4 uses
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Definition
based on chance or impulse (rather than upon reasoning, consistent rules, or a proper sense of fairness)
- In fear of this, the Father of the Gods Confin'd their fury to those dark abodes, And lock'd 'em safe within, oppress'd with mountain loads; Impos'd a king, with arbitrary sway, To loose their fetters, or their force allay.Book 1 (9% in)
- His sons, who seek the tyrant to sustain, And long for arbitrary lords again, With ignominy scourg'd, in open sight, He dooms to death deserv'd, asserting public right.Book 6 (90% in)
- Then kings, gigantic Tybris, and the rest, With arbitrary sway the land oppress'd: For Tiber's flood was Albula before, Till, from the tyrant's fate, his name it bore.Book 8 (45% in)
- It flourish'd long, In pride of wealth and warlike people strong, Till curs'd Mezentius, in a fatal hour, Assum'd the crown, with arbitrary pow'r.Book 8 (64% in)
There are no more uses of "arbitrary" in The Aeneid.
Typical Usage
(best examples)