Dreams from Jupiter: Others, he tells us, would have them call'd zauastuvas, because they did not lie in Beds, but upon the bare Ground; and aviós, because they never went out of the Temple, and therefore had no occafion to wash their Feet: whence Eripides, in his Erichthens (a) faith of them, Πηγαῖσι δ' ἐχ υγραίνεσι πόδας. Nor bath'd their Feet in any purling Stream. Laftly, others will have these Names to be understood in a Symbolical and Figurative Senfe, this; Χαμαιεῦναι μὲν, ἀνιπλόποδες ἢ τετέςι χαμαὶ μὲν εὐναζόμενοι, ανιπτάμενοι * * κάτω ταῖς διανοίας, δια των ἐν μαντείαις φιλοσοφίαν. i. e. Their Bodies indeed did lie upon the Ground, but their Minds, by the affiftance of Prophetical Philofophy, mounting higher, foar'd above these lower Regions. The fame, with other accounts of thefe Titles, are alfo given by the old Scholiaft upon that Paffage of Homer. There is a Report, grounded upon the Teftimony of Pherecydes, that before the time of the Selli, the Temple of Dodona was inhabited by the feven Daughters of Atlas, that were the Nurfes of Bacchus, and from this Temple call'd Dodonides. Their Names were thefe; Ambrofia, Eudora, Pafithoe, Coronis, Plexature, Pytho, and Tyche, or Tythe. However that be, 'tis certain that in later Ages, the Oracles were pronounc'd by three old Women; and Strabo tells us this Change was made, that Jupiter admitted Dione to cohabit with him, and receive Divine Honours in this Temple : nor was it ftrange or unusual that the fame Temple fhould belong to two Deities; for Apollo and Bac chas were worship'd in the Temple at Delphi, Apollo and Branchus, or, as Stephanus (b) affirms, Jupiter and Apollo at Miletus. Strabo (c) in his Defcription of Boeotia reports, that of the People who confulted this Oracle, all others receiv'd Answers from Women, but the Baotians receiv'd theirs from Men; and the reafon of this Custom we have in the fame place, which was this: In a War between the Baotians and Pelafgians, the Baotians coming to Dodona, to enquire of Jupiter the Event of the War, receiv'd Answer; That their Enterprize thould have Succefs, if they would act wickedly. Upon this the Baotians fufpecting that the Prophetefs fpake in favour of the Pelafgians, (they being the firft Founders of that Oracle) seiz'd her, and caft her into the Fire, juftifying the Lawfulness of the Fact. On the other hand, they that miniftred in the Temple thinking it impious to put to Death (efpecially in fo facred a place) Perfons ancondemn'd, would have had them refer the matter to the two furviving Propheteffes; but the Beotians alledging that no Laws in the World permitted Women to do Judgment, it was agreed that two Men should be in joint Commiffion with them. When the time to pafs Sentence was come, they were condemn'd by the Women, and abfolv'd by the Men; whereupon (as was ufual when the number of Voices was equal on both fides) the Beotians were acquitted, and difmifs'd. Ever after it was establish'd, that Men only should give Answers to the Beotians. (a) Ver. 123. (b) Voce Aiduμa. (c) Geogr. lib. IX. The Prophets of this Temple were commonly call'd Tomuri, the Propheteffes Tomura, from Tomurus, a Mountain in Thefprotia, at the Foot of which stood the Temple. So commonly was this Word made ufe of, that it came at last to be a general name for any Prophet; for fo Hefychius expounds it, and Lycophron (a) in this Senfe applies it to Prylis the Son of Mercury. Τόμπρε πρὸς τὰ λῶςα νημερτέςατε. The beft of Prophets, and the truest too. Some are of Opinion, that all the Oracles were here deliver'd by Women: And that the Selli were only Inhabitants of the neighbouring Country, who had fome Employment in the Temple, and publish'd the Oracles receiv'd from the Propheteffes to other Men. Hence they will have them to be call'd by Homer, not προφήτας, but υποφήτας ὑποφήτας γδ λέξεσι τὰς περὶ τὰ χρησήρια ασχολεμένος, καὶ τὰς μαντείας τὰς γιγνόμενας ὑπὸ τοῦ ἱερέων ἐκφέροντας. That name fignifying Mer, who liv'd in the Temple, and publifh'd the Anfwer made by the Priefs. Near the Temple there was a facred Grove full of Oaks or Beeches, in which the Dryades, Fauni, and Satyri were thought to inhabit, and were frequently feen dancing under the Shades of the Trees. Before fowing was invented, when Men liv'd upon Acorns, thofe of this Wood were very much efteem'd; infomuch that Virgil hath mention'd them by way of eminence (b), Liberalma Ceres, veftro fi munere tellus Bacchus, and Ceres, taught by you, the Field And again in the fame Book (c), Prima Ceres ferro mortales vertere terram Acorns and Wildings when the Woods deny'd, H.H. Thefe Oaks or Beeches were endued with an human Voice, and Prophetical Spirit, for