A.make beginning of a thing, c.gen., τίνες κατῆρξαν . . μάχης; A.Pers.351; ὁδοῦ κατάρχειν lead the way, S.OC1019; “δεινοῦ λόγου” Id.Tr.1135; “λόγων Χρησίμων” Ar.Lys.638, cf. Pl.Prt.351e, etc.; “τραυμάτων” Ascl.Tact.7.1; τὸ κατάρχον αἰσθήσεως, τῆς κινήσεως, the source of perception, of motion, Gal. 5.588: rarely c. acc., begin a thing, “θαυμαστόν τινα λόγον” Pl.Euthd. 283b: c. part., begin doing, X.Cyr.1.4.4, 4.5.58: abs., Pl.Smp.177e, Arist.Mu.399a15.
2. θανόντα δεσπόταν γόοις κατάρξω I will lead the dirge over . . , E.Andr.1199 (lyr., with reference to the religious sense, infr. 11.2).
II. Med., begin, like Act., c. gen., “ἐχθρᾶς ἡμέρας κατάρχεται” Id.Ph.540; “τοῖς κατηργμένοις τῆς πορείας” Pl.Phdr.256d; “κ. τῆς προσβολῆς” Plb.2.67.1; “τοῦ λόγου” Plu.2.151e: c. acc., κ. νόμον, στεναγμόν, E.Hec.685 (s. v. l.), Or.960 (both lyr.): abs., κατάρχεται μέλος is beginning, Id.HF750 (lyr.), cf. 891 (lyr.); “τὸ -άρξασθαι” Ael. Tact.17.
2. in religious sense, begin the sacrificial ceremonies, once in Hom., “Νέστωρ Χέρνιβά τ᾽ οὐλοχύτας τε κατήρχετο” Nestor began [the sacrifice] with the washing of hands and sprinkling the barley on the victim's head, Od.3.445: abs., Hdt.4.60, 103, And.1.126; κατάρχομαι μέν, σφάγια δ᾽ ἄλλοισιν μέλει I begin the rite, but leave the slaughter of the victim to others, E.IT40; ἐπὶ τῶν θυσιῶν κριθαῖς κ. D.H.2.25: c. gen., κατάρχεσθαι τοῦ τράγου make a beginning of the victim, i. e. consecrate him for sacrifice by cutting off the hair of his forehead, Ar.Av.959; ἐπεὶ δὲ αὐτοῦ (sc. Ἡρακλέος)“ πρὸς τῷ βωμῷ κατάρχοντο” Hdt.2.45; πῶς δ᾽ αὖ κατάρξῃ θυμάτων; E.Ph.573, cf.IT56, 1154; “κατάρξασθαι τῶν ἱερῶν” D.21.114: metaph., “σκυτάλην λαβών μου κατήρξατο” Luc.Somn.3, cf. Plu.Caes.66:—so later in Act., Hld.2.34, al.
b. sacrifice, slay, ξίφει, φασγάνῳ κ., E.Alc.74, El.1222 (lyr.):— Pass., ᾗ (sc. τῇ θεᾷ) σὸν κατῆρκται σῶμα hath been devoted, Id.Heracl. 601.
III. Act., rule, govern, c. gen., Alciphr.3.44 (s.v.l.).
IV. κατάρξω ὑμᾶς ἐν σκορπίοις will chastise you . . , LXX 3 Ki.12.24r.