ἀρχή ἄρχω 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, ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς Hdt., Trag.:— κατʼ ἀρχάς in the beginning, at first, Hdt.:—absol. in acc. ἀρχήν, to begin with, first, Hdt.; ἀρχὴν οὐ absolutely not, not at all, Lat. omnino non, Hdt., Attic; with numerals, ἀρχὴν ἑπτά in all, Hdt. the end, corner, of a bandage, rope, sheet, Hdt., Eur., NTest. the first place or power, sovereignty, dominion, command, Hdt., Attic; c. gen. rei, ἀρχὴ τῶν νεῶν, τῆς θαλάσσης Thuc., etc. a sovereignty, empire, realm, Hdt., Thuc. 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. in pl., αἱ ἀρχαί (as we say) "the authorities, " i. e. the magistrates, Thuc., etc.