I. To shut up, to enclose.
A. Lit.: arcere est continere, Paul. ex Fest. p. 15 Müll.: “alvus arcet et continet quod recipit,” Cic. N. D. 2, 54, 136: orbis caelestis arcens et continens ceteros, id. Rep. 6, 17: “nos flumina arcemus, dirigimus, avertimus,” id. N. D. 2, 60, 152: “hos quidem ut famulos vinclis prope ac custodiā arceamus,” shut in, confine, id. Tusc. 2, 21, 48 (cf. Doed. Syn. II. p. 426).—
B. Trop.: “videbam audaciam tam immanem non posse arceri otii finibus,” Cic. Har. Resp. 3.—Also, to keep in order: arcendae familiae gratiā, Paul. ex Fest. s. v. noverca, p. 175 Müll.—
II. To keep or hold off, to prevent from approaching, to keep at a distance: arcere prohibere est, Paul. ex Fest. p. 15 Müll.; constr. absol. aliquem, with ab, the simple abl., poet. also with dat.
(α).
Absol. aliquem: “ille tenet et scit ut hostium copiae, tu ut aquae pluviae arceantur,” Cic. Mur. 9, 22; so, “aquam pluviam, aquas pluvias arcere,” Cic. Top. 10, 43, and Dig. 39, 3: “platanus solem arcet,” Plin. 12, 1, 5, § 11: “somnos ducere et arcere,” Ov. M. 2, 735: “Odi profanum vulgus et arceo,” Hor. C. 3, 1, 1.— “With an abstr. object: transitum hostis,” to arrest, hinder, Liv. 26, 41.—Poet. and in postAug. prose, with inf. as object, to hinder, prevent: “quae (dicta) clamor ad aures Arcuit ire meas,” Ov. M. 12, 427: “plagamque sedere Cedendo arcebat,” id. ib. 3, 89; so id. P. 3, 3, 56; Stat. S. 2, 1, 34; id. Th. 1, 455; Sen. Hippol. 805; Sil. 13, 341 al.; Tac. A. 3, 72.— “And without object: arcuit Omnipotens,” Ov. M. 2, 505.—
(β).
With ab: “tu, Juppiter, hunc a tuis aris ceterisque templis arcebis,” Cic. Cat. 1, 13 fin.: “homines ab injuriā, etc.,” id. Leg. 1, 14: “haec aetas a libidinibus arcenda est,” id. Off. 1, 34, 122: “homines ab improbitate,” id. Par. 3, 2, 23: “famulas a limine templi,” Ov. F. 6, 482: “aliquem ab amplexu,” id. M. 9, 751: “ignavum, fucos, pecus a praesepibus arcent,” Verg. G. 4, 168.—
(γ).
With the simple abl. (not with persons): “primordia genitali concilio arceri tempore iniquo,” Lucr. 1, 183: “illum ut hostem arcuit Galliā,” Cic. Phil. 5, 13 fin.: “te dominus illis sedibus arcebit,” id. ib. 2, 40 fin.; so id. Tusc. 1, 37, 89: “Virginiam matronae sacris arcuerant,” Liv. 10, 23: “aliquem aditu,” id. 42, 6; so Suet. Ner. 46; Luc. 10, 499: “aquā atque igni arcebatur,” Tac. A. 3, 23; so id. ib. 3, 50 (cf. aqua, I. B. 3.) al.: “arceor aris,” Ov. M. 6, 209: “patriis penatibus,” id. ib. 9, 446 al.: “aliquem funesto veterno,” i. e. to protect, guard, Hor. Ep. 1, 8, 10: “classes aquilonibus,” id. A. P. 64 et saep.—
(δ).
With dat., to keep off something from: “oestrum pecori,” Verg. G. 3, 155 (cf.: “Solstitium pecori defendite,” id. E. 7, 47: “mortem fratri depulit,” Ov. H. 14, 130; and the Gr. ἀμύνειν νηυσὶ θοῇσι πῦρ, Hom. Il. 9, 435; 9, 347; v. also Rudd. II. p. 150).