What is an oracle, what are its functions and role in the temple?

In the modern discourse of man, whose judgments are considered a revelation and immutable truth, they are often called the oracle. This term is ancient and originates in ancient beliefs. In animism, it was believed that the gods communicate their will through the rustle of foliage of sacred trees, the flight of birds, the way smoke from donations will rise. Later, beliefs changed somewhat. To understand the will of the gods, a special interpreter was needed, a kind of interpreter. They were the oracle. The belief that the world of spirits lies in parallel reality, and only some people are able to understand and interpret what God says, is common to many peoples. But what does Pythia and Sybil mean? They, too, could foretell the future, they could transmit the answers of the gods to people's questions.

Etymology of the term

The answer to the question of what an oracle is is not to be found in Latin translation, but in Greek. It would be a mistake to say that this term means a priest and a simple clergyman. In spite of the fact that "oro" in Latin is translated as "praying", the oracle is a primordially Greek phenomenon. Therefore, one should proceed from the word "oραo", which means "I know, I know." In this sense, the oracles were not close to the priests or priests, but to the Slavic magi, the German velvens or the Celtic druids. In the ancient tradition, this word was used to refer to the very interpretation of the will of the gods, and the sacred place where it was received. Of course, the oracle was also a priest, only a special one. He did not just honor a deity, but he understood his language, could talk with him. Sometimes spirits prophesied the future through mediums - pythia. These women fell into a trance under the influence of chemical vapors and began to mumble something incoherent. The oracle interpreted the words of the Pythia and gave the inquiring person a longed-for answer.

Origin of the cult

Researchers believe that the practice of predicting the future came to Greece from Asia Minor. In Assyria and Ancient Egypt (in the city of Butoh) there also existed places where special priests "spoke through the mouths of the gods". In Greece, this cult mixed with the worship of the goddess of the land of Gaia, and the very first oracle proclaimed her will in Epirus, in Dodon. According to the well-known ancient Greek historian Herodotus, not only his fellow countrymen, but also their remote neighbors knew what an oracle was. He writes that King Lydia Croesus decided to declare a kind of "casting" for the best soothsayer. He sent messengers to the Greek Delphi, to Aby, to Dodona, to Amfiarai, Trefonia and to Miletus. In this "battle of psychics" the victory was won ... the Pythia from Delphi. She guessed that Croesus was going to cook in one pot of lamb and turtle.

Pythia of Apollo and the Delphic Oracle: what is it?

In most of the temples of the ancient world, the priests learned about the benevolence or bad mood of the gods through the interpretation of the signs sent by them. This practice is called a mantle. Especially it was common in ancient Rome. The augurs followed the flight and behavior of the birds, and the haruspics guessed at the insides of the animals that they sacrificed. In the Greek city of Delphi, a fundamentally different cult was practiced. It was believed that in this place Apollo pierced the spear of the snake Python. From the impact of the dart in the ground, a cleft has formed, from which the pairs rose. Later on it was built a temple, in which the tripod was seated Pythia. She inhaled the vapors and, falling from it into a trance, prophesied the will of Apollo. No one entered the room, except for a special priest. Here it becomes clear what an oracle is. The answers he gave to the believers who contributed to the offerings were vague and sometimes contained diametrically opposite sentiments. Archaeologists have found many clay tablets with questions of pilgrims. The list of topics that interested them was rather narrow: does the wife / husband change and whether to conclude a particular financial transaction.

Pythia

This woman does not necessarily have to be a virgin, just for the time of serving Apollo, she pledged to keep chastity. At first, such a priestess prophesied only once a year - on the seventh day of February. But later, when the believers did not retreat, the case was put on the conveyor. At the same time, several women worked in the temple in Delphi, working in shifts. They occupied the right place on the tripod on the seventh day of each month. The greatest fame Delphi reached in the V century BC. The texts of that time clearly indicate what an oracle is: it is the sanctuary of Apollo at the source of the Wisdom of Castalia. By the way, the Pythia predicted and the sunset of this place. In 393, Emperor Theodosius, as a Christian, ordered the closure of this stronghold of paganism.

Sibylla

People simpler, not having money for pilgrimage to Delphi or other places of divination, turned to fortune tellers - sibillas. The first woman to bear this name was a Trojan, daughter of Neseo and Dardan. She had the power to foresee the future. Following her and the other prophetesses, they began to call sibillas. Especially they were sensitive to impending trouble. So, the sibyls predicted the eruption of Vesuvius, buried Pompeii, the destruction of Troy and predicted the place of battle, in the outcome of which Greece will lose its independence. Now we know what an oracle is, who is a pythia, and who is a sibyl, and we see a difference in these three types of magic. Pythia prophesied something indistinct, the oracle was free to treat what he heard, as he pleased, and passed on the answer to the inquiring. Sybil also testified mostly about the impending catastrophe, although not everyone wanted to listen to her. For which they paid: "The day will come, and the great Troy will perish!"