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arca , ae, f. arceo: “arca et arx quasi res secretae, a quibus omnes arceantur,” Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 262; v. arceo,
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.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (27):
    • Cicero, Letters to Atticus, 1.9
    • New Testament, Hebrews, 11.7
    • Old Testament, Exodus, 26.34
    • New Testament, Hebrews, 9.4
    • Cicero, For Milo, 22
    • Old Testament, Deuteronomy, 10.5
    • Old Testament, Deuteronomy, 10.8
    • Old Testament, Exodus, 30.6
    • Old Testament, Genesis, 6.14
    • Old Testament, Jeremiah, 3.16
    • Old Testament, Joshua, 4.4
    • New Testament, Matthew, 24.38
    • Old Testament, Numbers, 10.33
    • Horace, Satires, 1.1.67
    • Vitruvius, On Architecture, 10.13
    • Vitruvius, On Architecture, 6.3
    • Suetonius, Caligula, 59
    • Suetonius, Tiberius, 63
    • Lucan, Civil War, 8.736
    • Pliny the Younger, Epistulae, 3.19.8
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 40, 29
    • Cicero, De Divinatione, 2.41
    • Cicero, Paradoxa Stoicorum, 6
    • Seneca, Epistulae, 26
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 3.3.5
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 8.8.9
    • Valerius Maximus, Facta et Dicta Memorabilia, 1.1
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