which reafon they were call'd Пegoner, and par Tai dev'es, i. e. Speaking, and prophesying Oaks. And Argo, the Ship of the Argonauts, being built with the Trees of this Wood, was endu'd with the fame Power of fpeaking, whence Lycophron (d) calls it Bev niooav, a chattering Magpye. The reafon of which Fiction fome think was this; the Prophets when they gave Anfwers, plac'd themselves (a) Caffandr. v. 223, (b) Georg. V. 27. (c) Verf. 146. (4) Caffandr. v. 1319 in one of these Trees, (for fome will only allow this vocal Faculty to one of them) and fo the Oracle was thought to be utter'd by the Oak, which was only pronounc'd out of its hollow Stock, or from amongst its Branches. And fome are of Opinion, that the Oracles were deliver'd from the Branches of the Tree, becaufe the Prophetical Pigeon is by Herodotus reported in any lees, to have fat upon the Treet and the Scholiaft upon Sophocles (a) affirms, that sev To juveis So hour wiλcial, above the Oracle there were two Pigeons. But others ra ther think, that Oracles were pronounc'd from the hollow Stock, both because the Prophetefs could beft be concealed there, and because it is exprefs'd and affirm'd in the following Fragment of Hefiod's Eoa:) Τω Ζεὺς φίλησεν, καὶ των χρησήριον είναι I must not omit the Brazen Kettles of this place, which fome : af firm, and others again deny, to have been us'd in delivering Oracles, However that be, Demon in Suidas reports, they were fo artificially plac'd about the Temple, that by ftriking one of them, the found was communicated to all the reft. But Ariftotle, cited by the fame Author, or Ariftides, as he is call'd by Stephanus the Byzantian, defcribes the matter thus: That there were two Pillars, on one of which was plac'd a Kettle, upon the other a Boy holding in his hand a Whip, with Lafhes of Brafs, which being by the Violence of the Wind ftruck against the Kettle, caus'd a continued Sound; whence came the Proverb Δωδωναίον χαλκείον, ἐπὶ τδ μικρολογέντων, or rather ἐπὶ τῇ μα negroy&vtwv, for it was applied to talkative Perfons. Another faying we have not much different from the former, viz. Keszuegíov μásię, which (as fome are of Opinion) was taken from this Whip, which, together with the Boy and Kettle, were all dedicated by the Corcyreans (b). About what Time, or upon what Account this Oracle came to ceafe is uncertain; but Strabo (c), who flourish'd under Auguftus Cafar, faith, that in his time the Gods had, in a manner, deferted that, and most other Oracles. The fame Author (d), in his Description of Elis, makes mention of an Oracle of Olympian Jupiter, which was once famous, but did not continue long in Repute; yet the Temple in which it flood, ftill preferv'd its antient Splendor, and was adorn'd with magnificent Struc tures, and enrich'd with Prefents from every part of Greece. Pindar also hath taken notice of an Altar dedicated to Jupiter at Pifa, where Anfwers were given by the Pofterity of Janus (e). There was another very antient Oracle of Jupiter in Crete, mention'd by Strabo, from which Minos is faid to have receiv'd a Plat-form of the Laws afterwards enacted by him; whence Homer faith of him, Εννέωρος βασίλευε Διὸς μεγάλο ὀαριτής. (a) Trachin. ver. 174. (b) Epitom. Strab. lib. VII. (c) Lib. VII. (d) Lib. VIII. (e) Olymp. initio Od. VI. Minos, that Counfels dar'd with Jove to mix, That is, (as Plato in Strabo expounds it) He defcended into the facred Cave of Jupiter (for this Oracle was under Ground) and receiv'd from him thofe Precepts, which he afterwards made publick for the common Benefit of Mankind. The Will of the Gods was reveal'd in this place by Dreams, in which the Gods came and convers'd familiarly with the Enquirers; as we learn from the Story of Epimenides (a), who lay afleep in this place many Years. Pythagoras alfo defcended into this Cave to confult the Gods, as Diogenes Laertius hath related in the Life of that Philofopher. There was a Temple in the fame Place dedicated to Jupiter, from which to the City Gnoffus (b) there was a High-road, very pleafant. It ftood upon Mount Ida; and tho Maximus Tyrius, in the foremention'd place, calls it AxTais Bids LVTER; yet in his twenty fecond Differtation, he faith it was plac'd on Ida; to which Diogenes Laertius, and others agree. It was fometimes call'd Aguéorov, from the word so, which fignifies to help or defend; because the Sons of Titan, being vanquifh'd by Saturn, Bled into this Cave, and there efcap'd the Fury of their purfuing Conqueror (c). CHA P. IX. Of the Oracles of Apollo. Come in the next place to speak of the Oracles of Apollo, who was thought more peculiarly to prefide over Prophets, and inspire into them the Knowledge