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Image: Frank Ippolito

She was what we now call a "Huffer".

Previously that person would be called a "Sniffer".

Despite these testimonies, no serious scholar over the last 50 years has accepted the idea that the Pythia’s trance was caused by a gaseous emission.

I've had a few nights after Taco Tuesday where gaseous emission almost put me in a trance...(sorry couldn't resist)

But seriously, I think the general consensus is that like modern horoscopes or the verses of Nostradamus, the Oracle of Delphi just uttered some vague random phrases that could be interpreted a hundred different ways. A Emperor who wanted to go to war would speak to her, she would utter something like "On the harvest moon, the light of Jupiter will shine on the fields of grain." The Emperor would interpret this as some great victory by Fall. And if he lost the battle...well then the Oracle's supporters would just say he misinterpreted it and the Oracle was speaking of a bountiful harvest.

Despite these testimonies, no serious scholar over the last 50 years has accepted the idea that the Pythia’s trance was caused by a gaseous emission.

I've had a few nights after Taco Tuesday where gaseous emission almost put me in a trance...(sorry couldn't resist)

But seriously, I think the general consensus is that like modern horoscopes or the verses of Nostradamus, the Oracle of Delphi just uttered some vague random phrases that could be interpreted a hundred different ways. A Emperor who wanted to go to war would speak to her, she would utter something like "On the harvest moon, the light of Jupiter will shine on the fields of grain." The Emperor would interpret this as some great victory by Fall. And if he lost the battle...well then the Oracle's supporters would just say he misinterpreted it and the Oracle was speaking of a bountiful harvest.

Fascinating. What is especially interesting is that the carved stone that still exists is likely the one pictured on that ancient coin of Apollo.

Her beber might have been.

Interesting read.

Despite these testimonies, no serious scholar over the last 50 years has accepted the idea that the Pythia’s trance was caused by a gaseous emission.

Most "serious scholars" never leave their armchairs from which they issue papers based on other armchair "serious scholars" peer reviewed papers. Most know only one scientific discipline, and so can easily ignore what other disciplines see clearly. But, since the "serious scholars" only know that one discipline, outside opinions can be quickly dismissed or completely disregarded. And that is how lay people end up with the wrong idea or picture of antiquities.

For those interested, I'd recommend Robert Temple's rather obscure book "Netherworld" or re-issued as Oracles of the Dead: Ancient Techniques for Predicting the Future in which he personally visits, photographs, and explores various ancient oracles and a real netherworld (complete with an underground river supplicants had to cross); seeking answers as to how oracles, divination, reading entrails, and casting stalks were seen by most people of the time and why they were important to individuals in those cultures. From a review: " This is rigorously scientific, painstaking scholarship, as well as an adventure to discover the real history in ancient times."

Remember, the priests at the oracle could collect information from all over, not just political but on visitors personal life.

Think of them as CIA analysts or TV pundits.

Some prophecies were ambivalent, like saying if a king invaded his enemy a great empire would fall, but the invader forgot to ask which empire, and he lost.

But other prophecies sound like they had intelligence and military knowledge behind their prophecy.

And when Athens was in danger from a Persian invasion, the first prophecy told them to flee they were doomed.. which happened, and it didn't take a prophet to for see that.

But when the Athenians demanded a second prophecy, they were told to rely on their wooden walls, which was interpreted by the Athenians as their ships. I always figured they were influenced to make that one up by someone who knew that there were too many Persians to live off the land, so figured they could block his supply line.