam habetis, id. ap. ejusd. Fam. 7, 6: edicite per urbem ut omnes qui arcem astuque accolunt, cives, etc.; Att. ap. Non. p. 357, 14: “Illa autem in arcem [hinc] abiit,” Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 59; so id. Ps. 4, 6, 2: “In arcem transcurso opus est,” Ter. Hec. 3, 4, 17: “Condere coeperunt urbīs arcemque locare,” Lucr. 5, 1107: “arcis servator, candidus anser,” id. 4, 683: “munire arcem,” Cic. Pis. 34 fin.: “cum Tarento amisso arcem tamen Livius retinuisset,” id. de Or. 2, 67, 273: arx intra moenia in immanem altitudinem edita; Liv. 45, 28: “arx Sion,” Vulg. 2 Reg. 5, 7: “arx Jerusalem,” ib. 1 Macc. 13, 49: “Romana,” Liv. 1, 12: “Capitolina,” id. 6, 20; cf. id. 3, 18: “Sabinus arcem Capitolii insedit mixto milite,” Tac. H. 3, 69; Suet. Claud. 44 et saep. As the place on which auguries were received (cf. auguraculum): “ut cum in arce augurium augures acturi essent,” Cic. Off. 3, 16, 66; so Liv. 1, 18 and 24.—Hence,

B. Trop., defence, prolection, refuge, bulwark, etc.: “Castoris templum fuit te consule arx civium perditorum, receptaculum veterum Catilinae militum, castellum forensis latrocinii,” Cic. Pis. 5, 11: “haec urbs, lux orbis terrarum atque arx omnium gentium,” id. Cat. 4, 6; cf. id. Agr. 1, 6, 18: “Africa arx omnium provinciarum,” id. Lig. 7, 22: “Stoicorum,” id. Div. 1, 6, 10: “arx finitimorum, Campani,” Liv. 7, 29; 37, 18: “tribunicium auxilium et provocationem, duas arces libertatis tuendae,” id. 3, 45: “arx ad aliquid faciendum,” id. 28, 3: “eam urbem pro arce habiturus Philippus adversus Graeciae civitates,” id. 33, 14; Flor. 3, 6, 5: “quasi arx aeternae dominationis,” Tac. A. 14, 31.—

C. As the abode of tyrants, a poet. designation of tyranny (cf. Ascon. ad Cic. Div. in Caecil. 5), Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 293 Heins.: “cupidi arcium,” Sen. Thyest. 342; cf. id. Contr. 4, 27: “non dum attigit arcem, Juris et humani culmen,” Luc. 7, 593 Corte; cf. id. 8, 490, and 4, 800; Tert. Apol. 4.—

D. Prov.: “arcem facere e cloacā,” to make a mountain of a mole-hill, Cic. Planc. 40.—

II. Since castles were generally on a height, meton., a height, summit, pinnacle, top, peak (usu. poet. and in Aug. and postAug. prose), lit. and trop.

A. Lit.: “summā locum sibi legit in arce,” upon the extreme height, Ov. M. 1, 27; cf. id. ib. 12, 43. —So,

2. In partic.

a. Of mountains: “Parnasi constitit arce,” Ov. M. 1, 467: “arce loci summā,” id. ib. 11, 393: “Rhipaeae arces,” Verg. G. 1, 240: “flērunt Rhodopeïae arces,” id. ib. 4, 461: “septemque unā sibi muro circumdedit arces,” id. ib. 2, 535: “primus inexpertas adiit Tirynthius arces, i. e. Alpes,” Sil. 3, 496; cf. Drak. ad id. 15, 305; Val. Fl. 3, 565: “impositum arce sublimi oppidum cernimus,” Petr. 116; cf. id. 123, 205, and 209.—

b. Of houses built on an eminence, Petr. 121, 107, and 293.—

c. Of the citadel of heaven: “quae pater ut summā vidit Saturnius arce,” Ov. M. 1, 163: “summam petit arduus arcem,” id. ib. 2, 306: “sideream mundi qui temperat arcem,” id. Am. 3, 10, 21.—

d. Of the heavens themselves: aetheriae arces, Ov. Tr. 5, 3, 19: “arces igneae,” Hor. C. 3, 3, 10: “caeli quibus adnuis arcem,” Verg. A. 1, 250; cf. id. ib. 1, 259.—

e. Of temples erected on an eminence: “dexterā sacras jaculatus arces,” Hor. C. 1, 2, 3.—

f. Of the head: “arx corporis,” Sen. Oedip. 185; Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 235.—

B. Trop., height, head, summit, etc. (rare): “celsā mentis ab arce,” Stat. S. 2, 2, 131: “summae laudum arces,” Sil. 13, 771; Sid. Carm. 2, 173: “ubi Hannibal sit, ibi caput atque arcem totius belli esse,” head and front, Liv. 28, 42: “arx eloquentiae,” Tac. Or. 10.