The Delphic Oracle

In Our Time: History

BBC

History

4.4 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 30 September 2010

⏱️ 42 minutes

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Summary

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Delphic Oracle, the most important source of prophecies in the ancient world. In central Greece, on the flank of Mount Parnassus, lies the ruined city of Delphi. For over a thousand years, between approximately 800 BC and 400 AD, this was the most sacred place in the ancient world. Its chief attraction was the Delphic Oracle, which predicted the future and offered petitioners advice.Travellers journeyed for weeks for a chance to ask the oracle a question. The answers, given by a mysterious priestess called the Pythia, were believed to come straight from the god Apollo. At the height of Greek civilisation the oracle was revered, and its opinion sought in some of the most significant conflicts of the age. Its activities were documented by historians including Xenophon and Plutarch, and it was regularly depicted in Greek tragedy, most famously Sophocles's masterpiece Oedipus the King.With: Paul CartledgeA G Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at Cambridge UniversityEdith HallProfessor of Classics and Drama at Royal Holloway, University of LondonNick LoweReader in Classical Literature at Royal Holloway, University of London.Producer: Thomas Morris.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Thanks for downloading the in-artime podcast for more details about in-artime and for our terms of use
0:05.4	Please go to bbc.co.uk forward slash radio for I hope you enjoy the program
0:12.5	Hello on the flank of Mount Panassas in central Greece with rocket cliffs above and a peaceful valley below
0:18.8	lies a ruined city
0:20.5	Today Delphi is a serenely beautiful spot whose peace is disturbed only by the tourists who pick their way through its remains
0:27.5	But two and a half thousand years ago
0:29.2	This was the most sacred place in the ancient world
0:32.2	Between the 8th century BC and the 4th century AD
0:35.5	Travelers flocked to Delphi from hundreds of miles away many of them came to consult the Delphi Oracle
0:40.9	The most celebrated and influential source of prophecies in ancient Greece the oracles replies were famously ambiguous
0:47.6	But people trusted it and it was consulted about some of the most momentous events in Greek history
0:52.6	Its activities are documented by historians including Herodotus and Plutarch
0:57.4	With me to discuss the Delphi Oracle are Paul Cartlage a G. Leventus professor of Greek culture at Cambridge University
1:04.7	Edith Hall professor of classics and drama at Royal Holloway University of London and Nicola Rida in classical literature
1:10.9	Also at Royal Holloway University of London
1:13.8	Edith Hall, can you set the scene? Can you tell us about where Delphi is what it's like and it was first inhabited?
1:20.1	Delphi is indeed in central Greece
1:22.9	It's there's a story that it was located there because use set off two eagles to find the middle of the world and they collided at Delphi
1:32.4	It's it's absolutely extraordinarily beautiful place where the Mount Parnaasus comes down in a massive cleft between two incredibly high
1:40.8	steep
1:41.8	limestone rocks called the Fidriades which means the gleaming ones
1:45.4	They sort of reflect the sunlight and the Apollo that God is all about light
	...

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