of future Events; whence the Enigmatical Poet calls him, Kegd, or Gainful, from xigd, Gain, because of the Profit which Mankind receiv'd by his Predictions, faith Tzetzes (d) upon that place. The Oracles of Apollo were not only the most numerous, but of the greateft Repute; and amongst them the Delphian challeng'd the first place, as well for its Antiquity, (wherein it contended even with that of Dodona) as for the Truth and Perfpicuity of its Anfwers, the Magnificence of its Structures, the Number and Richness of the facred avaonuara, or Prefents, dedicated to the God, and the Multitudes who from all Parts reforted thither for Counfel; in which refpect it furpafs'd, not only all the Oracles of other Gods, but even those facred to Apollo himself. The place in which the Oracles were deliver'd was call'd Pythium, the Prieftefs Pythia; the Sports alfo inftituted in honour of Apollo were nam'd Pythian, and Apollo himfelf Pythius; either from Python a Serpent, or a Man for his Cruelty fo call'd, who poffefs'd this place, and was overcome by Apollo; or ò̟ To Tube,i. e. to putrify; because the Carcafs of Pytho was fuffer'd to lie there and putrify; which Reafon is given us by Homer (e) : or aπò rõ mudédai, i. e. to enquire; because (c) Etymolog. (a) Maximus Tyrius Diff. XXVII. - (b) Plato de Leg. lib. I. Au&tor. the the Oracle was there confulted and enquir'd of, and this is Strabo's (a) Opinion or from Pytho, another name of Delphi, the place of this Oracle, given it from Pythis, the Son of Delphus, the Son of Apollo. The City Delphi (as Strabo (b) reports) was by fome thought to be plac'd in the middle of the World; and the Poets feign that Jupiter, being defirous to know the middle part of the Earth, fent forth two Eagles, (or Crows, as Pindar, or Swans, as others relate) one from the Eaft, the other from the Weft, and that they met in this Place. However that be, Strabo telleth us it was plac'd in the middle of Greece; whence it is by the Poets commonly call'd Oudλ, which word fignifieth a Navel, becaufe that is the middle part of Man's Body; and therefore Sophocles calls this Oracle μισόμφαλον μαντείον : and in allufion to that Name, Strabo and Paufanias fay there was to be seen in the Temple the figure of a Navel, made of white Stone, with a Ribband hanging from it, instead of the Navel-ftring, and upon it were plac'd two Eagles, in memory of the Eagles fent forth by Jupiter. But Lactantius and Phurnutus are of Opinion, that this Name was not deriv'd from the Situation of the Place, but from the Divine Answers given there, which are in Greek call'd Oupai, and Varro herein agrees with them. Concerning the Original of this Oracle there are various Reports: Diodorus the Sicilian (c) tells us, it firft belong'd to Earth, by whom Daphne, one of the Mountain Nymphs, was conftituted Prieftefs; the fame Author afterwards faith, that in a Greek Poem call'd Eumolpia, it is reported to have been facred both to Earth and Neptune; and that Earth gave Answers her felf, but Neptune had an Interpreter nam'd Pyrco, and that afterwards Neptune refign'd his part to Earth. This Goddess was fucceeded by Themis, who gave Oracles about the time of Deucalion's Deluge, and was confulted by him, as it is very well known from Ovid's Metamorphofis. Some there are that will have Themis to have poffefs'd this Oracle from the beginning: which is the lefs to be wonder'd at, fince Themis and the Earth were commonly reputed the fame Godders under diferent Names, πολλῶν ὀνομάτων μορφὴ μία, according to Efchylus (d): Whence Themis is call'd by Ariftides (e). Θεῶν πρεσβυτάτη, Dear ageσCUTάTH, the oldeft of the Gods. Yet fchylus in another place (f) reports, that this Oracle was firft poffefs'd by the Earth, then by Themis, Daughter of the Earth; who refign'd it to her Sifter Phabe, by whom it was at length given to Apollo. Pindar, and from him the Scholiaft upon Efchylus tells us, that Apollo having feiz'd this Oracle by force, the Earth endeavour'd to precipitate that God into the Infernal Regions. And (g) Euripides reports, that Apollo having expell'd Themis, was himself expell'd by the Earth; but recover'd the Oracle by the Affiftance of Jupiter. Agreeable to which Relation is that of Apollodorus, that Apollo having learn'd the Art of Divination from Pan, came to Delphi, where Oracles were then given by Themis, and having kill'd Python the Serpent, which guarded the Mouth of the facred Cavern, feiz'd the Oracle. It must not be omitted, that when (a) Geogr. lib. IX. (b) Lib. IX. (c) Lib. XVI. cap. XVI. & Paufanias Phocicis (d) Prometh. v. 208. (e) Orat. de concordia ad Rhodios. (f) Eumenidum initio. Iphigenix. v. 1259. Vol. I. this |