The Pythium

The most famous oracle of the Greeks was that of Apollo at Delphi. There was at Delphi a chasm in the earth called the Pythium, from which issued a sulphurous vapor. The priestess of the temple, called Pythia, was placed upon a tripod over the mouth of the cavern. While under the influence of this intoxicating vapor, the priestess was said to be inspired by Apollo with the gift of prophecy. Her incoherent utterances were interpreted by the priests in such a way as to admit of a double meaning; if those consulting the oracle were disappointed in the result of the prophecy, the priests could fall back upon their having failed to interpret the words of the prophecy aright. The original name of the place was Pytho. The name Delphi does not occur in the poems of Homer, but he mentions that Agamemnon consulted the oracle at Pytho. The Pythian games were celebrated at Delphi every four years, the first occurring in 586 B. C.; the city became opulent and the state independent, thanks to the revenue derived from the games and from its oracle. Whoever wanted to consult the oracle had to take rich presents to the temple of Apollo and to go through a great many ceremonies before he could expect to receive an answer. Croesus, King of Lydia, enriched the temple greatly; the oracular response to his asking "Shall I cross the Halys?" (that is, go to war with Cyrus) was, "If Croesus crosses the Halys he will destroy a great Empire!" That Empire proved to be his own. Xerxes sent an army in 480 B. C. to plunder the temple of its riches, but their endeavor was miraculously defeated. The Delphic oracle was finally silenced by Theodosius the Great (379-395 A. D.); the modern town of Kastri occupies the site of ancient Delphi, and a little above Kastri is a cave of immense depth, supposed to be the ancient Pythium. Oracles were consulted by the Greeks on all important occasions, and the "will of the gods" was held to be sacred and inviolable. The most celebrated oracles were those of Apollo at Delphi and Delos, and that of Jupiter at Dodona. Besides the Pythian games of Greece, there were three other public games; the Olympic, the Nemean, and the Isthmian. The contests were running, leaping, throwing the quoit, boxing and wrestling, horse-racing and chariot-racing; then there were the contests among musicians, poets, artists and philosophers. These games drew together people from all parts of Greece and many from foreign countries; the effect of the games was to stimulate the national spirit and to unite the people of Greece in a closer bond. The Olympic Games in honor of Jupiter were celebrated every fifth year, the four intervening years forming an Olympiad, and by these Olympiads the Greeks computed time; the first Olympiad dates from 776 B. C. The victors in the Olympic Games were crowned with wreaths of olive. The Pythian Games were celebrated every fifth year (in the second of every Olympiad) near Delphi, in honor of Apollo. The victors were crowned with laurel. The Nemean Games, which were instituted by Hercules, were celebrated every third year at the town of Nemea. The victors were crowned with ivy or parsley. The Isthmian Games were celebrated near the Isthmus of Corinth (whence they derive their name) every third year, and afterwards every fifth year. The victors were crowned with garlands of pine leaves. These Grecian gymnastics suggested to Milton his grand description of the unarmed youth of heaven exercising heroic sports--

"As at the Olympian games or Pythian fields."