Oracle of Delphi

MySpace LayoutsThe Oracle of Delphi The Oracle of Delphi was located in Phocis at the steps of Mount Parnassus. Originally the oracle belonged to Gaia (Earth) and it is said that she shared ownership with the sea god Poseidon. Gaia gave the oracle to the earth goddess Themis who was then ordered by Aeschylus to relinquish it to the Titaness Phoebe. Phoebe lost the oracle to Apollo.The Oracle was guarded by the great serpent Python, child of the goddess of the earth Gaia and created from slime and mud of the great flood of Deucalion. Apollo came down from Mount Olympus with his silver bow and golden arrows and using only one arrow killed the serpent and claimed the oracle for himself.A female was chosen to receive the oracle and at first the priests selected from among the young women of Pytho. Later so the priest could be certain of the women's virtue only those above the age of fifty were selected. The Pythia was crowned in laurel and seated over the cleft that produced the intoxicating vapors. She would chew laurel leaves and her utterances while in a trance as the spirit of the fumes possessed her were incoherent mutterings which the clergy translated into verse.Last Advice form the Oracle of Delphi provides some nice information and scraps of poetry. The painting is by John Collier and called Priestess of Delphi