Arātus, a Greek poet of Cilicia, about 277 B.C. He was greatly esteemed by Antigonus Gonatas king of Macedonia, at whose court he passed much of his time, and by whose desire he wrote a poem on astronomy, in which he gives an account of the situations, rising and setting, number and motion of the stars. Cicero represented him as unacquainted with astrology, yet capable of writing upon it in elegant and highly finished verses, which, however, from the subject, admit of little variety. Aratus wrote, besides, hymns and epigrams, &c., and had among his interpreters and commentators many of the learned men of Greece whose works are lost, besides Cicero, Claudius, and Germanicus Cæsar, who in their youth, or moments of relaxation, translated the Phænomena into Latin verse. The best editions of Aratus are, Grotius, 4to, apud Raphalengius, 1600; and Oxford, 8vo, 1672. Cicero, de Natura Deorum, bk. 2, ch. 41.—Pausanias, bk. 1, ch. 2.—Ovid, Amores, bk. 1, poem 15, li. 26.——The son of Clinias and Aristodama, was born at Sicyon in Achaia, near the river Asopus. When he was but seven years of age, his father, who held the government of Sicyon, was assassinated by Abantidas, who made himself absolute. After some revolutions, the sovereignty came into the hands of Nicocles, whom Aratus murdered to restore his country to liberty. He was so jealous of tyrannical power, that he even destroyed a picture which was the representation of a tyrant. He joined the republic of Sicyon to the Achæan league, which he strengthened, by making a treaty of alliance with the Corinthians, and with Ptolemy king of Egypt. He was chosen chief commander of the forces of the Achæans, and drove away the Macedonians from Athens and Corinth. He made war against the Spartans, but was conquered in a battle by their king Cleomenes. To repair the losses he had sustained, he solicited the assistance of king Antigonus, and drove away Cleomenes from Sparta, who fled to Egypt, where he killed himself. The Ætolians soon after attacked the Achæans; and Aratus, to support his character, was obliged to call to his aid Philip king of Macedonia. His friendship with this new ally did not long continue. Philip showed himself cruel and oppressive; and put to death some of the noblest of the Achæans, and even seduced the wife of the son of Aratus. Aratus, who was now advanced in years, showed his displeasure by withdrawing himself from the society and friendship of Philip. But this rupture was fatal. Philip dreaded the power and influence of Aratus, and therefore he caused him and his son to be poisoned. Some days before his death, Aratus was observed to spit blood; when apprised of it by his friends, he replied, “Such are the rewards which a connection with kings will produce.” He was buried with great pomp by his countrymen; and two solemn sacrifices were annually made to him, the first on the day that he delivered Sicyon from tyranny, and the second on the day of his birth. During those sacrifices, which were called Arateia, the priests wore a ribbon bespangled with white and purple spots, and the public schoolmaster walked in procession at the head of his scholars, and was always accompanied by the richest and most eminent senators, adorned with garlands. Aratus died in the 62nd year of his age, B.C. 213. He wrote a history of the Achæan league, much commended by Polybius. Plutarch, Lives of the Roman Emperors.—Pausanias, bk. 2, ch. 8.—Cicero, de Officiis, bk. 2, ch. 23.—Strabo, bk. 14.—Livy, bk. 27, ch. 31.—Polybius, bk. 2.
Araxes, now Arras, a celebrated river which separates Armenia from Media, and falls into the Caspian sea. Lucan, bk. 1, li. 19; bk. 7, li. 188.—Strabo, bk. 8.—Virgil, Æneid, bk. 8, li. 728.—Herodotus, bk. 1, ch. 202, &c.——Another in Europe, now called Wolga.
Arbāces, a Mede who revolted with Belesis against Sardanapalus, and founded the empire of Media upon the ruins of the Assyrian power, 820 years before the christian era. He reigned above 50 years, and was famous for the greatness of his undertakings, as well as for his valour. Justin, bk. 1, ch. 3.—Paterculus, bk. 1, ch. 6.
Arbēla (orum), now Irbil, a town of Persia, on the river Lycus, famous for a battle fought there between Alexander and Darius, the 2nd of October, B.C. 331. Curtius, bk. 5, ch. 1.—Plutarch, Alexander.
Arbĕla, a town of Sicily, whose inhabitants were very credulous.
Arbis, a river on the western boundaries of India. Strabo.
Arbocāla, a city taken by Annibal as he marched against Rome.
Arbuscŭla, an actress on the Roman stage, who laughed at the hisses of the populace while she received the applauses of the knights. Horace, bk. 1, satire 10, li. 77.
Arcădia, a country in the middle of Peloponnesus, surrounded on every side by land, situate between Achaia, Messenia, Elis, and Argolis. It received its name from Arcas son of Jupiter, and was anciently called Drymodes, on account of the great number of oaks (δρυς) which it produced, and afterwards Lycaonia and Pelasgia. The country has been much celebrated by the poets, and was famous for its mountains. The inhabitants were for the most part all shepherds, who lived upon acorns, were skilful warriors, and able musicians. They thought themselves more ancient than the moon. Pan, the god of shepherds, chiefly lived among them.—Aristotle, bk. 4, Metaphysics, says that the wine of Arcadia, when placed in a goat’s skin near a fire, will become chalky, and at last be turned into salt. Strabo, bk. 1.—Pliny, bk. 4, ch. 5.—Pausanias, bk. 8, chs. 1, 2, &c.—Athenæus, bk. 14.——A fortified village of Zacynthus.
Arcadius, eldest son of Theodosius the Great, succeeded his father A.D. 395. Under him the Roman power was divided into the eastern and western empire. He made the eastern empire his choice, and fixed his residence at Constantinople; while his brother Honorius was made emperor of the west, and lived in Rome. After this separation of the Roman empire, the two powers looked upon one another with indifference; and, soon after, their indifference was changed into jealousy, and contributed to hasten their mutual ruin. In the reign of Arcadius, Alaricus attacked the western empire, and plundered Rome. Arcadius married Eudoxia, a bold and ambitious woman, and died in the 31st year of his age, after a reign of 13 years, in which he bore the character of an effeminate prince, who suffered himself to be governed by favourites, and who abandoned his subjects to the tyranny of ministers, while he lost himself in the pleasures of a voluptuous court.