Arnis

(Ἀρνίς). A festival held by the Argives in August, during which they killed any dog that came into the Agora; hence the name κυνοφόντις given to the feast (Athen. iii. p. 99 e). The massacre of dogs was probably due to the fear of madness, as was the similar killing of dogs at Rome in the same month, which is, however, usually assigned to their having failed to give notice of the attack of the Gauls on the Capitol. See Pliny, H. N. xxix. 59.