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Have you ever explored Delphi? If not, then you definitely should! There are many fascinating stories for this magnificent archeological site that numbers thousands of years. Here’s a fiction story that came to my mind after taking the “Delphi, the Google of the ancient world” tour.
“On the 7th of every month, except the winter months, a young maiden would appear (at the Delphic Oracle). She wouldn’t come out and provide the prediction unless a goat, that was splashed with cold water, started to shiver. If the poor goat shivered, it would be sacrificed to honour Apollo in front of every one of us standing in line.
I was the last one in line, even though I had bought the necessary goat to sacrifice and I was already waiting for 15 days. But I wasn’t from Delphi, nor any other city belonging to Amfiktyonia (the administrative council of Delphi), so I would most probably wait in vain. I waited till late the afternoon, listening to prophecies given to others. Pythia was standing on a tripod and was surrounded only by priests, who kept the fire lit, burned leaves of laurel, asked our questions and passed through the answers. All of her answers were obscure but beautiful, like poems. Finally, the night came. I had already spent a fortnight and my turn never came, so I decided to return home empty-handed.”
Inspired by the stories “Elderly lady wanted”, “Apollo’s birthday” and “The goat wills it” by the tour Delphi: the Google of the ancient world for the archaeological site of Delphi.
Picture source: Romeyn de Hooghe, 1687, Rijksmuseum, Priesteres Pythia in de tempel van Delphi