ἀρχή
arche
beginning, origin
Appears 2,106 times across Aristotle's works.
Frequency by work
Click a work to list every occurrence by Bekker number — each links into the reader.
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Metaphysics 426 ▸
Open Metaphysics ›Book Α 66 ▸
Chapter 3 983a24–984b22Chapter 10 993a11–29Book α 5 ▸
Book Β 65 ▸
Chapter 3 998a20–999a23Chapter 4 999a24–1001b25Book Γ 25 ▸
Chapter 7 1011b23–1012a28Book Δ 41 ▸
Chapter 3 1014a26–1014b15Chapter 15 1020b26–1021b11Chapter 26 1023b26–1024a10Book Ε 11 ▸
Book Ζ 17 ▸
Chapter 2 1028b8–32Chapter 4 1029b1–1030b13Chapter 8 1033a24–1034a8Chapter 9 1034a9–1034b19Chapter 13 1038b1–1039a23Book Η 5 ▸
Book Θ 22 ▸
Book Κ 48 ▸
Chapter 1 1059a18–1060a2Chapter 2 1060a3–1060b30Chapter 3 1060b31–1061b16Chapter 9 1065b5–1066a34Chapter 12 1068a8–1069a14Book Λ 51 ▸
Chapter 2 1069b7–34Book Μ 36 ▸
Book Ν 29 ▸
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Politics 338 ▸
Open Politics ›Book I 19 ▸
Chapter 2 1252a24–1253a39Chapter 8 1256a1–1256b39Chapter 9 1256b40–1258a18Chapter 10 1258a19–1258b8Chapter 13 1259b18–1260b24Book II 43 ▸
Chapter 8 1267b22–1269a28Chapter 9 1269a29–1271b19Book III 61 ▸
Chapter 8 1279b11–1280a6Book IV 69 ▸
Chapter 3 1289b27–1290a29Chapter 4 1290a30–1292a38Chapter 6 1292b22–1293a34Chapter 7 1293a35–1293b21Chapter 8 1293b22–1294a29Book V 79 ▸
Chapter 8 1307b26–1309a32Chapter 10 1310a39–1313a14Chapter 11 1313a15–1315b10Book VI 46 ▸
Chapter 1 1316b31–1317a39Chapter 2 1317a40–1318a10Chapter 6 1320b18–1321a4Book VII 18 ▸
Chapter 8 1328a21–1328b23Chapter 11 1330a34–1331a18 -
Generation of Animals 171 ▸
Open Generation of Animals ›Book I 24 ▸
Chapter 11 718b36–719a29Chapter 19 726a28–727b32Book II 64 ▸
Chapter 6 741b25–745b20Chapter 7 745b21–747a22Book III 38 ▸
Chapter 9 758a26–759a7Book IV 29 ▸
Chapter 1 763b20–766b26Chapter 5 773a30–774b4Chapter 6 774b5–775b24 -
Physics 161 ▸
Open Physics ›Book I 41 ▸
Chapter 4 187a12–188a18Book II 21 ▸
Book III 19 ▸
Book IV 10 ▸
Book V 1 ▸
Chapter 3 226b18–227b2Book VII 5 ▸
Book VIII 61 ▸
Chapter 2 252b7–253a21Chapter 10 266a10–267b26 -
Nicomachean Ethics 94 ▸
Open Nicomachean Ethics ›Book I 14 ▸
Book II 1 ▸
Chapter 2 1103b26–1104b2Book III 18 ▸
Book IV 1 ▸
Chapter 2 1122a18–1123a33Book V 8 ▸
Book VI 24 ▸
Chapter 8 1141b23–1142a30Book VII 10 ▸
Book VIII 10 ▸
Book IX 6 ▸
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Posterior Analytics 92 ▸
Open Posterior Analytics ›Book I 63 ▸
Chapter 7 75a38–75b20Chapter 8 75b21–36Chapter 19 81b10–82a20Chapter 28 87a38–87b4Chapter 33 88b30–89b9Book II 29 ▸
