Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.a place for keeping any thing, a chest, box.

I. Lit.

A. In gen.: “arca vestiaria,” Cato, R. R. 11, 3: ex illā oleā arcam esse factam eoque conditas sortes, Cic. Div. 2, 41, 86; Suet. Tib. 63: “arca ingens variorum venenorum plena,” id. Calig. 59 al.—Very freq.,

B. Esp.,

1. A box for money, a safe, a coffer, and particularly of the rich, and loculi was their purse, porte-monnaie, while sacculus was the pouch of the poor, Juv. 1, 89 sq.; 11, 26; cf. id. 10, 25; 14, 259 Ruperti, and Cat. 13, 8; Varr. L. L. 5, § 182 Müll.: “populus me sibilat: at mihi plaudo Ipse domi, simul ac nummos contemplor in arcā,” Hor. S. 1, 1, 67.—Hence, meton., like our purse, for the money in it: “arcae nostrae confidito,” rely upon my purse, Cic. Att. 1, 9; id. ad Q. Fr. 2, 12; id. Par. 6, 1; Cat. 23, 1; Col. 3, 3, 5; 8, 8, 9; Plin. Ep. 3, 19, 8; Sen. Ep. 26 fin.— Hence, ex arcā absolvere aliquem, to pay in cash upon the spot (opp. de mensae scripturā absolvere), Ter. Ad. 2, 4, 13 Don.; cf. id. Phorm. 5, 7, 29 Don., and arcarius.—And of public money, state treasure, revenues (late Lat.): “frumentaria,” Dig. 50, 4, 1, § 2: “vinaria,” Symm. Ep. 10, 42 al.—

2. A coffin (cf. Smith, Dict. Antiq.), Liv. 40, 29; cf. Plin. 13, 13, 27, § 85; Val. Max. 1, 1: “cadavera Conservus vili portanda locabat in arcā,” Hor. S. 1, 8, 9; Luc. 8, 736; Dig. 11, 7; Inscr. Orell. 3560; 4429.—

II. Transf. Of any thing in the form of a box or chest.

A. Noah's ark (eccl. Lat.), Vulg. Gen. 6, 14 sqq.; ib. Matt. 24, 38; ib. Heb. 11, 7 al.—

B. In Jewish antiq., the Ark of the Covenant (eccl. Lat.): “arca foederis,” Vulg. Deut. 10, 8: “arca foederis Domini,” ib. Num. 10, 33: “arca testimonii,” ib. Exod. 26, 34: “arca testamenti,” ib. Heb. 9, 4: “arca testamenti Dei,” ib. Jer. 3, 16: “arca Domini,” ib. Jos. 4, 4: “arca Dei,” ib. 1 Reg. 11, 17; and absol.: “arca,” ib. Exod. 30, 6; ib. Deut. 10, 5.—

C. A small, close prison, a cell: “(Servi) in arcas coniciuntur, ne quis cum iis colloqui possit,” Cic. Mil. 22 fin.; cf. Fest. p. 264 Müll. —

D. In mechanics, the water-box of a hydraulic machine, Vitr. 10, 13.—

E. A watercistern, a reservoir, Vitr. 6, 3.—

F. A quadrangular landmark; cf. Scriptt. Agrim. pp. 119, 222, 223, 271 Goes.