prolection

arx, arcis, f. [arx ab arcendo, quod is locus munitissimus rubis, a quo facillime possit hostis prohiberi, Varr. L. L. 5, § 151 Müll; cf. Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 20; Isid. Orig. 15, 2, 32; Doed. Syn. IV. p. 428; v. arceo], a stronghold, castle, citadel, fortress, akropolis; in Rome, the Capitolium.

A.. Lit.: arce et urbe orba sum, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 44 (Trag. v. 114 Müll.): optumates, Corinthum quae arcem altam habetis, id. ap. ejusd. Fam. 7, 6: edicite per urbem ut omnes qui arcem astuque accolunt, cives, etc.; Att. ap. Non. p. 357, 14:

Illa autem in arcem [hinc] abiit,

Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 59; so id. Ps. 4, 6, 2:

In arcem transcurso opus est,

Ter. Hec. 3, 4, 17:

Condere coeperunt urbīs arcemque locare,

Lucr. 5, 1107:

arcis servator, candidus anser,

id. 4, 683:

munire arcem,

Cic. Pis. 34 fin.:

cum Tarento amisso arcem tamen Livius retinuisset,

id. de Or. 2, 67, 273: arx intra moenia in immanem altitudinem edita; Liv. 45, 28:

arx Sion,

Vulg. 2 Reg. 5, 7:

arx Jerusalem,

ib. 1 Macc. 13, 49:

Romana,

Liv. 1, 12:

Capitolina,

id. 6, 20; cf. id. 3, 18:

Sabinus arcem Capitolii insedit mixto milite,

Tac. H. 3, 69; Suet. Claud. 44 et saep. As the place on which auguries were received (cf. auguraculum):

ut cum in arce augurium augures acturi essent,

Cic. Off. 3, 16, 66; so Liv. 1, 18 and 24.—Hence,

Trop., defence, prolection, refuge, bulwark, etc.:

Castoris templum fuit te consule arx civium perditorum, receptaculum veterum Catilinae militum, castellum forensis latrocinii,

Cic. Pis. 5, 11:

haec urbs, lux orbis terrarum atque arx omnium gentium,

id. Cat. 4, 6; cf. id. Agr. 1, 6, 18:

Africa arx omnium provinciarum,

id. Lig. 7, 22:

Stoicorum,

id. Div. 1, 6, 10:

arx finitimorum, Campani,

Liv. 7, 29; 37, 18:

tribunicium auxilium et provocationem, duas arces libertatis tuendae,

id. 3, 45:

arx ad aliquid faciendum,

id. 28, 3:

eam urbem pro arce habiturus Philippus adversus Graeciae civitates,

id. 33, 14; Flor. 3, 6, 5:

quasi arx aeternae dominationis,

Tac. A. 14, 31.—

As the abode of tyrants, a poet. designation of tyranny (cf. Ascon. ad Cic. Div. in Caecil. 5), Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 293 Heins.:

cupidi arcium,

Sen. Thyest. 342; cf. id. Contr. 4, 27:

non dum attigit arcem, Juris et humani culmen,

Luc. 7, 593 Corte; cf. id. 8, 490, and 4, 800; Tert. Apol. 4.—

Prov.:

arcem facere e cloacā,

to make a mountain of a mole-hill, Cic. Planc. 40.—

Since castles were generally on a height, meton., a height, summit, pinnacle, top, peak (usu. poet. and in Aug. and postAug. prose), lit. and trop.

Lit.:

summā locum sibi legit in arce,

upon the extreme height, Ov. M. 1, 27; cf. id. ib. 12, 43. —So,

In partic.

Of mountains:

Parnasi constitit arce,

Ov. M. 1, 467:

arce loci summā,

id. ib. 11, 393:

Rhipaeae arces,

Verg. G. 1, 240:

flērunt Rhodopeïae arces,

id. ib. 4, 461:

septemque unā sibi muro circumdedit arces,

id. ib. 2, 535:

primus inexpertas adiit Tirynthius arces, i. e. Alpes,

Sil. 3, 496; cf. Drak. ad id. 15, 305; Val. Fl. 3, 565:

impositum arce sublimi oppidum cernimus,

Petr. 116; cf. id. 123, 205, and 209.—

Of houses built on an eminence, Petr. 121, 107, and 293.—

Of the citadel of heaven:

quae pater ut summā vidit Saturnius arce,

Ov. M. 1, 163:

summam petit arduus arcem,

id. ib. 2, 306:

sideream mundi qui temperat arcem,

id. Am. 3, 10, 21.—

Of the heavens themselves: aetheriae [p. 170] arces, Ov. Tr. 5, 3, 19:

arces igneae,

Hor. C. 3, 3, 10:

caeli quibus adnuis arcem,

Verg. A. 1, 250; cf. id. ib. 1, 259.—

Of temples erected on an eminence:

dexterā sacras jaculatus arces,

Hor. C. 1, 2, 3.—

Of the head:

arx corporis,

Sen. Oedip. 185; Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 235.—

Trop., height, head, summit, etc. (rare):

celsā mentis ab arce,

Stat. S. 2, 2, 131:

summae laudum arces,

Sil. 13, 771; Sid. Carm. 2, 173:

ubi Hannibal sit, ibi caput atque arcem totius belli esse,

head and front, Liv. 28, 42:

arx eloquentiae,

Tac. Or. 10.