I.shut up, closed; hence, trop.,
I. That keeps a secret, trusty: “dixisti arcano satis,” Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 155: “petiit, ut aliquem ex arcanis mitteret,” Plin. 7, 52, 53, § 178.— Hence, poet., of the night: omina arcanā nocte petita, in silent night, or night that keeps secrets, Ov. H. 9, 40; Stat. S. 1, 3, 71.—
II. Hidden, concealed, secret, private (class., although very rare in Cic.): “at quīcum joca, seria, ut dicitur, quīcum arcana, quīcum occulta omnia,” Cic. Fin. 2, 26, 85: “consilia,” Liv. 35, 18; so Hor. C. 3, 21, 15: “secretae et arcanae opes,” Plin. Pan. 34, 3: “fontis arcani aqua,” Tac. A. 2, 54: “libidines,” Suet. Tib. 43 al.: “littera celatos arcana fatebitur ignes,” Ov. M. 9, 516: “sensus,” Verg. A. 4, 422 al.— “Esp., in the lang. of religion, of things sacred and incommunicable: ARCANA VRBIS PRAESIDIA,” Inscr. Orell. 2494: audivit arcana verba, quae non licet homini loqui, Vulg. 2 Cor. 12, 4; “and of secret, mysterious usages: sacra,” Ov. M. 10, 436: “arcana cum fiunt sacra,” Hor. Epod. 5, 52; so Stat. S. 3, 4, 92; Sil. 2, 427; Claud. Rapt. Pros. 3, 402; and by poet. license transf. to the deity presiding over such mysteries: “qui Cereris sacrum Volgavit arcanae,” Hor. C. 3, 2, 27.—Hence, subst.: arcānum , i, n., a secret.
A. In gen.: “nox arcanis fidissima,” Ov. M. 7, 192: “arcani Fides prodiga,” Hor. C. 1, 18, 16: “si quid umquam arcani sanctive ad silendum in curiā fuerit,” Liv. 23, 22, 9: “arcana regum,” Curt. 4, 6, 5: “revelare arcana,” Vulg. Prov. 11, 13: “denudare arcana amici,” ib. Eccli. 27, 17.—
B. Spec., a sacred secret, a mystery: “fatorum arcana,” Ov. M. 2, 639; so Verg. A. 7, 123: “Pythagorae arcana,” Hor. Epod. 15, 21; cf.: “Jovis arcana,” the secret decrees of, id. C. 1, 28, 9: “deorum arcanum proferre,” Plin. Pan. 23, 5: arcana quaedam, secret rites (of the diviners), Vulg. Exod. 7, 11: “violabunt arcanum meum,” my secret place, sanctuary, Vulg. Ezech. 7, 22 et saep.—Adv.: arcā-nō (cf. Charis. pp. 173 and 179 P.), in secret, privately: “arcano tibi ego hoc dico,” Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 117: “hunc (librum) lege arcano convivis tuis,” Cic. Att. 16, 3 (cf. Charis. l. c.): “arcano cum paucis familiaribus suis colloquitur,” Caes. B. C. 1, 19.— * Comp.: “arcanius judicare aliquid de aliquā re,” Col. 3, 2 fin.—Sup. not used.
