Chapter XVI. Of the Oracles That Have Failed

‘”OF Pytho and of Claros, sacred shrines Of Phoebus, let my tongue speak reverent words. Erewhile ten thousand oracles divine Gush’d forth on earth in flowing streams, and breath Of dizzy vapours. Some the earth herself, Wide opening her deep bosom, back received, And some the course of countless time destroy’d. The Sun alone, which lights our mortal life, Hath still his spring in Didyma’s deep vale, Where flows the sacred stream from Mycale: And still beneath Parnassus’ lofty peaks Springs Castalie’s fair fount; mid Clarian rocks Still from the cave prophetic voices sound.”

‘But to some people of Nicaea he gave this response:

“Nought can restore the Pythian voice divine: Enfeebled by long ages, it hath laid The keys of silence on the oracle. Yet still to Phoebus bring your offerings due.” ‘

To this we may here opportunely add the words of Plutarch from the book which he has written On the Cessation of Oracles.[1]

[PLUTARCH] ‘When Ammonius had ceased, Tell us rather, my Cleombrotus, said I, about the oracle: for the reputation of the deity there was great in former times, but now it seems to be fading away.

‘But as Cleombrotus kept silence and looked down, Demetrius said that there was no need for men to inquire and doubt about the state of things there, when they saw the decay of the oracles here, or rather the failure of all except one or two: but we ought to consider generally through what cause they have grown thus feeble.

‘For why need we speak of the others, when Boeotia, which in former times, as far as oracles were concerned, spake with many voices, is now completely forsaken by them, just as streams run dry, and a great drought of inspiration has overspread the land. For in no other place now except at Lebadeia does Boeotia enable inquirers to draw from the well of prophecy: but of the rest, silence has overtaken some and utter desolation others.’

In addition to this the same author speaks of their daemons dying, as follows: [2]