Lewis & Short

ărēna, ae, f., v. harena.

hărēna (better than ărēna, Bramb. s. v. Rib. Prol. Verg. p. 422, and v. infra), ae, f. [Sabin. fas-ena; from Sanscr. root bhas-, to shine, gleam, Corss. Ausspr. 1, 102].

  1. I. Prop., sand (syn.: sabulum, glarea, suburra): harenae tria genera, Plin. 36, 23, 54, § 175: magnus congestus harenae, Lucr. 6, 724; 726: litoris incurvi bibulam pavit aequor harenam, the thirsty sand of the curved shore, id. 2, 376; so, bibula harena, Verg. G. 1, 114 (Rib. and Forbig., but Conington arena): sicca, id. ib. 1, 389: sterilis, id. ib. 1, 70: mollis, Ov. M. 2, 577: opaci omnis harena Tagi, i. e. the gold it was believed to contain, Juv. 3, 55 (cf. Plin. 4, 21, 35, § 115): nivis more incidens, Sen. Q. N. 2, 30, 2.
    Poet.: harena nigra, = limus, slime, mud, Verg. G. 4, 292.
    Plur. (postAug.; its use is said by Gell. 19, 8, 3, to have been ridiculed by Cæsar as a verbi vitium): arenae carae, of the golden sands of Pactolus, Ov. M. 11, 88 Merk.: quem (delphina) postquam bibulis inlisit fluctus harenis, id. H. 18, 201: summae cauda verruntur arenae, id. M. 10, 701 Merk.; so id. ib. 2, 456; 865; 11, 231; 499; 15, 268; 279; Stat. S. 4, 3, 23 Queck; Col. 1 praef. 24; but harenae, Ov. Am. 2, 11, 47; Verg. G. 2, 106; 3, 350; Hor. C. 3, 4, 31 K. and H.: arenarum inculta vastitas, Sen. Q. N. 1 prol. 8; of the bottom of the sea: furit aestus harenis, Verg. A. 1, 107: aestu miscentur harenae, id. ib. 3, 557.
    Prov.
          1. (α) Quid harenae semina mandas? Ov. H. 5, 115; cf. id. Tr. 5, 4, 48.
          2. (β) Ex incomprehensibili pravitate arenae funis effici non potest, Col. 10 praef. § 4.
          3. (γ) Arena sine calce, said by Caligula of Seneca, because his sentences seem like independent maxims, without connection, Suet. Cal. 53.
          4. (δ) Of vast numbers: sicut arena quae est in litore maris, Vulg. Judic. 7, 12; id. Gen. 22, 17.
  2. II. Meton.
    1. A. In gen., sand, sands, a sandy place: ut cum urbis vendiderit, tum arenam aliquam emat, Cic. Agr. 2, 27, 71 B. and K.
    2. B. Esp.
      1. 1. A sandy desert, waste (mostly post-Aug.): cum super Libycas victor penderet arenas, Ov. M. 4, 617; Luc. 2, 417: nigras inter harenas, Prop. 4 (5), 6, 83: Memnonis effigies, disjectas inter et vix pervias arenas, Tac. A. 2, 61.
      2. 2. The shore of the sea, the beach, coast, strand: cum mare permotum ventis ruit intus harenam, Lucr. 6, 726: litoream arenam sulcare, Ov. M. 15, 725: doque leves saltus udaeque inmittor arenae, id. ib. 3, 599: multaque perpessae (carinae) Phrygia potiuntur arena, id. ib. 12, 38: sub noctem potitur classis arena, id. ib. 13, 729.
        So sing., Verg. A. 1, 540; 5, 34; 6, 316; 11, 626 al.
      3. 3. The place of combat in the amphitheatre (strewn with sand), the arena: in amphitheatri arena, Suet. Ner. 53; id. Tit. 8: missus in arenam aper, id. Tib. 72; id. Aug. 43: comminus ursos figebat Numidas Albana nudus harena venator, Juv. 4, 100; 2, 144; 8, 206: juvenes in arenam luxuria projecit, Sen. Ep. 99, 13.
      4. 4. Transf.
          1. (α) A combat in the amphitheatre: in harenam se dare, Dig. 11, 4, 5 fin.: operas arenae promittere, Tac. A. 14, 14: in opera scaenae arenaeque edenda, Suet. Tib. 35: scaenae arenaeque devotus, id. Cal. 30.
          2. (β) The combatants in the arena: cum et juris idem (i. e. testandi libertas) contingat harenae, the gladiators have the right, etc., Juv. 6, 217.
      5. 5. Harena urens, volcanic fire, lava: Aetna ingentem vim arenae urentis effudit, Sen. Q. N. 2, 30, 1.
  3. III. Trop., the place of combat, scene or theatre of any contest (war, a single battle, a dispute, etc.): civilis belli arena, Flor. 4, 2, 18; 4, 7, 6; cf. id. 3, 21, 1; Luc. 6, 63: in harena mea, hoc est apud centumviros, Plin. Ep. 6, 12, 2.