aries

ărĭēs, ĭētis, m. (for the kindr. forms arvix and harvix, in Varr. and Fest.; v. arvix; poet. aries sometimes dissyl., like abies; hence, a long, Carey, Lat. Pros. § 47: āriĕtis, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 20, 45: āriĕtes, trisyl., Att. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 22, 44; so, āriĕtĕ, Verg. A. 2, 492) [some derive this from ἄρην, ἄρρην, qs. the male sheep; others compare ὁ ἔριφος, a he-goat, buck, and ὁ ἔλαφος, a stag; and arna, q. v.], a ram.

• I Lit., Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 24; 2, 2, 13; Col. 7, 2, 4; 7, 2, 5; 7, 3, 6; Vulg. Gen. 15, 9; ib. Lev. 4, 35 et persaepe.—Of the golden fleece: petebant (Argonautae) illam pellem inauratam arietis Colchis, Enn. ap. Auct. ad Her. 2, 22; Plaut. Bacch. 2, 3, 7 (241); Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 6 al.—
• II Transf.
• • A The Ram, a sign of the zodiac, Cic. Arat. 230; 244; Hyg. Fab. 133; id. Astr. 2, 20; Manil. 2, 246; Ov. M. 10, 165; Vitr. 9, 5; Plin. 18, 25, 59, § 221 al. —
  • B An engine for battering down walls, a battering-ram: v. Vitr. 10, 19; Veg. 4, 14, and Smith, Dict. Antiq.: quamvis murum aries percusserit, Cic. Off. 1, 11, 35: ab ariete materia defendit, Caes. B. G. 7, 23: arietibus aliquantum muri discussit, Liv. 21, 12; so id. 31, 32; 31, 46; 32, 23; 38, 5; Vulg. Ezech. 26, 9; ib. 2 Macc. 12, 15 al.—
  • C A beam for support, a prop or buttress: quae (sublicae) pro ariete subjectae vim fluminis exciperent, as a shore or prop, * Caes. B. G. 4, 17 (δίκην κριοῦ, Paraphr.); corresp. to capreolus, Caes. B. C. 2, 10 q. v.—Trop.: ex quo aries ille subicitur in vestris actionibus, Cic. Top. 17, 64.—
  • D An unknown sea-monster, very dangerous to ships, Plin. 9, 44, 67, § 145; 32, 11, 53, 144 (where two kinds of them are mentioned); cf. id. 9, 5, 4, 10: trux aries, Claud. Nupt. Hon. et Mar. 163; cf. Aelian. H. A. 15, 2, and Oppian. Hal. 1, 372.

ariēs, etis, m. (vgl. ἔριφος, das Böckchen), der Widder, Schafbock, Schöps (Jährling), I) eig.: scire oportet in grege quot feminas habeat, quae parere possunt, quot arietes, Varr.: auratus ar. Colchorum, Poët. b. Cic.: aries dux, Leitbock, Leithammel, Prop. – ein Widder in alter Zeit als Buße für unbeabsichtigten Totschlag (nach einem alten Gesetz des Numa), s. Fest. 347 (b), 2 sqq. u. 351 (a), 8 sqq. Serv. Verg. ecl. 4, 43; georg. 3, 387: u. so ex quo aries subicitur ille in vestris actionibus, der Büßungs-(Vergütungs-) Widder, Cic. top. 64. – II) übtr.: A) der Widder, ein Sternbild im Tierkreise, Cic. poët. u.a. – B) eine Belagerungsmaschine, der Mauerbrecher, Sturmbock, dessen an Tauen wagerecht hängender Balken vorn mit einem eisernen Widderkopfe versehen war, mit dem man Bresche stieß, arietes immittere, Caes., od. admovere, Curt.: sternere ariete muros, Liv.: murum aries percutit, Cic.: tribus arietibus aliquantum muri discussit, Liv. – sublicae pro ariete subiectae, wie ein Mauerbrecher, als Wellenbrecher, Caes. b. G. 4, 17, 9. – C) der Seewidder, ein unbekanntes Seetier, Plin. 9, 10 u. 145: trux, Claud. nupt. Hon. et Mar. 163. – ➳ aries poet. zuw. zweisilbig, dah. a lang; dah. Genet. usw. dreisilbig, ārjĕtis, ārjĕtĕ, ārjĕtes, bei ält. Dichtern u. Verg. – Nom. ărĭēs gemessen, Verg. ed. 3, 95; vgl. Köne Sprache der röm. Epiker S. 131.

