Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.5.5

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Passage 10.5.5: The oracle of Apollo at Delphi, originally an Earth oracle with prophetess Daphnis.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἡ δὲ λεωφόρος αὐτόθεν ἡ ἐς Δελφοὺς καὶ προσάντης γίνεται μᾶλλον καὶ ἀνδρὶ εὐζώνῳ χαλεπωτέρα. λέγεται δὲ πολλὰ μὲν καὶ διάφορα ἐς αὐτοὺς τοὺς Δελφούς, πλείω δὲ ἔτι ἐς τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος τὸ μαντεῖον. φασὶ γὰρ δὴ τὰ ἀρχαιότατα Γῆς εἶναι τὸ χρηστήριον, καὶ Δαφνίδα ἐπʼ αὐτῷ τετάχθαι πρόμαντιν ὑπὸ τῆς Γῆς·

English Translation

From that point onward, the road to Delphi becomes steeper and more difficult for a lightly equipped traveler. Many differing tales are reported concerning the Delphians themselves, but even more numerous accounts refer to the oracle of Apollo. They assert that the most ancient oracle was originally that of Earth, and that Daphnis was appointed by Earth herself as prophetess at this place.

Proper Nouns

Ge (Earth) (Γῆ) deity
Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity
Daphnis (Δαφνίς) person Q106324521
Delphi (Δελφοί) place Q75459 Pleiades
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