A.from the beginning or origin:
I. mostly of things, ancient, “σκότος” S.OC106; “ἐσθής” Hdt.5.88; “δόμοις ἐπασσάλευσαν ἀρχαῖον γάνος” A.Ag.579 codd.; “Ζηνὸς ἀρχαίοις νόμοις” S.OC1382; χερὸς σῆς πίστιν ἀρχαίαν faith firm for ever, ib. 1632 codd.
2. old-fashioned, antiquated, A.Pr.317 (lyr.), Ar.Nu.984, D.22.14; of literary style, Demetr.Eloc.244.
3. ancient, former, “τὸ ἀ. ῥέεθον” Hdt.1.75; “τοῦ ἀ. λόγου” Id.7.160; “οὐ γὰρ δὴ τό γ᾽ ἀ. δέμας” S.OC110; οἱ ἀ., opp. οἱ ὕστερον, Th.2.16; “ἀ. φύσις” A.Ch.281, Hp. Art.53, Pl.Smp.193c, etc.; “φύσις καὶ κατάστασις ἀ.” Democr.278; coupled with “παλαιός, παλαιὸν δῶρον ἀρχαίου θηρός” S.Tr.555, cf. Lys. 6.51, D.l.c.
II. of persons, “Θέμιν . . ἀρχαίαν ἄλοχον Διός” Pi.Fr.6.5; ἀ. θεαί, of the Erinyes, A.Eu.728; “Πέλοψ” S.Aj.1292; οἱ ἀ. the Ancients, name given by Arist. to the pre-Socratics, Metaph. 1069a25, GC314a6; in Lit. Crit., ancient, classical writers, Demetr. Eloc.15,67; in Plot., the philosophers down to Aristotle, 5.1.9; in NT, the Fathers, Ev.Matt.5.21, al.
2. ancient, old, βαλὴν ἀ., of Darius, A.Pers.657 (lyr.); “λάτρις” E.Hec.609; “ἑταῖρος” X.Mem.2.8.1; οἱ ἀ. κύριοι the original owners, BGU992 ii 6 (ii B. C.); τὰς ἀ. πόλεις (banished from) their original cities, Polystr.p.22 W.; ἀ. μαθητής an original disciple, Act.Ap.21.16; “ἀ. μύστης” Inscr.Magn.215b; παιδαγωγὸς ἀ., i.e of old, formerly, E.El.287, cf.853.
III. neut. as Adv., τὸ ἀρχαῖον, Ion. contr. τὠρχαῖον, anciently, Hdt.1.56, 173, al., Att.“τἀρχαῖον” A.Supp.326; “ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀ.” Hdt.4.117; “ἐξ ἀρχαίων” D.S.1.14.
2. regul. Adv. ἀρχαίως in olden style, “καινὰ ἀ. λέγειν” Pl.Phdr.267b, cf. Isoc.4.8, D.9.48; “ἀ. καὶ σεμνῶς” Aeschin.1.183.
IV. irreg. Comp. “ἀρχαιέστερος” Pi.Fr.45 (on ἀρχέστατος v. h. v.); usual Comp. “-ότερος” Ar.Av.469: Sup. “-ότατος” Hdt.1.105, etc.