aries [CL] 1 ram. b (w. ovis). c Aries (astr.). V. et. lingua arietis. ~etes crissitant vel blaterant Aldh. Met. 131; reddit hoc manerium vj vaccas et xc porcos et xx ~etes DB II 249; in armis ~etum dextris ‥ futura prospiciunt Gir. IK I 11; 1205 habeat in pastura ‥ cc oves matrices cum ovibus earum [abbatisse et conventus] et x ~etes cum ~etibus earum RChart 162a.  b 1548 unus ovis ~es vocatus a rambe tegge (Court Bk. Apledram) Mun. Petworth MCR 60 f. 71; 1513 volo ut habeat pro labore suo xx ariet’ oves (Test.) Crawley 545.  c primum ‥ ~etis signum in illa celi parte quam in medio Martii mensis sol tenet oriri incipit Bede TR 16; casualiter ‥ cedit ‥ ~es Marti J. Sal. Pol. 442A; renovantur in eis [signis] quatuor complexiones principales omnium rerum, sc. calida et humida in ~ete Bacon Maj. I 377; Bradw. CD 450E (v. ascendere 4b). 2 battering ram. b builder’s ram. c sort of quintain. d blow w. a ram (also fig.). ~es, genus tormenti expugnati GlC A 22; cum [Rollo] in ejus [Luthecie] expugnatione cum balistis et ~etibus intenderet Diceto Abbr. Norm. 246; castri gnarus obsessor vel unum eruere lapidem ~etis ictu crebro studet Neckam NR I 60; vinea, trux aries indomitusque catus Garl. Tri. Eccl. 86.  b 1286 pro uno ~ete empto ad opus cyment[arie] ‥, xiij s. iiij d. KR Ac 485/28 r. 3.  c 1139 pravam turpemque consuetudinem ~etum, sc. panum et potus extorsionem, ‥ penitus removemus (Lit. Papae) Elmh. Cant. 370; c1239 ne quisquam levet ~etes super rotas vel alios ludos statuat in quibus decertatur pro bravio Conc. Syn. 274 (cf. Gros. Ep. 22 p. 74; 52 p. 162); 1240 prohibemus clericis ne ‥ sustineant ludos fieri de rege et regina nec ~etes levari Ib. 313; a1250 interdicimus levationes ~etum super rotas Ib. 432; s1253 an aliqui laici elevaverint ~etes vel fieri faciant schothales vel decertaverint de preeundo cum vexillis in visitatione matricis ecclesie (Artic. Cler.) Ann. Burton 307.  d catholicae fidei propugnaculum ‥ atrocis machinae ~etibus subrutum Aldh. VirgP 36 p. 282; constantia que tot diaboli ~etibus impulsa labare non poterat G. Crispin Herl. 43; inequalitas superficiei ~ete crebro vincitur Neckam NR II 172.

ărĭēs, (11) ărĭĕtis m. , ¶ 1 bélier : Varro R. 2, 1, 24 ; Cic. Tusc. 5, 115 ¶ 2 bélier [machine de guerre]: Cæs. G. 2, 32, 1 ; Cic. Off. 1, 35 ; Liv. 21, 12 ; 31, 32, etc. ¶ 3 étançon : Cæs. G. 4, 17, 9 ¶ 4 poisson de mer : Plin. 9, 145 ¶ 5 constellation : Vitr. Arch. 9, 5 ; Plin. 18, 221 ; Cic. Arat. 34, 230.

➳ Virg. ārjĕtis, ārjĕtĕ, etc.; nom. ărĭēs Virg. B. 3, 95 ; G. 3, 446.

aries , etis. m.
牡綿羊。攻墙之具。戌宮宿。Albo ariete aliena occupare bona 裝公道以占人之產。

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ărĭes, ariĕtis, m.: montone, ariete

● ariete (animale marino)

♢ in poesia āriĕtis, āriĕte (trisillabici).

ariēs (poet. ariēs, disyl.), ietis, m

• a ram, C., V. — Meton., the Ram (a constellation), O. — A battering-ram: ab ariete materia defendit. Cs.: arietibus aliquantum muri discussit, L.—A breakwater: (sublicae) pro ariete subiectae, Cs.

ARIES

ARIES(κριός), the battering-ram, was used to shake, perforate, and batter down the walls of besieged cities. (Cic. Off. 1.1. 1, 35; Caes. B. G. 7.23; Verg. A. 2.492, 12.706-Z2; Liv. 21.12, 32.23-Z2; Isid. Orig. 8.11.) It consisted of a large beam, made of the trunk of a tree, especially of a fir or an ash. To one end was fastened a mass of bronze or iron (κεφαλή, ἐμβολή, προτομή), which resembled in its form the head of a ram. The upper figure in the preceding woodcut is taken from the bas-reliefs on the Column of Trajan at Rome. It shows the aries in its simplest state, and as it was borne and impelled by human hands, without other assistance. ( Aries actus lacertis, Lucan (Luc. 1.384.) In an improved form, the ram was surrounded with iron bands, to which rings were attached for the purpose of suspending it by ropes or chains from a beam fixed transversely over it. (See the lower figure in the woodcut.) By this contrivance the soldiers were relieved from the necessity of supporting the weight of the ram, and they could with ease give it a rapid and forcible motion backwards and forwards. (Ammian. 23.4.8; suspenso fortior ictu, Lucan (Luc. 3.490.)

