I.a beginning, origin, first cause, Hom., etc.:—with Preps. ἐξ ἀρχῆς ῀ ἀρχῆθεν, from the beginning, from of old, Od., attic; ἐξ ἀρχῆς πάλιν anew, afresh, Ar.:—so, ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς Hdt., Trag.:— κατ᾽ ἀρχάς in the beginning, at first, Hdt.:—absol. in acc. ἀρχήν, to begin with, first, id=Hdt.; ἀρχὴν οὐ absolutely not, not at all, Lat. omnino non, id=Hdt., attic; with numerals, ἀρχὴν ἑπτά in all, Hdt.
2.the end, corner, of a bandage, rope, sheet, id=Hdt., Eur., NTest.
II.the first place or power, sovereignty, dominion, command, Hdt., attic; c. gen. rei, ἀρχὴ τῶν νεῶν, τῆς θαλάσσης Thuc., etc.
2.a sovereignty, empire, realm, Hdt., Thuc.
3.in Prose, a magistracy, office, Hdt., attic:—also a term of office, τὴν ἐνιαυσίαν ἀρχήν Thuc.:—these offices were commonly obtained in two ways, χειροτονητή by election, κληρωτή by lot, Aeschin.
