[Meaning he/she/it] was making a preamble, was beginning, was starting in, and meaning (?)was excelling.
Arrian [writes]: "he was striking up the ravaging of the rest of the territory, thinking the Athenians would give in."[1]
For preludes [a)nabolai/] are both the strikings-up and the starts [proper].[2] Hence the [use of] 'was starting' [h)/rxeto] and 'was starting off' [a)ph/rxeto].
Also [sc. attested is] a)neba/llonto, [meaning] they were fashioning.