artus (not arctus), a, um, adj. [v. arma], prop. fitted; hence,
I Lit., close , strait , narrow , confined , short , brief : exierunt regionibus artis, Lucr. 6, 120: claustra, id. 1, 70; so id. 3, 808: nec tamen haec ita sunt arta et astricta, ut ea laxare nequeamus, Cic. Or. 65, 220: artioribus apud populum Romanum laqueis tenebitur, id. Verr. 2, 1, 5: nullum vinculum ad astringendam fidem jure jurando majores artius esse voluerunt, id. Off. 3, 31, 111: compages, Verg. A. 1, 293: nexus, Ov. M. 6, 242: arto stipata theatro, pressed together in a contracted theatre , Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 60: toga, a narrow toga without folds , id. ib. 1, 18, 30 (cf. exigua toga, id. ib. 1, 19, 13): nimis arta convivia, i. e. with too many guests , who are therefore compelled to sit close together , id. ib. 1, 5, 29 et saep.—Hence, subst.: artum , i, n., a narrow place or passage : ventus cum confercit, franguntur in arto montes nimborum, Lucr. 6, 158 Lachm.: multiplicatis in arto ordinibus, Liv. 2, 50; so id. 34, 15: nec desilies imitator in artum, nor , by imitating , leap into a close place , Hor. A. P. 134.—
II Trop., strict , severe , scanty , brief , small : sponte suā cecidit sub leges artaque jura, subjected himself to the severity of the laws , Lucr. 5, 1147: Additae leges artae et ideo superbae quasque etc., Plin. 16, 4, 5, § 12: vincula amoris artissima, Cic. Att. 6, 2: artior somnus, a sounder or deeper sleep , id. Rep. 6, 10: arti commeatus, Liv. 2, 34; Tac. H. 4, 26; cf.: in arto commeatus, id. ib. 3, 13: artissimae tenebrae, very thick darkness , Suet. Ner. 46 (for which, in class. Lat., densus, v. Bremi ad h. l., and cf. densus) al.—So, colligere in artum, to compress , abridge : quae (volumina) a me collecta in artum, Plin. 8, 16, 17, § 44.—Of hope, small , scanty : spes artior aquae manantis, Col. 1, 5, 2: ne spem sibi ponat in arto, diminish hope , expectation , Ov. M. 9, 683: quia plus quam unum ex patriciis creari non licebat, artior petitio quattuor petentibus erat, i. e. was harder , had less ground of hope , Liv. 39, 32; and of circumstances in life, etc., straitened , distressing , wretched , needy , indigent (so in and after the Aug. per. for the class. angustus): rebus in artis, Ov. P. 3, 2, 25: artas res nuntiaret, Tac. H. 3, 69: tam artis afflictisque rebus, Flor. 2, 6, 31; so Sil. 7, 310: fortuna artior expensis, Stat. S. 5, 3, 117: ne in arto res esset, Liv. 26, 17.—Adv.: artē (not arcte ), closely , close , fast , firmly.
I Lit.: arte (manus) conliga, Plaut. Ep. 5, 2, 29: boves arte ad stipites religare, Col. 6, 2, 5: arte continere aliquid, Caes. B. G. 7, 23: aciem arte statuere, Sall. J. 52, 6: arte accubare, Plaut. Stich. 4, 2, 39.— Comp. : calorem artius continere, Cic. N. D. 2, 9, 25: artius astringi, Hor. Epod. 15, 5: signa artius conlocare, Sall. C. 59, 2: artius ire, Curt. 4, 13, 34: artius pressiusque conflictari, Gell. 10, 6.— Sup. : milites quam artissime ire jubet, Sall. J. 68, 4: artissime plantas serere, Plin. 12, 3, 7, § 16.—
II Trop.: arte contenteque aliquem habere, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 63; id. Merc. prol. 64: arte et graviter dormire, soundly , Cic. Div. 1, 28, 59: arte appellare aliquem, briefly , by shortening his name , Ov. P. 4, 12, 10: artius adstringere rationem, Cic. Fat. 14, 32: abstinentiam artissime constringere, Val. Max. 2, 2, 8.—
III Transf.: arte diligere aliquem, strongly , deeply , Plin. Ep. 6, 8; so also id. ib. 2, 13.