Delphic Oracle

by Reylari Socrates

The Delphic Oracle

from the Sistene Chapel by Michalangelo

Sibyl, a surname, is said to be the first woman who chanted oracles at Delphi.

The worship of Apollo included the establisment and maintenance of places of prophecy by means of which the gods could comunicate with humanity. The early history of Greece abounds with accounts of talking trees, rivers, statues, and caves in which nymphs, dryads, or daemons had taken for abodes and from which they delivered revelations.

The most famous oracles of antiquity were those of Delphi, Dodona, Trophonius, and Latona. Many of the caves and fisures were sacred long befor the advent of Greek culture.

The oracle of Apollo at Delphi remains one of the unsolved mysteries of the ancients. The name Delphi comes from delphos, womb. This name was chosen because of the shape of the cavern and the vent leading to the depths of the earth. The original name of the oracle was Pytho. Apollo when climbing Mount Parnassus slew the serpent in combat. The serpent had emerged from the slime left by the receding flood that had destroyed all human beings except Deucalion and Pyrrha. Apollo killed the serpent and threw the body down a fissure of the oracle. From that time, the sun god, surnamed Pythian Apollo, gave oracles from the vent. He shared the honor of being patron god of Delphi with Dionysos.

The oracle arose from worship of the earth goddess GAEA. It passed on to Apollo, some say he won it by slaying the python, others say it descended to him through Themis and Phoebe. The oracle gave answeres to all questions.

The great Temple to Apollo was built in the 6th century B.C. and housed the oracle.

The shrine grew very wealthy, for it was said to give the perfect answere for every question be it, public, private, religious, political, or social.

The serpent remained at Delphi after being conquered by Apollo. It was with the aid of the serpent that the priestess was able to gain rapport with the god.

The fumes riseing from the fissure were said to come from the decaying body of the Python. The name Pythoness, or Pythia was given to the female heirphant of the oracle. The Greeks belived Delphi to be the umbilicus of the earth. They considered the earth to be a human being.

Some belive that the Delphic fissure was discovered by a Hypoborean priest.

As far back as recorded history can go the cave was considered sacred. people came from all parts of Greece and surrounding countries to question the daemon who dwelt in the chimney-like vent. Priests and priestesses guarded it closely and served the spirit who dwelled there and enlightened humanity with the gift of prophecy.

The Delphian Tripod