the name of the first letter of the Greek alphabet, answering to our A. As a numeral, it stands for one, or the first of any thing. It is particularly used, among ancient writers, to denote the chief or first man of his class or rank. In this sense, the word stands contradistinguished from beta, which denotes the second person. Plato was called the Alpha of the wits: Eratosthenes, keeper of the Alexandrian library, whom some called a Second Plato, is frequently named Beta.

ALPHA is also used to denote the beginning of anything. In which sense it stands opposed to omega, which which denotes the end. And these two letters were made the symbol of Christianity; and accordingly were engraven on the tombs of the ancient Christians, to distinguish them from those of idolaters. Moralez, a Spanish writer, imagined that this custom only commenced since the rise of Arianism; and that it was peculiar to the orthodox, who hereby made confession of the eternity of Christ: but there are tombs prior to the age of Constantine whereon the two letters were found, beholds that the emperor just mentioned bore them on his labarum before Arius appeared.