CITHAERON, now called from its pine forests Elatea, a mountain range (4,626 ft.), separating Boeotia from Megaris and Attica. Its west end reaches the Corinthian Gulf ; eastward it is separated from Mount Parnes by the pass through Panactum and Phyle. It was famous in Greek mythology. Here Actaeon was changed into a stag, Pentheus was torn to pieces by the Bacchantes and the infant Oedipus was exposed. It was the scene of the mystic rites of Dionysus, and the festival of the Daedala in honour of Hera. The carriage-road from Athens to Thebes traverses the picturesque pass of Dryoscephalae ("Oak-heads"), guarded on the Attic side by the ruined fortress of Ghyphto kastro ("Gipsy Castle") . Plataea is situated on the north slope, and the strategy of the battle of 479 B.C. was considerably affected by the necessity for the Greeks to keep open the passes (see PLATAEA), of Dryoscephalae, and the roads farther west from Plataea to Athens and to Megara.