BUPHONIA, called also DIIPOLIA, a religious festival held on the 14th of the month Skirophorion (July) at Athens, when the very ancient ceremony was gone through of sacrificing an ox to Zeus, under the following circumstances. - The ox was driven forward to the altar, on which grain was spread, by members of the family of the Kentriacke, on whom this duty devolved hereditarily (K6/Tpov, front which the name is derived, means a goad). When it began to eat, one of the family of the Thaulonidm advanced with an axe, slew the ox, then immediately threw away the axe, and fled. The axe was now carried before the court of the Prytaneum (see AREOPAGUS), and there charged with having caused the death of the ox, for which it was thrown into the sea. Meantime the sacrifice of the ox was accepted in the usual manner.