Cithaeron

• a mountain of Boeotia, now Elatia, sacred to Bacchus and the Muses, and famous for the death of Pentheus and Actaeon, Mel. 2, 3, 4; Plin. 4, 7, 12, § 25; Verg. G. 3, 43; id. A. 4, 303; Ov. M. 2, 223; 3, 702 sq.; Sen. Oedip. 930; id. Phoen. 256; Val. Fl. 5, 81 (in all these passages only in nom.).—Gen. Cithaeronis, Prop. 3 (4), 1, 43; 3 (4), 15, 25; Liv. 31, 26, 1.—Acc. Cithaeronem, Lact. 1, 22, 15; Serv. ad Verg. A. 7, 641; 10, 163; id. G. 3, 291.

(Κιθαιρών), a mythical king in Boeotia, from whom mount Cithaeron was believed to have derived its name. Once when Hera was angry with Zeus, Cithaeron advised the latter to take into his chariot a wooden statue and dress it up so as to make it resemble Plataea, the daughter of Asopus. Zeus followed his counsel, and as he was riding along with his pretended bride, Hera, overcome by her jealousy, ran up to him, tore the covering from the suspected bride, and on discovering that it was a statue, became reconciled to Zeus. (Paus. 9.1.2, 3.1.) Respecting the festival of the Daedala, celebrated to commemorate this event, see Dict. of Ant. s.v. [L.S]

CITHAERON (Κιθαιρών), a range of mountains, separating Boeotia from Megaris and Attica, of which a description is given elsewhere. [ATTICA p. 321, seq.) It is said to have derived its name from Cithaeron, a mythical king of Plataeae, who assisted Zeus with his advice when Hera was angry with him. Hence the summit was sacred to the Cithaeronian Zeus, and here was celebrated the festival called Daedala. (Paus. 9.2.4, 3.1, seq.; Dict. of Ant. art. Daedala.) Cithaeron was also sacred to Dionysus, and was the scene of several celebrated legends, such as the metamorphosis of Actaeon, the death of Pentheus, and the exposure of Oedipus. The forest, which covered Cithaeron, abounded in game; and at a very early period, lions and wolves are said to have been found there. The Cithaeronian lion, slain by Alcathous, was celebrated in mythology. (Paus. 1.41.3.)

(Κιθαιρών). (1) A king of Plataea in Boeotia, remarkable for his wisdom. By his advice, Zeus pretended to be contracting a second marriage when Heré had quarrelled with and left him. The scheme succeeded, and the goddess became reconciled to her spouse (Pausan. ix. 3). This monarch is said to have given name to the wellknown mountain-range in Boeotia.

(2) A lofty range of mountains, separating Boeotia from Megaris and Attica. It was sacred to Dionysus and the Muses, and was celebrated for the death of Pentheus (q.v.) and Actaeon (q.v.). Here was celebrated the festival called Daedala (q.v.).