Week 11.1
Today we begin our study of Greece. There are so many interesting stories, myths, and legends that have come from this civilization. In the last post, there was a link to the legend of King Minos and his labyrinth. Today, I am adding the legend of Apollo's Oracle of Delphi. Begin to work on your E-Portfolio for Greece. We will also talk about the Critical Thinking Questions for China and Greece in class as well. Here is the legend in brief:
Apollo’s Oracle at Delphi
The ancient Greeks
believed that it was not wise to anger the gods. They built temples all over
ancient Greece. Each temple, no matter how elaborate, honored only one
god. The major gods had more than one temple built in their honor. Nearly everyone was fond of Apollo. He was the god of music,
reason, and light. Apollo's chariot brought up the sun each day.
The Pythia was the priestess who held court at the
Oracle at Delphi, a sanctuary to the Greek god Apollo. She was highly-regarded,
for it was believed that she channeled prophecies from Apollo himself, while
steeped in a dreamlike trance. The Oracle was constructed in the 8th century
BC, and the final prophecy given around AD 393, after the Roman Emperor
Theodosius ordered the closure of all pagan sanctuaries.
The Pythia was chosen among the priestesses of the
temple upon the death of the previous Pythia. Moral character was of utmost
importance, and even if the newly-chosen Pythia was married and had a family,
she had to relinquish all familial duties in order to fill her role in the
temple. Pythias were likely women from higher-class families, were educated,
and well-read.
The practice of interpreting the word of Apollo
entailed the Pythia bathing in the Castalian Spring, then descending into her
special chamber beneath the temple, where she would sit on a tripod, holding a
cauldron of special water and smoldering laurel leaves. Those seeking the
counsel of Apollo and his priestess would bring offerings of laurel branches,
gifts of money, and a sacrifice of a black ram.
It is believed that the Pythia entered a trance
caused by hallucinogenic gases that emerged from a crevice in the floor of the
Castalian Spring. The Oracle of Delphi lies directly above two geological fault
lines, and the spring near the Oracle contains ethylene, a hallucinogenic
substance. It is thus likely that the trance was induced by gases that emerged
into the temple room due to its unique geological location.
source: Ancient History Encyclopedia http://www.ancient.eu.com/Pythia/
