a festival celebrated by the Athenians, and which receives its name ὁρῶν τοῦ ἐσχάρα τῆς ἀγορᾶς, from carrying boughs hung with grapes, which were called ἐσχάρα. The original institution is mentioned by Plutarch, who ascribes it to Theseus, and says it was held in honour of Bacchus and Ariadne; but other writers maintain that it was celebrated in honour of Minerva and Bacchus. On the day of the festival, which probably occurred about the beginning of the Attic month Pyanepsion, two youths, whose parents were still alive, walked in procession, accompanied by a numerous retinue bearing vine branches hung with fresh grapes, from the temple of Bacchus to that of Minerva. Song and dance enlivened the march, and a sacrifice ensued. The proceedings were concluded by a race, in which young men only whose parents were both alive had permission to engage. It was customary for them to run from the temple of Bacchus to that of Minerva, which was on the sea-shore.

The reward of the conqueror was a cup called ποτήριον, five-fold, because it contained a mixture of five different ingredients,—viz., wine, honey, cheese, meal, and oil.