DELPHI´NIA
DELPHI´NIA (
δελφίνια),
a festival of the same expiatory character as the Apollonia, which was
celebrated in various towns of greece, in honour of Apollo, surnamed
Delphinius, who was considered by the Ionias as their
θεὸς πατρῷος. The name of the god, as well as that of his
festival, must be derived from the belief of the ancients that in the
beginning of the month of Munychion. (probably identical with the Aeginetan
Delphinius) Apollo came through the defile of Parnassus to Delphi, and began
the battle with Delphyne. As he thus assumed the character of a wrathful
god, it was thought necessary to appease him, and the Delphinia accordingly
were celebrated at Athens, as well as at other places where his worship had
been adopted, on the 6th of Munychion. At Athens seven boys and girls
carried clive-branches, bound with white wool (called the
ἱκετηρία), into the Delphinium. (
Plut. Thes. 18; A. Mommsen,
Heortol. p. 398 ff.)
The Delphinia of Aegina are mentioned by the Scholiast on Pindar (
Pind. P. 8.88); and from his remark on another
passage (
Olymp. 7.151), it is clear that they were celebrated
with contests. (Compare Diog. Laert.
Vit. Thal. 100.7;
Müller,
Dor. 2.8.4.) Concerning the
celebration of the Delphinia in other places, nothing is known; but we have
reason to suppose that the rites observed at Athens and in Aegina were
common to all festivals of the same name. See Müller,
Aeginet. p. 152.
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