Noun (ancient Roman naval terminology): a catapult-launched grappling hook, invented in the 1st century BCE by Marcus Agrippa, and successfully employed by himself (as commander of Roman naval forces) during the Battle of Actium, against the forces of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII, and her ally, the Roman triumvir Marcus Antonius (a.k.a. Mark Anthony).
"When Antony's larger Egyptian ships had penetrated the Roman line, Agrippa's smaller galleys successfully reeled them in for close marine combat by using the harpago."
by speedog June 8, 2010