Chapter 1 89b23–35Chapter 8 93a1–93b20Chapter 9 93b21–28 -
Parts of Animals 82 ▸
Open Parts of Animals ›Book I 10 ▸
Book II 25 ▸
Chapter 8 653b19–654a31Book III 34 ▸
Chapter 4 665a27–667b9Chapter 6 668b33–669b12Chapter 10 672b10–673a31 -
Meteorology 77 ▸
Open Meteorology ›Book I 26 ▸
Chapter 1 338a20–339a10Chapter 8 345a11–346b15Book II 42 ▸
Chapter 5 361b14–363a20Chapter 9 369a10–370a33 -
On the Heavens 64 ▸
Open On the Heavens ›Book I 19 ▸
Book II 32 ▸
Chapter 2 284b6–286a2Chapter 6 288a13–289a10Chapter 14 296a24–298a20Book III 10 ▸
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Rhetoric 57 ▸
Open Rhetoric ›Book I 20 ▸
Book II 10 ▸
Book III 27 ▸
Chapter 10 1410b6–1411b21Chapter 16 1416b16–1417b20Chapter 19 1419b10–1420a8 -
History of Animals 53 ▸
Open History of Animals ›Book I 1 ▸
Chapter 5 489a34–490b6Book III 16 ▸
Book IV 4 ▸
Book V 11 ▸
Book VI 4 ▸
Book VII 6 ▸
Book VIII 1 ▸
Chapter 2 589a10–592a27 -
Prior Analytics 52 ▸
Open Prior Analytics ›Book I 26 ▸
Chapter 1 24a10–24b30Chapter 14 32b38–33b24Chapter 17 36b26–37b18Chapter 26 42b27–43a19Chapter 29 45a23–46a2Chapter 32 46b40–47b14 -
Eudemian Ethics 49 ▸
Open Eudemian Ethics ›Book I 4 ▸
Book II 27 ▸
Chapter 6 1222b15–1223a20Book III 1 ▸
Chapter 5 1232a19–1233a30Book VII 7 ▸
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Sophistical Refutations 44 ▸
Open Sophistical Refutations ›Chapter 2 165a38–165b11Chapter 4 165b23–166b27Chapter 7 169a22–169b17Chapter 12 172b9–173a30Chapter 15 174a17–174b40Chapter 19 177a9–32Chapter 22 178a4–179a10Chapter 26 181a1–14Chapter 28 181a22–30Chapter 30 181a36–181b24 -
Topics 44 ▸
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De Anima 43 ▸
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Movement of Animals 40 ▸
Open Movement of Animals ›Chapter 5 700a26–700b3Chapter 6 700b4–701a6 -
On Generation and Corruption 37 ▸
Open On Generation and Corruption ›Book I 19 ▸
Chapter 6 322b1–323a34Chapter 10 327a30–328b22Book II 18 ▸
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On Youth, Old Age, Life and Death, and Respiration 33 ▸
Open On Youth, Old Age, Life and Death, and Respiration ›Chapter 1 467b10–468a12Chapter 5 469b21–470a18Chapter 11 472b6–473a2Chapter 20 477a32–478a10Chapter 21 478a11–25Chapter 26 479b17–480a15 -
Progression of Animals 26 ▸
Open Progression of Animals ›Chapter 7 707a16–708a8Chapter 8 708a9–708b19Chapter 13 712a1–22Chapter 15 712b22–713a25 -
Poetics 16 ▸
Open Poetics ›Chapter 3 1448a19–1448b3Chapter 6 1449b21–1450b20 -
Mechanica 14 ▸
