APOLLONIA, feast sacred to Apollo, instituted upon
the following occasion. Apollo, having vanquished
Python, went with his sister Diana to Ægialea; but,
being driven from thence, he removed to the island
Crete. The Ægialeans were soon after visited with a
plague; upon which, consulting the soothsayers, they
were ordered to send seven young men and as many
virgins, to appease those deities and bring them back
into their country. Apollo and Diana being thus ap-
peased, returned to Ægialea; in memory of which they
dedicated a temple to Pitho, the goddess of persuasion;
whence a custom arose of choosing every year seven
young men, and as many virgins, to go as it were in
search of Apollo and Diana.