Elaphebŏlia

, a festival in honour of Diana the huntre . In the celebration a cake was made in the form of a deer, ἐλαφος , and offered to the godde . It owed its institution to the following circumstance. When the Phocians had been severely beaten by the The alians, they resolved, by the persuasion of a certain Deiphantus, to raise a pile of combustible materials, and burn their wives, children, and effects, rather than submit to the enemy. This resolution was unanimously approved by the women, who decreed Deiphantus a crown for his magnanimity. When everything was prepared, before they fired the pile, they engaged their enemies, and fought with such desperate fury, that they totally routed them, and obtained a complete victory. In commemoration of this unexpected succe , this festival was instituted to Diana, and observed with the greatest solemnity, so that even one of the months of the year, March, was called Elaphebolion from this circumstance.