Open Mechanica ›Chapter 2 848b1–850a2Chapter 4 850a30–850b9Chapter 12 852a38–852b10Chapter 18 853a32–853b13Chapter 25 856a39–857a4Chapter 32 858a13–16 -
De Audibilibus 4 ▸
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Categories 3 ▸
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On Length and Shortness of Life 3 ▸
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De Interpretatione 2 ▸
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Sense and Sensibilia 2 ▸
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Oeconomica 1 ▸
Open Oeconomica ›Book I 1 ▸
Chapter 1 1343a1–17 -
Physiognomonics 1 ▸
Open Physiognomonics ›Chapter 6 810a14–814b9
Dictionary (LSJ)
ἀρχή, ἡ, (v. ἄρχω) A. beginning, origin, νείκεος ἀ. Il. 22.116; πήματος Od. 8.81; φόνου 21.4, etc.; opp. τέλος, Hdt. 7.51, etc.; opp. τελευτή, Thgn. 607, cf. Pl. Lg. 715e, Hp. Morb. 1.1; ἀ. γενέσθαι κακῶν Hdt. 5.97; ἀ. ποιήσασθαί τινος Th. 1.128, And. 2.37, Isoc. 12.120, etc.; ἀ. λαβεῖν τινός Aeschin. 1.11; τὰς ἀρχὰς εἰληφέναι Plb. 4.28.3; ἀρχὴν ὑποθέσθαι lay a foundation, D. 3.2, etc.; βαλέσθαι Pl. Ep. 326e (and Pass., ἀρχαὶ βέβληνται Pi. N. 1.8); ἀρχὴν ἄρχεσθαί τινος Pl. Ti. 36e; source of action, [ὁ ἄνθρωπος] ἔχει ἀρχὴν ἐλευθέραν Plot. 3.3.4. b. with Preps. in adverbial usages, ἐξ ἀρχῆς from the beginning, from the first, from of old, Od. 1.188, Xenoph. 10, etc.; οὑξ ἀ. φίλος S. OT 385; ἡ ἐξ ἀ. ἔχθρα D. 54.3; τὸ ἐξ ἀ. X. Cyn. 12.6; but πλουτεῖν ἐξ ἀ. πάλιν anew, afresh, Ar. Pl. 221; λόγον πάλιν ὥσπερ ἐξ ἀ. κινεῖν Pl. R. 450a; ὁ ἐξ ἀ. λόγος the original argument, Id. Tht. 177c, etc.; τὰ ἐξ ἀ. the principal sum, Arist. Pol. 1280a30:—also ἀπʼ ἀ. Hes. Th. 425, Hdt. 2.104, Pi. P. 8.25, A. Supp. 344, Pl. Tht. 206d; κατʼ ἀρχάς in the beginning, at first, Hdt. 3.153, 7.5; αὐτίκα κατʼ ἀ. Id. 8.94; τὸ κατʼ ἀ. Pl. Lg. 798a, al. c. acc. ἀρχήν, abs., to begin with, at first, Hdt. 1.9, 2.28, 8.132; τὴν ἀρχήν And. 3.20: pl., τὰς ἀρχάς Plb. 16.22.8: freq. followed by a neg., not at all, ἀρχὴν μηδὲ λαβών Hdt. 3.39, cf. 1.193, al.; ἀ. δὲ θηρᾶν οὐ πρέπει τἀμήχανα S. Ant. 92; ἀ. κλύειν ἂν οὐκ . . ἐβουλόμην Id. Ph. 1239, cf. El. 439, Philol. 3, Antipho 5.73, Pl. Grg. 478c; sts. c. Art., τοῦτο οὐκ ἐνδέκομαι τὴν ἀ. Hdt. 4.25; τὴν ἀ. γὰρ ἐξῆν αὐτῷ μὴ γράφειν D. 23.93. 2. first principle, element, first so used by Anaximander, acc. to Simp. in Ph. 150.23, cf. Arist. Metaph. 983b11, etc.; Ἡράκλειτος τὴν ἀ. εἶναί φησι ψυχήν Id. de An. 405a25; of ὕλη and θεός, opp. στοιχεῖα, Placit. 