The Oracle of Delphi
At first, the oracle of Delphi could only be consulted once a year, but as its reputation grew more and more pilgrims came, and more days were added to the agenda. During the three months that Apollo was believed to be away, the oracle was silent. After going through purification rituals and paying a certain tax, the pilgrim that would be allowed to consult the oracle could ask his question to Pythia. Pythia was a woman from the village Delphi, and in most cases she was a young virgin. We do not know exactly in what state of mind she was, but she was probably under the influence of some sort of narcotic substance. Tradition holds that fumes were coming out of a crack in the ground, but no such crack has been found. After Pythia had spoken, the priests interpreted her words to the pilgrim. The answers were always vague, and in this way the oracle was almost always right. This gave the priests great political power, and their credibility was discussed even in ancient times. It is said that the fable writer Aesop had called them the "parasites of Apollo" and for this the priests killed him
The museum of Delphi
If you come to Delphi, you should not miss the museum. It has some amazing finds from the area, the most famous being the Omphalos, the statue "The Charioteer" and the two sculptures of Cleobis and Biton.
Getting there: Delphi can be reached by road. Many travel agencies in Athens offer daytrips to the site, but you can also get here on your own. There are several hotels in the area if you want to stay.
"Though killed I killed the killer; but even so he didn't go to Hades, it was I who died"Riddle from the Delphic Oracle
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