make a beginning, esp. in sacrifice; τρίχας ἀπάρχεσθαι begin the sacrifice with the hair, i.e. by cutting off the hair from the forehead and throwing it into the fire, κάπρου ἀπὸ τρίχας ἀρξάμενος Il. 19.254; ἀλλ’ ὅ γ’ ἀπαρχόμενος τρίχας ἐν πυρὶ βάλλεν Od. 14.422; abs., 3.446. later c. gen., cut off part of a thing, offer it, τοῦ ὠτὸς τοῦ κτήνεος Hdt. 4.188; ἀ. κόμης E. El. 91; τῶν κρεῶν καὶ σπλάγχνων offer part of them, Hdt. 4.61; hence, offer the first-lings or first-fruits, πάντων of all sacrifices, Id. 3.24; abs., begin a sacrifice, Ar. Ach. 244, Pax 1056, etc. ; ἀ. τοῖς θεοῖς X. Hier. 4.2; ἀπηργμένοι, of eunuchs, having had their first-fruits offered, Anaxandr. 39.11. metaph, take as the first-fruits, take as the choice or best, δικαστήν Pl. Lg. 767c; abs., offer first-fruits, Theoc. 17.109. generally, offer, dedicate, χρυσᾶς (sc. δραχμάς) IG 2.652B 19, cf. Plu. Sull. 27, AP 7.406 (Theodorid.). later, = ἄρχομαι, begin, c. gen., πημάτων Lyc. 1409; c. inf., v.l. in Luc. Nigr. 3; practise, prelude on, ὀργάνων Him. Or. 17.2.

anfangen,
   a) bei Hom. das Stirnhaar des Opfertiers abschneiden und ins Feuer werfen, womit das Opfer begonnen wurde, Il. 19.254 κάπρου ἀπὸ τρίχας ἀρξάμενος ; Od. 3.446, 14.422, vgl. Buttmann Lexil. 1.101 ff.; dah. übh. ein Opfer beginnen, Ar. Ach. 232, Pl. 1021, als Opfergabe darbringen ; bes. aber
   b) die Erstlinge als Opfer darbringen, πάντων ἀπαρχόμενοι καὶ θυσίας οἱ προσάγοντες Her. 3.24 ; vgl. 4.61 ; τοῖς θεοῖς Xen. Hier. 4.2 ; absol., Cyr. 7.1.1 ; vgl. Plut. Mar. 27 ; übh. als das Beste auswählen, οἷον ἀπάρξασθαι πάσης ἀρχῆς ἕνα δικαστήν Plat. Legg. VI.767c. Auch weihen, widmen (als Opfer), Theorid. 9 (VII.406); komische Uebtr. scheint ἀπηργμένοι Anaxndr. bei Ath. VII.300a, Verschnittene ; vgl. Eust. 1183.13. – Sp., wie Luc. Nigr. 3, = ἄρχομαι, anfangen.

1. Dep.
2. to make a beginning , especially in sacrifice, τρίχας ἀπάρχεσθαι to begin the sacrifice with the hair, i. e. by cutting off the hair from the forehead and throwing it into the fire, (Iliad by Homer): to begin the sacrificial rites, (Odyssey by Homer)
3. with genitive to cut off part of a thing, to offer it, to offer part of a thing, (Herdotus Historicus)
4. to offer the firstlings or first-fruits , (Herdotus Historicus)
5. metaphorically to take as the first-fruits, as the choice or best , (Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus)
6. ἀπάρχω Act., to be the first, be leader, dance , [variant datesAnthology Palantina (ML)