Truth to Tell: The Oracle at Delphi

In the myths of the early Greeks, the ancient gods and goddesses ruled the Hellenic people with their superhuman strength, enviable beauty, and abilities not only to walk upon the earth but also to fly across the heavens, dwell in the oceans, and thrive in subterranean territories. Gods and goddesses often mingled with mortals, and their divinity was peppered with human character flaws, moral ambiguity, and mood swings that could change the fate of cities. Despite the fact that these deities were themselves subject to fits of jealousy, lust, and vanity, they often found ways to punish the less-than-divine behavior of humans. They did not prescribe a way of life or establish a moral code for the Greeks to follow but frequently exacted payment for their favors. How then were humans to find guidance and inspiration in the midst of these erratic and often ignoble gods and goddesses?

According to stories passed down, oracles were a great help. Thought to transmit the utterances of a god or goddess, an oracle was consulted for guidance in personal lives as well as in matters of state. While references to many oracles can be found in ancient Greek literature, none of the oracles had the longevity or impact of the voice of the god Apollo---the oracle at Delphi.

Located on Mount Parnassus in central Greece, the cave at Delphi was considered a sacred place long before Apollo proclaimed it the home of his oracle. According to myth it was the dwelling place of the great serpent Python, who protected Gaea, the goddess of the earth. This same serpent had brought harm to Leto, Apollo's mortal mother, and the god swore revenge. Using the golden bow and arrow given him by his father, the god Zeus, Apollo slew Python and established his own sanctuary at the site. To assuage Gaea's anger at losing her guardian, Apollo named his priestesses Pythiae and imbued them with the prophetic powers of the oracle.

Unlike many of his colleagues, Apollo was known to be a truthful god; he never went back on his word. The prophecies and advice given by his priestesses at Delphi were considered to be true to the letter---if interpreted properly. Kings, philosophers, historians, and commoners consulted the oracle. Esteemed thinkers such as Herodotus and Pythagoras were known to visit Delphi for advice. According to Plutarch, Alexander the Great once demanded a prophecy from a Pythia on a day that the oracle was deemed unavailable. Under duress and struggling to free herself from his grasp, the priestess said, "My son, you are invincible!" Alexander left Delphi, satisfied that the oracle had spoken.

The actual experience of receiving a prophecy may have changed considerably over the thousand years that the Delphic oracle continued active, but there were certain features that apparently remained consistent. There is some indication that the priestesses lived chastely and purified themselves by drinking water from a sacred spring, burning bay leaves and barley meal to cleanse the sanctuary surroundings. Seekers also were expected to remain chaste prior to consultation and were directed to bring gifts and make sacrifices as an offering to Apollo. The Pythia chewed laurel leaves, sitting on a tripod above a fissure in the earth that emitted vapors, and waited for a divine "breath" to fill her before answering inquiries. Priests interpreted and inscribed the words of the Pythia, for she often spoke in tongues from a trancelike state possibly caused, according to recent evidence, by intoxicating gases.

Perhaps the most famous statement made by the oracle at Delphi is inscribed in the lintel at the sanctuary of Apollo: Gnothi Seauton (Know Thyself). This answer may have been given first to the Lydian king Croesus when he asked how best to live a happy life; or it may have been directed at Chilon of Sparta when he queried, "What is best for man?" In any case the oracle at Delphi's famed advice has lived long after the demise of its powers; in the 4th century A.D. the rise of Christianity triggered the decline of the oracle, and ultimately, silenced it forever.