The Religions Book

79

See also: The power of the shaman 26–31 ■ The African roots of Santeria

304–305 ■ The Pentecostal Church 336

T

he ancient Greeks set

great store by divination

of the future, and the most

valuable and influential sources of

prophecy and wise counsel were

the oracles, who were almost

always women. The oracles would

enter a trancelike state, during

which the gods spoke directly

through them. The gods’ messages

were sometimes unintelligible, but

could be interpreted by priests. If

offerings were made at the oracles’

sanctuaries, or dwelling places

(often caves), they would often

provide more satisfactory responses.

Oracles could be consulted on

any aspect of life, from personal

matters, such as love and marriage,

to affairs of state. Prophecies could

also be used for political ends:

Alexander the Great visited the

oracle of the Egyptian god Amun

after conquering Egypt in 332 BCE,

and had his rule legitimized when

the oracle recognized him as the

“son of Amun.” However, the

number of oracles was limited, and

this, combined with the fact that

substantial offerings were often

advisable, meant that personalized

access to the gods became the

province of the rich and powerful. A

popular alternative was the service

offered by seers or soothsayers,

who, unlike the oracles, were

prepared to travel—particularly

useful for Greek armies on the

move. These seers interpreted

signs from the gods by methods

such as dream analysis, inferring

meaning from chance events,

observation of birds, and deducing

omens from animal sacrifice. ■

ANCIENT AND CLASSICAL BELIEFS

THE ORACLES

REVEAL THE

WILL OF THE GODS

DIVINING THE FUTURE

IN CONTEXT

KEY BELIEVERS
Ancient Greeks

WHEN AND WHERE
8th century BCE–4th
century CE, Greece
and the Mediterranean

BEFORE
From 3rd millennium BCE
The temple at Per-Wadjet
contains the most renowned
oracle in Egypt , that of the
snake-headed goddess Wadjet.

c.800 BCE The oracle of Apollo
is established at Delphi.

AFTER
From 1st century BCE The
haruspex is an influential
figure in the Roman Empire,
using Etruscan divination
techniques to interpret the
entrails of sacrificed animals.

From 1st century CE The
Christian Church condemns
divination as a pagan practice;
it is forbidden in the biblical
Book of Deuteronomy.

The Sibyl, with raving lips...

reaches over a thousand

years with her voice,

thanks to the god in her.

Heraclitus