ELAPHEBO´LIA
ELAPHEBO´LIA (
ἐλαφηβόλια), the greatest festival in the town of Hyampolis, in
Phocis, which was celebrated in honour of Artemis, in commemoration, it is
said, of a victory which its inhabitants had gained over the Thessalians,
who had ravaged the country and reduced the Phocians in the neighbourhood of
the town nearly to the last extremity. (
Plut.
de Mul. Virt. p. 244 B,
Quaest.
Symp. p. 660 D;
Paus. 10.35.4.) The
only particular which we know of its celebration is, that a peculiar kind of
cake (
ἔλαφος) was made on the occasion.
(
Athen. 14.646 e.) These
cakes were, as their name indicates, probably made in the
[p. 1.714]shape of a stag or deer, and offered to the goddess. The
festival of the elaphebolia was also celebrated in many other parts of
Greece, but no particulars are known. (
Etym. M., s. v.
Ἐλαφηβολιών.
[
L.S]