1.3.25; practical principle of conduct, τῶν πράξεων τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ὑποθέσεις D. 2.10; principles of knowledge, Arist. Metaph. 995b8, al. 3. end, corner, of a bandage, rope, sheet, etc., Hdt. 4.60, Hp. Off. 9, E. Hipp. 762, Aen.Tact. 18.14, Act.Ap. 10.11; of a compound pulley, Hero Bel. 84.14. 4. Math., origin of a curve, τῆς ἕλικος Archim. Spir. 11 Def. 2, etc.; ξυνὸν ἀ. καὶ πέρας ἐπὶ κύκλου περιφερείας Heraclit. 103. 5. branch of a river, LXX Ge. 2.10 (pl.). 6. sum, total, ib.Nu. 1.2. 7. vital organs of the body, Gal. 1.318, al. II. first place or power, sovereignty (not in Hom.), Διὸς ἀρχά Pi. O. 2.64, cf. Hdt. 1.6, etc.; γενέσθαι ἐπʼ ἀρχῆς Arist. Pol. 1284b2: metaph., μεγάλην μεντἂν ἀ. εἴης εὑρηκώς, of a stroke of fortune, D. 21.196: pl., ἀρχαὶ πολισσονόμοι A. Ch. 864 (lyr.); τὰς ἐμὰς ἀρχὰς σέβων S. Ant. 744, etc.: c. gen. rei, τῆσδʼ ἔχων ἀρχὴν χθονός S. OT 737; ἀ. τῶν νεῶν, τῆς θαλάσσης, power over them, Th. 3.90, X. Ath. 2.7, etc.: prov., ἀ. ἄνδρα δείξει Bias ap.Arist. EN 1130a1, cf. D. Prooem. 48; method of government, οὐδὲ τὴν ἄλλην ἀ. ἐπαχθής Th. 6.54. 2. empire, realm, Κύρου, Περδίκκου ἀ., Hdt. 1.91, Th. 4.128, etc. 3. magistracy, office, ἀρχὴν ἄρχειν, παραλαμβάνειν, Hdt. 3.80, 4.147; καταστήσας τὰς ἀ. καὶ ἄρχοντας ἐπιστήσας Id. 3.89; εἰς ἀ. καθίστασθαι Th. 8.70; εἰς τὴν ἀ. εἰσιέναι D. 59.72, etc.; ἀ. λαχεῖν to obtain an office, Id. 57.25; Ἑλληνοταμίαι τότε πρῶτον κατέστη ἀ. Th. 1.96; ἐνιαύσιος ἀ. Id. 6.54; ἀ. χειροτονητή, κληρωτή, Lex ap.Aeschin. 1.21; with sg. Noun, Κυθηροδίκης ἀ. ἐκ τῆς Σπάρτης διέβαινεν αὐτόσε Th. 4.53; term of office, ἀρχῆς λοιποὶ αὐτῷ δύο μῆνες Antipho 6.42; ἀρχαὶ καὶ λειτουργίαι POxy. 119.16 (iii A.D.). 4. in pl., αἱ ἀρχαί the authorities, the magistrates, Th. 5.47, cf. Decr. ap. And. 1.83; ἐν ταῖς ἀ. εἶναι Th. 6.54; ἡ ἀρχή collectively, ‘the board’, D. 47.22, cf. IG 1.229, etc.; παραδιδόναι τινὰ τῇ ἀ. Antipho 5.48; but ἡ ἀ., of a single magistrate, PHal. 1.226 (iii B.C.); κατʼ ἀρχῆς γὰρ φιλαίτιος λεώς against authority, A. Supp. 485; πομποὺς ἀρχάς Id. Ag. 124 (anap.). 5. command, i.e. body of troops, LXX 1 Ki. 13.17, al. 6. pl., heavenly powers, Ep.Rom. 8.38, al., cf. Dam. Pr. 96; powers of evil, Ep.Eph. 6.12, al. III. = εἶδος μελίσσης ἀκέντρου, Hsch.
Key passages & sense analysis (Bonitz)
Index Aristotelicus. Hermann Bonitz's sense-by-sense analysis of
ἀρχή — with the passages
he singles out as decisive for each meaning — will appear here. That curated,
interpretive selection is the layer LSJ and a raw concordance don't provide.
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