Delphi

 February 23

Today was a longer driving day, as our tour took us from Athens to Delphi.  The locals pronounce it Del-fee.  It was 185 km but took us 2 and a half hours each way.  This was the most inland that we will be going.

imagecredit https://santorinidave.com/athens-delphi-meteora

Driving through the busy ski town of Arachova was a tight squeeze for our giant bus:

Delphi was considered the "center of the world", so this is where the Oracle of Delphi resided.  She was known as the Pythia, named after the serpent Python which Apollo slew at Delphi.  The Oracle, or Phythia, lived in and around the Temple of Apollo, set in the splendor of Mt. Parnassus.

The title of Phythia was held by many women over the years.  She was chosen because of her blameless character and was usually over the age of 50.  Rulers would consult with her before starting wars or founding colonies.

To make a prophecy, the oracle sat on a tripod and entered a trance by inhaling vapours that rose from a fissure in the earth.  It was believed that she was possessed by Apollo during this time.  She would then utter her message from Apollo in unintelligible words which the male priests helpfully interpreted.

imagecredit https://www.meisterdrucke.uk/fine-art-prints/Heinrich-Leutemann/1466819/The-Oracle-at-Delphi.html

Here are 2 of her more famous prophecies:

She told King Croesus that if he crossed the river, he would destroy a great empire.  He did cross, and it turned out his own empire was destroyed.

imagecredit https://www.storynory.com/7-king-croesus-and-the-oracle-of-delphi/

She proclaimed that there was no man wiser than Socrates.  This led to him realizing that he was wise because he knew nothing.

imagecredit https://quotefancy.com/quote/908472/Socrates-The-Delphic-Oracle-said-that-I-was-the-wisest-of-all-the-Greeks-It-is-because-I

The Oracle of Delphi was the most powerful oracle of the ancient Greek world and provided guidance from approximately 800 BC to 380 AD.  The rise of Christianity proved to be the Oracle's decline.

Modern scientists have found that the Temple of Apollo sits on two major fault lines.  The friction from tectonic activity likely led to the release of gases such as ethylene which can cause hallucinations and euphoria if inhaled.

The Temple of Apollo:

We were glad we had our guide Stadi (short for a Greek name with 50 or so syllables ha ha) because otherwise we would have just been looking at a pile of ruins and not know anything about it.  She was excellent at explaining the difference between Greek and Roman architecture and statues, and even between time periods.

We spent time at the Archaeological Museum of Delphi, one of Greece's most important museums. It has 14 galleries that represent 1000 years of history.  Some exhibits here:

This relief is only 5 cm thick and full of detail.  Amazing that the relief is 2500 years old!

The Kouroi of Delphi, 6th century BC, likely representing the brothers Kleobis and Biton.  We are only including their top halves in order to keep this blog family friendly.  Early Greek statues from the 6th and 7th centuries BC used to have smiles and rigid, stocky postures.

The Charioteer of Delphi from the 5th century BC.  These statues had more natural movement in their posture, and lost their smiles because of the Persian War.  The Greek statues can stand on their own and most of the Roman ones need a support.

Some of his missing parts:

The Sphinx of Naxos from the 6th century BC.  It is over 7 feet tall and once topped a 41 foot column.

The Omphalos was the original marble stone that marked Delphi as the "navel of the world":

imagecredit https://www.worldhistory.org/image/414/omphalos-of-delphi/

We stopped in the mountain town of Arachova for lunch.  Of course, the restaurant was called The Navel.

Another snooze on the bus ride back, and then we got back we had to go find the correct gelato place!  Robin and Pierre joined us, and Frankie and Robin were so amazed to receive gluten free cones with their gluten free gelato!