AGRAU´LIA
AGRAU´LIA (
ἀγραυλία）
was a festival celebrated by the Athenians in honour of Agraulos, the
daughter of Cecrops. (
Dict. of Biogr. s. v.) We possess no
particulars respecting the time or mode of its celebration; but it was,
perhaps, connected with the solemn oath which all Athenians, when they
arrived at manhood (
ἔφηβοι), were obliged
to take in the temple of Agraulos, that they would fight for their country,
and always observe its laws. (Lycurg.
c. Leocr. §
76; Dem.
de F. L. p. 438.303;
Plut.
Alc. 15; Stobaeus,
Serm. 41.141;
Schömann,
de Comitiis, p. 332;
Wachsmuth,
Hellen. Alterth. vol. i. p. 476, 2nd ed.)
[p. 1.55]
Agraulos was also honoured with a festival in Cyprus, in the month
Aphrodisius, at which human victims were offered. (Porphyr.
de
Abstin. ab Anim. 1.2.)
[
W.S]
