Lewis & Short

ărĭēs, ĭētis, m. (for the kindr. forms arvix and harvix, in Varr. and Fest.; v. arvix; poet. aries sometimes dissyl., like abies; hence, a long, Carey, Lat. Pros. § 47: āriĕtis, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 20, 45: āriĕtes, trisyl., Att. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 22, 44; so, āriĕtĕ, Verg. A. 2, 492) [some derive this from ἄρην, ἄρρην, qs. the male sheep; others compare ὁ ἔριφος, a he-goat, buck, and ὁ ἔλαφος, a stag; and arna, q. v.], a ram.

  1. I. Lit., Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 24; 2, 2, 13; Col. 7, 2, 4; 7, 2, 5; 7, 3, 6; Vulg. Gen. 15, 9; ib. Lev. 4, 35 et persaepe.
    Of the golden fleece: petebant (Argonautae) illam pellem inauratam arietis Colchis, Enn. ap. Auct. ad Her. 2, 22; Plaut. Bacch. 2, 3, 7; Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 6 al.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. The Ram, a sign of the zodiac, Cic. Arat. 230; 244; Hyg. Fab. 133; id. Astr. 2, 20; Manil. 2, 246; Ov. M. 10, 165; Vitr. 9, 5; Plin. 18, 25, 59, § 221 al.
    2. B. An engine for battering down walls, a battering-ram: v. Vitr. 10, 19; Veg. 4, 14, and Smith, Dict. Antiq.: quamvis murum aries percusserit, Cic. Off. 1, 11, 35: ab ariete materia defendit, Caes. B. G. 7, 23: arietibus aliquantum muri discussit, Liv. 21, 12; so id. 31, 32; 31, 46; 32, 23; 38, 5; Vulg. Ezech. 26, 9; ib. 2 Macc. 12, 15 al.
    3. C. A beam for support, a prop or buttress: quae (sublicae) pro ariete subjectae vim fluminis exciperent, as a shore or prop, * Caes. B. G. 4, 17 (δίκην κριοῦ, Paraphr.); corresp. to capreolus, Caes. B. C. 2, 10 q. v.
      Trop.: ex quo aries ille subicitur in vestris actionibus, Cic. Top. 17, 64.
    4. D. An unknown sea-monster, very dangerous to ships, Plin. 9, 44, 67, § 145; 32, 11, 53 (where two kinds of them are mentioned); cf. id. 9, 5, 4: trux aries, Claud. Nupt. Hon. et Mar. 163; cf. Aelian. H. A. 15, 2, and Oppian. Hal. 1, 372.