or Leucate, in Ancient Geography, a promontory of Leucadia, being a white rock projecting into the sea towards Cephalonia, on which stood a temple of Apollo surnamed Leucadius. At the festival which was annually celebrated here, the people were accustomed to offer an expiatory sacrifice to the god, to avert all the calamities with which they might be threatened. For this purpose they made choice of a criminal condemned to death, whom, having conducted to the brink of the promontory, they precipitated into the sea amidst the loud shouts of the spectators. The criminal, however, seldom perished in the water; for it was the custom to cover him with feathers, and to fasten birds to his body, which by spreading their wings served to break his fall. No sooner did he touch the sea, than a number of boats stationed for the purpose flew to his assistance, and drew him out; but after being thus saved, he was banished for ever from the territory of Leucadia.

According to ancient authors, a strange opinion concerning this promontory prevailed for some time amongst the Greeks. They imagined that the leap of Leucate was a potent remedy against the violence of love. Hence disappointed or despairing lovers, it is said, were often known to go to Leucadia, and, having ascended the promontory, and offered sacrifices in the temple, and engaged by a formal vow to perform the desperate act, to precipitate themselves into the sea. Some are reported to have recovered from the effects of the fall; and, amongst these, mention is made of a citizen of Buthiroton, in Épirus (Butrinto, in Albania), whose passions always taking fire at new objects, had four times recourse to the same remedy, and always with success. As those who made the trial, however, seldom took any precaution to render their fall less rapid, they were generally destroyed; and women often fell victims to this act of superstitious desperation. Leucate was shown the tomb of Artemisia, the celebrated queen of Caria, who gave so many proofs of courage at the battle of Salamis. Infamed with a violent passion for a young man who inflexibly refused her love, she surprised him in his sleep, and put out his eyes. But regret and despair soon drove her to Leucate, where she perished in the waves, notwithstanding that every effort was made to save her. Such likewise was the end of the unhappy Sappho. Forsaken by her lover Phaon, she went thither to seek relief from her sufferings, and found it in destruction.