Apaturia

Apaturia in ancient Grecian usage, is a name for an Athenian-Ionian festival of the people. The origin of the name is unknown. The most probable explanation is that the name is somewhat related to the phratrias, which were subdivisions of the Athenian nationality, and denotes a reunion festival of these phratrias. That there was no want of feasting and good wine at' this festival is self-evident from the character of Grecian festivals. The celebration occurred in the month Pyanepsion (which began in the latter part of October) and lasted three days. All Athenians and all Ionians resident in Athens, with the exception of the Ephesians and the Colophonians, were admitted to this festival. The meaning of Apate (disappointment, deception) lies close to Apaturia, a surname often given to Venus and Minerva. It is said of Venus that she was waylaid by giants in the region of Phanagoria, in the Taurisian Chersonese, and then called Hercules to help her, who hid her in a cave, and to whom she gave the giants one after another, in order that he might kill them by this means of deception. Of Minerva it is said she deceived JEthra, the daughter of king Pittaeus of Troezene, in a dream, in which she asked her to come to her temple on the island of Sphemria, where Neptune then lived with her.