Editing Oracle (section)

===Pythia at Delphi===
{{Blockquote|<poem>When the Prytanies' seat shines white in the island of Siphnos,
White-browed all the forum—need then of a true seer's wisdom—
Danger will threat from a wooden boat, and a herald in scarlet.</poem>|The Pythoness, in ''[[Histories (Herodotus)|The Histories]]'', [[Herodotus]].<ref>Herodotus, ''The Histories'', as translated in: {{cite book |title=The History of Herodotus: A New English Version |volume=II |author1-link=George Rawlinson|first1=George|last1=Rawlinson |first2=Henry Creswicke|last2=Rawlinson |first3=John Gardner|last3=Wilkinson |page=376 |date=1862 |location=London |publisher=John Murray |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ijENAAAAIAAJ&q=treasury+Siphnos&pg=PA376 |access-date=3 August 2015}}</ref>}}

The [[Pythia]] was the mouthpiece of the oracles of the god [[Apollo]], and was also known as the Oracle of Delphi.<ref>Plato, G.M.A. Grube, J.M. Cooper - [https://books.google.com/books?id=3WFKMKNkzcAC&q=The+Trial+and+Death+of+Socrates+%28Third+Edition%29%3A+Euthyphro%2C+Apology%2C+Crito%2C+Death+Scene+from+Phaedo ''The Trial and Death of Socrates'' (Third Edition): "Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Death Scene from Phaedo"] (page 24 - footnote 7) Hackett Publishing, 2000; {{ISBN|1603846476}} [Retrieved 2015-04-25]</ref>

The Delphic Oracle exerted considerable influence throughout Hellenic culture. Distinctively, this woman was essentially the highest authority both civilly and religiously in male-dominated [[ancient Greece]]. She responded to the questions of citizens, foreigners, kings, and philosophers on issues of political impact, war, duty, crime, family, laws—even personal issues.<ref>Broad, W. J. (2007), p.43</ref> The semi-Hellenic countries around the Greek world, such as [[Lydia]], [[Caria]], and even [[Egypt]] also respected her and came to Delphi as [[supplicant]]s.

[[Croesus]], king of Lydia beginning in 560 BC, tested the oracles of the world to discover which gave the most accurate prophecies. He sent out emissaries to seven sites who were all to ask the oracles on the same day what the king was doing at that very moment. Croesus proclaimed the oracle at Delphi to be the most accurate, who correctly reported that the king was making a lamb-and-tortoise stew, and so he graced her with a magnitude of precious gifts.<ref>Broad, W. J. (2007), p.51-53</ref> He then consulted Delphi before attacking [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]], and according to Herodotus was advised: "If you cross the river, a great empire will be destroyed". Believing the response favourable, Croesus attacked, but it was his own empire that ultimately was destroyed by the Persians.

She allegedly also proclaimed that there was no man wiser than [[Socrates]], to which Socrates said that, if so, this was because he alone was aware of his own ignorance. After this confrontation, Socrates dedicated his life to a search for knowledge that was one of the founding events of [[Western philosophy]]. He claimed that she was "an essential guide to personal and state development."<ref>Broad, W. J. (2007), p.63. Socrates also argued that the oracle's effectiveness was rooted in her ability to abandon herself completely to a higher power by way of insanity or "sacred madness."</ref> This oracle's last recorded response was given in 362 AD, to [[Julian the Apostate]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Thomas|first=Carol G.|title=Paths from Ancient Greece|year=1988|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]]|page=47|isbn=9004088466|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JIdcStQg4g0C&pg=PA47}}</ref>

The oracle's powers were highly sought after and never doubted. Any inconsistencies between prophecies and events were dismissed as failure to correctly interpret the responses, not an error of the oracle.<ref>Broad, W. J. (2007), p.15</ref> Very often prophecies were worded ambiguously, so as to cover all contingencies – especially so ''ex post facto''.  One famous such response to a query about participation in a military campaign was "You will go you will return never in war will you perish". This gives the recipient liberty to place a comma before or after the word "never", thus covering both possible outcomes.  Another was the response to the Athenians when the vast army of king [[Xerxes I]] was approaching Athens with the intent of razing the city to the ground.  "Only the wooden palisades may save you"{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}, answered the oracle, probably aware that there was sentiment for sailing to the safety of southern Italy and re-establishing Athens there. Some thought that it was a recommendation to fortify the [[Acropolis of Athens|Acropolis]] with a wooden fence and make a stand there. Others, [[Themistocles]] among them, said the oracle was clearly for fighting at sea, the metaphor intended to mean war ships.  Others still insisted that their case was so hopeless that they should board every ship available and flee to [[Italy]], where they would be safe beyond any doubt. In the event, variations of all three interpretations were attempted: some barricaded the Acropolis, the civilian population was evacuated over sea to nearby [[Salamis Island]] and to [[Troizen]], and the war fleet [[Battle of Salamis|fought victoriously at Salamis Bay]]. Should utter destruction have happened, it could always be claimed that the oracle had called for fleeing to Italy after all.