A.bear, esp. Ursus arctos, brown bear, Od.11.611, h.Merc. 223, h.Ven.159, Hdt.4.191, etc.: the instances of the masc. are dub. (Arist.Col.798a26 is inconclusive), the fem. being used even when both sexes are included, Id.HA539b33.
2. Ἄρκτος, ἡ, the constellation Ursa Major, “Ἄρκτον θ᾽, ἣν καὶ Ἄμαξαν ἐπίκλησιν καλέουσιν” Il.18.487, Od.5.273, cf. Heraclit.120, E.Ion1154, etc.; “τὰ ὑπὸ τὴν Ἄ. ἀοίκητα” Hdt.5.10; “Ἄρκτου στροφάδες κέλευθοι” S.Tr.131 (lyr.); “Ἄρκτου στροφάς τε καὶ Κυνὸς ψυχρὰν δύσιν” Id.Fr.432.11: in pl., the Greater and Lesser Bears, Arat.27; Ἄ. μικρά, μεγάλη, Str.2.5.35, 36, cf. Cic.ND2.41.105.
3. the north, “πρὸς ἄρκτον τετραμμένος” Hdt. 1.148, cf. E.El.733 (lyr.), Aeschin.3.165, etc.; “ἀπὸ ἄ.” IG5(2).444.11 (Megalopolis), al.: pl., Hp.Aër.5 and 19, Pl.Criti.118b, etc.
II. ἄρκτος, ἡ, at Athens a girl appointed to the service of Artemis Brauronia or Ἀρχηγέτις, E. Hyps.Fr.57, Ar.Lys.645.
III. a kind of crab, prob. Scyllarus arctus, Arist.HA549b23, cf. Speus. ap. Ath.3.105b, Mnesim.4.45, Archestr.Fr.56.