ἀρχικός

A. of or for rule, royal, πυθμήν A. Ch. 260; γένος Th. 2.80; official, δικαστήριον Chor. in Rev.Phil. 1.219: neut. pl. ἀρχικά as Subst., perh. presents demanded by officials on entering office, PTeb. 3.57.

2. of persons, fit for rule, command, or office, Pl. Prt. 352b, al., Isoc. 2.24; having served as magistrates, CIG 2774 (Aphrodisias): c. gen., ἀνθρώπων X. Mem. 1.1.16; νεώς Pl. R. 488d; φύσει ἀρχικὸν πατὴρ υἱῶν Arist. EN 1161a18; ἔστιν ‐κώτατα τῶν γενῶν Σκύθαι καὶ Θρᾷκες καὶ Πέρσαι Isoc. 4.67. Adv. ‐κῶς, ἔχοντες Lib. Or. 11.148; ἱερατικῶς καὶ ἀ. φυλαττόμενα Just. Nov. 58.

3. dominant, sovereign, ἡ ἀρχικωτάτη ἐπιστήμη the sovereign science, i.e. σοφία, Arist. Metaph. 982b4; τὴν ἀ. χώραν ἔχειν Id. PA 665b18; ἀ. ἀρετή, opp. ὑπηρετική, Id. Pol. 1260a23:—Math., principal, ἀ. συμπτώματα, of the properties of a curve, Apollon.Perg. Con. 1 Praef.; ἀ. διάμετροι principal diameters, ib.1.51.

II. belonging to ἀρχαί 11.6, Dam. Pr. 130,344.

III. primal, original, γένεσις Phld. D. 3.14; ‐κώτατον αἴτιον S.E. M. 9.5. Adv. ‐κῶς ib.1.46.

2. ἀ. σχῆμα ποιήσεως in which the poet commences with an invocation of the Muses, Zeus, etc., Anon. Fig. p.149S.