The Source and the Power ΆΡΧΗ
In Latin the Gospel of John begins
with the famous statement
In principio verbum erat
But this is a
Latin translation from Greek.
Here's Verse 1
of St John's Gospel in Greek
1. Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν,
καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.
Ἀρχῇ is the dative form of ἡ Ἀρχὴ the beginning or
source.
The word first appears in Greek in Homer's Odyssey
and then Pindar's Odes.
This word has another meaning of being a source of
origin of a flow of power and so we see it used as a suffix or prefix as –
archos – arch(ee) and – arch(y) in English.
A good example especially given the Diamond
Jubilee this week would be Monarch and Monarchy, two words with Greek origins
that have become thoroughly established in English.
Rather like the Force in Star Wars or the Tao in
Chinese?
You will see it used with a sense very similar to
this if you read some Neoplatonists and Christian orthodox mystics and
theologians writing in Greek.
IN French it becomes – arce, Italian arce and
arci, Spanish arce, and German erz and I have seen it borrowed inot other
languages with a spelling of - arky.
Don't forget there is a verb - ἄρχω
