Agrionia

Agrionia

Agrionia was an ancient Greek religious festival in honor of Dionysus Agrionius. It was celebrated annually, especially at Orchomenus in Boeotia.

According to Plutarch, agrionia was celebrated at night with only women accompanied by the priests of Dionysus, who often wore black garments. Women pretended to search for Dionysos and then declared that he has fled to the Muses and hidden there. After that they feasted and begun to present and solve riddles.

According to legend, oleaia, the daughters of king Minyas of Orchomenus, who had despised the Dionysian rites, were seized with a desire to eat human flesh. They cast lots to decide which of their children they would eat and selected Hippasus, son of Leucippe.

Plutarch also say that the festival included a human sacrifice. Priest pursued virgins, descendants of Minyas, that had gathered for the festival, captured one and killed her with a sword. This practice was later discontinued after bad omens.


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  • Agriōnia — (griech.), von Frauen gefeiertes Nachtfest des Dionysos in Orchomenos. Die Weiber suchten den Gott, bis es hieß, er sei zu den Musen entflohen; dann folgte ein Mahl, bei dem man sich durch Rätsel unterhielt. Einen andern Brauch, daß der… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

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