Lewis & Short

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Arcānum, v. 2. Arcanus, B.

1. arcānus, a, um, adj. [v. arceo], orig., shut up, closed; hence, trop.,

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
    1. 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.
    2. 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.

2. Arcānus, a, um, adj. [Arcae], of or pertaining to Arcœ hence, subst.

  1. A. Arcāni, ōrum, m., the inhabitants of Arcœ, Inscr. Orell. 4007.
  2. B. Arcānum, i, n., a villa of Q. Cicero, in the neighborhood of Arcœ, Cic. Att. 5, 1; id. ad Q. Fr. 3, 1 al.