The Delphic Oracle

Its Responses and Operations with a Catalogue of Responses

Joseph Fontenrose

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN: 9780520370296
• eBook ISBN: 9780520331310
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Folklore & Mythology
• Index: Social Sciences

The Delphic Oracle: Its Responses and Operations with a Catalogue of Responses explores the enigmatic and storied institution of the Delphic Oracle, separating historical reality from myth and modern misconceptions. The book offers a comprehensive examination of all recorded responses attributed to the Oracle, whether historical, legendary, or fictional, presenting a nuanced understanding of its operations. Over a thousand years, the Oracle served as a center of spiritual and political guidance in ancient Greece. Contrary to popular myths about intoxicating vapors and frenzied prophecies, the author argues that the Pythia delivered clear, coherent responses directly to the consultants, grounded in tradition rather than supernatural phenomena.

This volume challenges enduring beliefs and misconceptions, including the portrayal of ambiguous riddles and mystical rituals that have dominated modern interpretations. It meticulously categorizes responses into historical, quasi-historical, legendary, and fictional, drawing on both ancient texts and modern archaeological findings. The analysis sheds light on how oracles functioned within their cultural context and how their narratives evolved over time. With a rich catalogue of responses and a critical approach, the book provides an invaluable resource for understanding one of the ancient world’s most iconic institutions.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1978.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents 1
• Illustrations
• Preface
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• CHAPTER I The Characteristics of Recorded Oracles
• MODES OF EXPRESSION IN HISTORICAL AND LEGENDARY RESPONSES
• THE TOPICS OF HISTORICAL AND LEGENDARY RESPONSES
• THE QUESTION FORMULAE OF HISTORICAL AND LEGENDARY CONSULTATIONS
• THE OCCASIONS OF CONSULTATION
• OBSERVATIONS
• THE CHARACTERISTICS OF QUASI-HISTORICAL RESPONSES
• ADDENDUM
• CHAPTER II Oracles of Folkloric Origin
• JERUSALEM CHAMBER
• MACDUFF AND BIRNAM WOOD
• EQUIVOCAL PREDICTIONS OF DEATH OR FORTUNE
• DISTINCTIVE SIGN
• TRADITIONAL THEMES IN ORACULAR TALES
• RIDDLES
• PROVERBS
• CHAPTER III The Transmission and Attribution of Narrative Oracles
• PROPHECY IN LEGEND AND EPIC
• THE CITATION AND QUOTATION OF NARRATIVE ORACLES
• NARRATIVE ORACLES ORIGINALLY NON-DELPHIC
• NARRATIVE ORACLES INVENTED AS DELPHIC RESPONSES
• ADVENTITIOUS ORACLES
• CHAPTER IV Questionable Responses
• THE CYRENAIC ORACLES
• THE TEGEAN ORACLES
• THE WOODEN WALL
• THE TOMB OF PAUSANIAS
• THE LOCRIAN MAIDENS
• COLONIZATION ORACLES
• CHAPTER V Chresmologues and Oracle
• ORACLES VARIOUSLY ASCRIBED
• SEERS AND CHRESMOLOGUES
• THE ORACLE COLLECTIONS
• CHAPTER VI The Conventions and Structure of Traditional Oracles in Verse OPENING FORMULAE OF TRADITIONAL VERSE ORACLES
• THE STRUCTURE OF TRADITIONAL VERSE ORACLES
• THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AUTHENTIC VERSE RESPONSES
• CHAPTER VII The Mantic Session
• CHASM AND VAPORS
• THE PYTHIA’S ECSTASY
• THE SPEAKING OF RESPONSES
• THE MANTIC RITUAL
• ADDENDUM Procedures of Other Oracles
• Conclusion
• Catalogue of Delphic Responses
• Catalogue of Responses of Didyma
• APPENDIX A Correspondence of PW Numbers with the Catalogue
• APPENDIX B Summary of Modes, Topics, Question Formulae, Occasions
• Bibliography
• Index
• A. INDEX LOCORUM
• B. GENERAL INDEX
• GENERAL INDEX