There were many oracle sites in ancient Greece, but the most famous by far was the oracle at Delphi. Delphi sits on a mountainside and contains temples, treasuries, and even a theater.
An oracle is both a prediction of sorts and a person who acts as an intermediary between humans and the gods that provides that prediction. So, in order to receive an oracle from the oracle, one must travel to an oracle site and ask a specific question. Then, the oracle will respond with an answer disguised in complicated poetry. How one interprets an oracle reflects their character, so it was very important to interpret it correctly. Themistocles of Athens became a greatly revered oracle interpreter.
Map
This map depicts the layout of Delphi. The theater housed plays, poetry readings, and musical events throughout the year but especially during religious festivals. The numerous treasuries were necessary because so many people brought votive offerings for the Temple of Apollo. Pythia was the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo, and she acted as the oracle.
Mythology
Greek mythology states that in order to find out where the center of the universe was he sent out two eagles and declared that wherever they met was the center. The eagles met and made a nest at Delphi, which is why the Greeks thought so highly of the site. Interestingly, Delphi also sits on not one, but two fault lines. Tying in with this, in myth Delphi represents the intersection of opposites. While the temple was dedicated to Apollo, and he was said to dwell there most of the year, Delphi also acted as Dionysus' earthly home for part of the year. Apollo represented reason, defining one's individuation, and light while Dionysus stood for losing yourself, crossing boundaries, instinct, and darkness. Polar opposites, these two brought balance to Delphi and contributed to its greatness.
Socrates and the Oracle at Delphi
The oracle at Delphi makes many appearances in ancient literature from Herodotus' Histories to Plato's Apology of Socrates. Plato describes Socrates' defense against his charges of impiety and corrupting the youth, but he is also defending himself against his accusers' mindset that questioning others' knowledge is wrong. Socrates tells the story of how a friend of his went to Pythia, the oracle at Delphi, to ask who the wisest man was. Pythia replies that it is Socrates who is the wisest, and Socrates claims that this is because he is aware of his own ignorance.
“The ancient Oracle said that I was the wisest of all the Greeks. It is because I alone, of all the Greeks, know that I know nothing.” -Socrates
This sculpture, which can be found today at the Archaeological Museum of Delphi, represents Apollo. I loved the myth that Apollo and Dionysus each had times when they dwelled at Delphi, and this reminded me of that. To me, Delphi represents balance: the balance of Apollo and Dionysus, of religion and politics, of light and dark. Apollo, the god of light, makes me think of contentment and happiness, and I feel that this sculpture reflects that.
Reflection
The artifacts from Delphi that I found most interesting are these sculptures of Kleobis and Biton, and the story that comes with them. The two were brothers and on one occasion their mother's oxen had died, leaving her without a way to travel to a religious festival. Kleobis and Biton stepped up and yoked themselves to a chariot to carry their mother to her destination. Their mother was so grateful for and proud of them that she prayed to Hera, asking for them to be given the best gift a human could receive from the gods. The two died in their sleep that night. Hera granted Kleobis and Biton the gift of eternal sleep, and Herodotus recalls that Solon stated “the uncertainties of life mean that no one can be completely happy.” If Hera had granted the two men wealth, fame, or anything else that may seem desirable, Hera could not have guaranteed that they would find happiness or peace throughout their life. In fact, the idea that death is kinder than mortal life on earth is a recurring theme throughout Ancient Greek history. We see it with Kleobis and Biton, in literature like Sophocles' work Electra, and in Socrates' defense.
“Yes, it will be a grace if I die. To exist is pain. Life is no desire of mine anymore.” -Sophocles, Electra
While we know the fate of Kleobis and Biton, it is also interesting to consider the fate of their mother. One can only imagine the pain and regret that she must have felt for sentencing her sons to death through prayer, even though it was considered a "gift." So often today people turn away from religion with resentment and confusion in response to tragedies. I wonder if Kleobis and Biton's mother might have felt the urge to turn away from Hera, or even all of the Greek gods. While nearly impossible to know, it is interesting to consider that the ancient Greeks faced many of the same internal struggles that we deal with today.
Connecting back to Socrates' trial, he reacted rather kindly to his sentence of execution. Socrates explains that it is foolish to fear death because we don't even know what lies beyond it; he hypothesizes that the afterlife is either a deep and peaceful sleep or it is an opportunity for him to meet all of the historical greats. I remember first reading Plato's Apology and thinking about how revolutionary it might have been for Socrates to speak of the afterlife in such a positive light. Whenever I think about this period of Greece and their mythological beliefs, I think of a treacherous afterlife spent in the underworld with Hades. So, when Socrates states that he is unafraid of death and only views positive possibilities of the afterlife, it strikes me as unusual. Socrates' views of the afterlife also remind me of the beautiful grave stelae at Kerameikos that depict loved ones being greeted by family members that had already passed away. These positive and comforting ideas of the afterlife have made me consider the possibility that the ancient Greeks faced as much uncertainty and differing views regarding religion as we do today.
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