A R G 
ate on tlic river Meauce, ten miles eaft of Caen. Lat. 
40. 12. N. Ion. o. 2 W -. 
AR'GENFELS, a town and cattle of Germany, in the 
circle of the Lower Rhine, (cventeen miles north-north- 
weft of Coblentz. 
AR'GENT, adj. [from argentum, Lat. filver.] The 
white colour ufied in the coats of gentlemen, knights, and 
baronets, fnppofed to be the reprefentation of that metal. 
Silver; bright like filver : 
Thofe argent fields more likely habitants, 
Translated faints, or middle fpirits, hold, 
Betwixt th’ angelical and human kind. Milton. 
Argent', a town of France, in the department of the 
Cher, and chief place to f a canton, in the diftridt of Au- 
bigny, four leagues weft of Chatillon-fur-Loire,.. and one 
and a half north of Aubigny. 
ARGEN'TA, a river of European Turkey, which runs 
into the Adriatic, fix miles north of Durazzo. 
ARGENT AG', a town of France, in the departmentof 
the Correze, and chief place of a canton, in the diftrifit of 
Tulle, four leagues fouth-eafl of Tulle. 
ARGENTAN', a town of France, and principal place 
of a didrift, in the department of the Orne, four leagues 
fouth of JFalaife, and fix and a half north of Alcncon. Lat. 
48.44. N. Ion. 17. 38. E-Ferro. 
ARGENTAN'GINA,/. The filver quinfey; when a 
pleader at the bar, being bribed, feigns liimfelf fick. 
ARGENTA'Rl A, a town of ancient Gaul, thought, 
to have ttood where the city Colmar is now fituated. It 
is remarkable for a great victory gained by the emperor 
Gratian over the Lentienfes, in the month of May, A. D. 
378. The Romans, being but few in number, were at firft 
overpowered, and obliged to give ground ; but, returning 
to the charge, they gained in the end a complete victory. 
Thirty thoufand of the barbarians, and among the reft their 
kino- Triarius, were killed on the fpot; and the refidue, 
•except 5000, were made prifoners. 
Argentaria Creta,/. Pure white earth, found in 
Pruflia, and much efteemed for cleaning plate. 
ARGENTA'RIUS,/. is frequently ufed in Roman 
writers for a money-changer or banker. The argentarii 
were monied people, who made a profit either by the 
changing or lending of money at intereft. Thefe had their 
tabernce, or offices, in the forum Romanum, built as early as 
the reign of L. Tarquinius Prifcus. The argentarii and 
feeneratores were much hated on account of their covet- 
oufnefs’and extortion. 
ARGENTA'RO (Monte), a cape and promontory on 
the coaft of Tufcany, about twelve miles fouth of Orbi- 
tello ; it juts out into the fea, in the form of a peninlula, 
and is a ferviceable land-mark. 
ARGENTA'TI MI'LITES, in antiquity. Livy, lib. 
vi. fpeaks of argentati milites, as diftinguiffied from aurati. 
Aquinas fuppofes thefe to have been iimilar to the argy- 
rafpides and chryfafpides; but the deferiptions do not 
quadrate. Livy only reprefents the argentati as clothed 
in white linen coats. 
ARGENT A'TION,/. [from argentum , Lat. filver.] An 
overlaying with filver. 
ARGENTEAU', a town of the Netherlands, in the du¬ 
chy of Limburg, two leagues wett of Dalem. 
ARGENTEUIL', a town of the ifle of France, in the 
department of the Seine and Oife, and chief place of a 
canton,in the diftrict of St. Germain. It is feated on the 
river Seine, eight miles north-weft of Paris, and is a beau¬ 
tiful place, with fine vineyards. In the environs are quar¬ 
ries of platter of Paris. Lat.48.52.N. Ion.2.28.E. 
AR'GENTH AL, a town of Germany, in the circle of 
the Upper Rhine, and duchy of Simmeren, forty miles eaft 
of Treves, and four fouth-eaft of Simmeren. 
ARGENTIE'R A, anittand in the- Grecian Archipelago, 
near Milo. It is about eighteen miles in compels, and is 
full of barren mountains, producing nothing but barley, 
.cotton, and a few grapes. Lat. 36.50. N. Ion. 23. 10. E. 
