MUNY´CHIA
MUNY´CHIA (
μουνύχια), a
festival celebrated in April in honour of Artemis Munychia, as the goddess
of the full moon shining alone by night (
μουνυχία for
μονονυχία).
Plutarch (
de Glor. Ath. p. 349 F) says that it was instituted
to commemorate the victory over the Persians L at Salamis, and that it was
held every year on the sixteenth of Munychion, near the port which was named
after the goddess. (Cf.
πότνια Μουνυχίη
λιμενοσκόπε, Callim.
Dian. 259.)
It was believed that the goddess had helped the Greeks with her light on the
night before the battle. (Compare Suidas and Harpocrat. s. v.
Μουνυχιών.) The sacrifices which were offered
to the goddess on this day consisted of cakes called
ἀμφιφῶντες, because these cakes were adorned all round with
burning candles. (
Athen. 14.
645; Suidas, s. v.
Ἀνάστατοι:
Hesych. and
Etym. M. s. v.
Ἀμφιφῶν.) Lysander added insult to injury by ordering the long
walls to be demolished on the day of the Munychia. (
Plut. Lys. 15; Preller,
Gr. Myth. i. p. 236.)
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G.E.M]