The use of this machine was further aided by placing the frame (κριοδόχη) in which it was suspended upon wheels, and also by constructing over it a wooden roof, so as to form a testudo (χελωνη κριοφόρος, Appian, Bell. Mithr. 73; testudo arietaria, Vitr. 10.19), which protected the besieging party from the defensive assaults of the besieged, while by an arrangement of stories the aries could be made to play on the walls of the besieged place or different heights. Josephus, who gives a description of the machine (B. J. 3.7.19), adds, that there was no tower so strong, no wall so thick, as to resist the force of this machine, if its blows were continued long enough. The beam of the aries was often of great length, e. g. 80, 100, or even 120 feet. The design of this was both to act across an intervening ditch, and to enable those who worked the machine to remain in a position of comparative security. A hundred men, or even a greater number, were sometimes employed to strike with the beam. The besieged party endeavoured to set the testudo on fire, or to break in its roof with stones. To protect it against these dangers, it was lined with ox-hides or with a thick coating of clay. In order to break the aries, stones and other heavy substances were dropped from a height, and also nooses and the lupus [LUPUS ] employed to sever it. Procopius (Bell. Goth. 1.21) describes the machine in which the aries was placed, as a small house resting on four pillars, the sides covered with leather, and propelled on four wheels, containing inside not less than 50 men.

Both the aries and the testudo are represented on Assyrian monuments. There is, however, no reference even to the aries in Greek literature before the siege of Plataea (Thuc. 2.76, where, however, it has not gained its characteristic name, but is called ἐμβολή). We may dismiss the statement of Pliny (Plin. Nat.7.202) that the wooden horse at the siege of Troy was an aries. Vitruvius (Vitr. 10.19) attributes the invention of the simple ram to the Carthaginians at the siege of Gades; of the suspended ram to a Tyrian, Pephrasmenos, on the same occasion; of the testudo to Ceras of Chalcedon, but he too appears in Athenaeus as Geras the Carthaginian.

The aries first became an important military engine in the hands of the Macedonians, at the time of Philip and Alexander the Great. Vitruvius (l. c.), who gives copious extracts from the treatise of Diades on the subject, speaks of Polydus, a Thessalian, in the time of Philip, who greatly improved the machine, and his improvements were carried out still further by Diades and Chaereas, who served in the campaigns of Alexander the Great. The Romans learnt from the Greeks the art of building these machines, and appear to have employed them for the first time to any considerable extent in the siege of Syracuse in the second Punic war; on which occasion Censorinus employed two, one of which required 6000 legionaries to bring it up to the walls (App. de reb. Pun. 98). [HELEPOLIS]

The aries is so called, according to Vegetius (4.14), not because its head resembled a ram's head, but because it butted the wall like a ram fighting: so he derives the name of the testudo from the appearances and disappearances of the aries, which recalled the action of a tortoise in putting out and drawing back its head under its shell: the name, however, may be taken from the resemblance of the protection given by the testudo to that given to the tortoise by its shell. Vitruvius thinks that the point of resemblance was its slowness of motion when being moved up to the walls of a city. (Rüstow, Griech. Kriegschriftsteller, pp. 205, 309; Becker-Marquardt, Röm. Alterth. 3.2, p. 472 foll.)

[J.H.F] [W.S]

Aries

(κριός). The battering-ram, one of the most effective engines used by the ancients to make a breach in the walls of a besieged town. Originally it consisted of a strong pole, with ironmounted head, brought up to the wall in earlier times by hand, in later times on wheels. In its final form it was constructed in the following manner: A stout beam, sometimes composed of several pieces, and measuring from sixty-five to one hundred feet long or more, was hung by ropes on a strongly mounted horizontal beam, and swung backwards and forwards, so as to loosen the stones of the wall and make it fall. As the engine stood close to the wall, the men working it were sheltered by a roofed shell of boards, called the ram tortoise-shell (testudo arietina) and resting on a framework that ran upon wheels. To protect the roof and sides of the shell against fire thrown from the walls, they were coated with raw or well-soaked hides, or other similar contrivances. The loosened stones were picked out of the wall with a strong iron hook at the end of a pole— the wall-sickle (falx muralis), as it was called. Single holes were punched in the wall with the wall-borer (terebra), a ram with a sharp point, which was pushed forward on rollers.

The besieged tried to knock the ram's head off by dropping heavy stones on it, or to catch it in a noose and turn the blow aside or upwards, or to deaden the force of its blows with sand-bags and mats. By the usage of war, a town that wished to secure indulgent treatment must surrender before the ram touched the walls.