Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

8i4 ORACULUM. ORACULUM.
16. Oracle (of Apollo in Delos, which was only which, as Hesiod (Frg'Om. 39; Soph. Tirwe. i69:
consulted in summer. (Callim. Iymln. in Del. i.; Herod. ii. 55) said, dwelt in the stem of a beecsrServ. ad Viry. den. iv. 143.) tree. Hence we may infer that the omlce was not
17. Oracle of Apollo at Palara, in Lycia, was thought to dwvell in any particular or single tree',
only consulted in winter. The prophetess (7rpo- but in a grove of oaks and beeches. The will of
Cavt'rs) spent a night in the temple to wait for the the god was made manifest by the rustling of trhe
communications which the god might make to hter. wind through the leaves of the trees, which arli
(Herod. i. 182; Serv. ad Vzirg. Aen. iv. 143.) therefore represented as eloquent tongues. In
18. Oracle of Apollo at TelinessZs. The priests order to render the sounds produced by the wrilds
of this institution did not give their answers by more distinct, brazen vessels were suspended on
inspiration, but occupied themselves chiefly with the branches of the trees, which being moved by
the interpretation of dreams, whence Herodotus the wind came in contact with one another, and
(i. 78; compare Cic. de Div. i. 41; Arrian, ii. 3) thus sounded till they were stopped. (Suid. s. r.
calls them Er'yy7 atl. But they also interpreted Ao&8W>e; Philostrat. 17naa. ii.) Another mode of
other marvellous occurrences. Near Telmessus producing the sounds was this:- There were two
there was another oracle of Apollo, where those columns at Dodona, one of which bore a metnl
who consulted it had to look into a vell, which basin, and the other a boy with a scourge in his
showed them in an image the;answer to their ques- hand; the ends of the scourge consisted of little
tions. (Panus. vii. 21. ~ 6.) bones, and as they were moved by the wind they
19. Oracle of' Apollo at MiarTlos, in Cilicia. knodked against the metal basin on the other
(Strab. xiv. p. 675, &c.; Arrian, ii. 5.) column. (Steph. Byz. s. v. ao'svsq: Suid. s. v.
20. Oracle of/tle Sarpedonian Apollo, in Cilicia. AocSwa7ov XaAKE7oP; Strabo, Exceslpt. ex lib. vii.
(Diod. E xc. xxxv-iii. 12.) vol. ii. p. 73, ed. Kramer.) According to other
21. Oracle of Apollo at IHybla, in- Ca'ia. (Athen. accounts oracles were also obtained at Dodona
xv. p. 672.) through pigeons, which sitting upons oak-trees pro22. Oracle of Apollo at Hiesa Koome, on the nounced the will of Zeus. (Dionys. Hal. i. 15.) The
Maeander, a celebrated oracle which spoke in good sounds were in early times interpreted by men,
verses. (Liv. xxxviii 13; Steph. Byz. s. v.) but afterwards, when the worship of Dione became
II ORACLRES OF ZEUS. connected With that of Zeus, by two or three old
womnen who were called wreXelales or reXatat, be1. Oracle of Zeus at Olymspia. In this as in the cause pigeons were said to have brought the cormother oracles of Zeus the god did not reveal hIim- mand to found the oracle. (Soph. Tracl. 169,
self by inspiration, as Apollo did in almost all of with the Schol.; Herod. I. e.; Paus. x. 12. ~ 5.)
his oracles, but he merely sent signs which men In the time of fierodotus (i. a.) the names of the
had to interpret. Those who came to consult the three prophetesses were Promeneia, Timarete and
oracle of Olympia offered a victim, and the priest Nicandra. They were taken from certain Dodogave his answers from the nature of the several naean families, who traced their pedigree back to
parts of the victim, or from accidental circumstances the mythical ages. These were, however, at all
accompanying the sacrifice. (Herod. viii. 134; times priests called ro'duovpo (Strab. 1. c.) connected
Strab. viii. p. 353.) The prophets or interpreters with the oracle, who on certain occasions interhere belonged to the family of the Iamids. In preted the sounds; but how the functions were
early times the oracle was much resorted to, and divided between thenl and the Pelaeae is not clear.
Sophocles (Oed. Tyr. 900) mentions it along with In the historical times the oracle of Dodona had
the most celebrated oracles; but in later times it less influence than it appears to have had at an
was almost entirely neglected, probably because earlier period, but it was at all times inaccessible
oracles from the inspection of victims might be to bribes and refused to lend its assistance to the
obtained anywhere. The spot, where the oracles Doric interest. (Corn. Nep. Lysaszd. 3.) It was
were given at Olympia, was- before the altar of chiefly consulted by the neighbouring tribes, the
Zeus. (PiUd. 01. vi. 70.) It was especially those Aetolians, Acarnanians, and Epirots (Paus. vii. 21.
who intended to take part in the Olympic gamies ~ 1; Herod. ix. 93), and by those who would not
that consulted the oracle about their success (Pind. go to Delphi on account of its partiality for the
l0. viii. 2), but other subjects also were brought Dorians. There appears to have been a very
before it. ancient connection between Dodona and the Boeo-.
2. Oracle of Zees at Dodolaa. He-e the oracle tian Ismenion. (Strab. ix. p. 402; compare Miiller,
was given from sounds produced by the wind. Orclomz. p. 378, 2d edit.)
The sanctuary was situated on an eminence. The usual form inl which the oracles were given
(Aeschyl. lbProm. 830.) Although in -a barbarous at Dodona was in hexanmeters; but some of the
country, the oracle was in close connection with oracles yet remaining are in prose. In 219 B. c.
Greece, and in the earliest tines apparently much the temple was destroyed by the Aetolians, and
msore so than: afterwards. (Hem. Il. xvi. 233.) the sacred oaks were cut down (Polyb. iv. 67), but
Zeus himself, as well as the Dodonaeans, were the oracle continued to exist and to be consulted,
reckoned among the Pelasgians, which is a proof and does not seem to have become totally extinct
of the ante-hellenic existence of the worship of until the third century of our aera. In the time of
Zeus in these parts, and perhaps of the oracle also. Strabo the Dodonaean prophetesses are expressly
(1Hesiod. and Ephcor. ap. Strab. vii. p. 327, &c.) mentioned, though the oracle was already decaying
The oracle was given from lofty oaks covered with like all the others. (Strab. vii. p. 329.)
foliage (H-ons. Od. xiv. 328, xix. 297), whence Compare Cordes, De Oraculo Dodonaeo, GroAeschylus (Promls. 832; compare Soph. T'ach.] 170) ningen, 1826; J. Arnetl, Ueber das Teatbenorakel
mentions the speaking oaks of Dodona as great von Dodona, WVien, 1840; L. von Lassaulx, Das
w-o1lders. Beech-trees, however, are also men- Pelasgisclhe Orakel des Zeus zas Dodona, ein Beitrag
tioned in connection with the Dodonaean oracle, szur Religionsphlilosoplie, Wiirzburg, 1840.