ARGENTIE'RE, a town of France, in the depart¬ 
ment of Ardeche, five mileS'fouth-weft of Aubenas, and 
feventeen weft of Viviers. Lat. 44. 30. N. Ion. 4. 22. E. 
A rgentiere (L’), a town of France, in the depart¬ 
ment of the Higher Aips, and chief place of a canton, in 
the diftrict of Brianfon, on tIre Durance, nine miles north 
of Mont Dauphin. 
ARGENTI'NA,yi in ichthyology, a genus of fifties be¬ 
longing to the order of abdominales. There are two fpe- 
eies: the one peculiar to the American feas, termed by 
Linnaeus the argentina Carolina, and the other found in tire 
European, and fometimes in the Britidi, feas. The Eu¬ 
ropean argentine is moft frequently feen in the Mediterra¬ 
nean. Willoughby, who examined one at Rome, fays, that 
t-he ou tilde of the air-bladder con lift's of a foliaceous /li¬ 
ve ry Ikin, which was made ufe of in the manufacture of 
artificial pearl. Tire Jfnout of this Inrall fiffi is (harp and 
prominent; the body round and tapering, feldom exceed¬ 
ing two inches in length. The back and lides, as far as 
the lateral lines, arc of a pale affi-colour, mixed with green. 
The belly, and parts below thefe lines, are exactly colour¬ 
ed as if covered with filver leaf. The mouth is Irnall, 
without teeth, excepting fome afperities re fe mb ling therm 
upon the roof of the mouth, and tip of the tongue. The 
eyes are large; the irides filvery ; and on the forehead is 
a patch of dark purple. The dorfal fin is placed near the 
equilibrium of the fifh, and fupported with ten foft rays. 
There are two pedftoral, two ventral, and an anal fin, near 
to the tail, which is bifurcated. 
. Argentina, f . in botany. See Potentilla, 
AR'GENTINE, adj. \_argentin, Fr.] Sounding like 
filver. 
Argentine, a town of France, in the department of 
Mont Blanc. 
ARGENTI'NUS, a deity worfhipped by the ancients, 
as the god of filver coin ; as zEfculanus, whom they made 
his father, was the god of brafs money, which was in ufe 
before filver. 
ARGENTON', a town of France, and principal place 
of a diftritt, in the department of the Indre, divided into 
two by the river Creufe. It is five leaves fouth-fouth-weft 
of Chateauroux, and fix and a quarter weft of la Chartre. 
Lat. 46. 35. N. Ion. 19. 11. E. Ferro. 
Argenton-le-Cha.teau, a town of France, in the 
department of the Two Sevres, and chief place of a can¬ 
ton, in the diftrict of Thouars, feven leagues north of Par- 
tenay, and three weft of Thouars. Lat. 46. 59. N. Ion. 
17. 13. E. Ferro. 
Argenton-les-Eglises, a town of France, in the 
department of the Two Sevres, four miles north of Thou¬ 
ars, and eight miles north-eaft of Argenton-le-Chateau. 
ARGENTO'RA, or Argentina, a city of the Tri- 
bocci; one of the fifty forts built by Drufus on the Rhine. 
Florus. An appellation formed by the Romans from the 
German, argenflrajfen orfraten, “ unfafe roads for travel¬ 
lers,” from the marauding-parties of thegarrifons that in- 
fefted the roads. Now Strajburg, in the Lower Alface, on 
the rivulet 111 , near the Rhine. Lat. 48. 38.N. Ion.7.3 5.E. 
ARGEN'TRE-SUR-I. AV AL, a town of France, in 
the department of the Mayenne, and chief place of a can¬ 
ton, in the diftridt of Laval, four miles eaft of Laval. 
Argentre-sous-Vitre', a town of France, in the 
department of Ille and Villaine, and chief place of a can¬ 
ton, in the diftrict of Vitre, leven miles north-north-eaft 
of la Guerche. 
ARGENTUM. See Silver. 
Argentum Album, in our old cuftoms, filver coin, 
or pieces of bullion that anciently palled for money. By 
Doomfday tenure, fome rents to the king were paid in ar- 
gento a/bo, common filver pieces of money : other rents in 
libris urjis et penfatis, in metal of full weight and purity : 
in the next age, that rent which was paid in money was 
called blanchfearm, and afterwards white rent-, and what 
was paid in provifions, was termed black mail. 
Argentum Dei, God’s filver; money anciently given 
