ἀρχαῖος

A. from the beginning or origin:

I. mostly of things, ancient, σκότος S. OC 106; ἐσθής Hdt. 5.88; δόμοις ἐπασσάλευσαν ἀρχαῖον γάνος A. Ag. 579 codd.; Ζηνὸς ἀρχαίοις νόμοις S. OC 1382; 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.

b. simple, silly, Ar. Nu. 915, al., Pherecr. 205; ‐ότερος εἶ τοῦ δέοντος Pl. Euthd. 295c, etc.

3. ancient, former, τὸ ἀ. ῥέεθον Hdt. 1.75; τοῦ ἀ. λόγου Id. 7.160; οὐ γὰρ δὴ τό γ’ ἀ. δέμας S. OC 110; 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.

4. old, worn out, ὑποδήματα X. An. 4.5.14; πινάκια BGU 781i1 (i A. D.).

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, GC 314a6; 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, BGU 992 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. 215 b; 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.

V. as Subst., τὸ ἀρχαῖον, of money, prime cost, πλέον τοῦ ἀ. X. Vect. 3.2; principal, mostly in pl., Ar. Nu. 1156, etc.; τἀρχαῖα ἀποδιδόναι D. 34.26, etc.; τῶν ἀρχαίων ἀπέστησαν lost their capital, Id. 1.15: opp. ἔργον, Id. 27.10; opp. πρόσοδοι, Is. 6.38.

2. ἀρχαίη,ἡ, = ἀρχή, Eust. 475.1, etc.