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