A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

:
The Treasure-Houses.
Strabo ix. 3.
4-
It is to be
noticed that
Strabo completed
his
work about
18 A.D. He
is therefore
speaking of a
time centuries
before his
own.
The Oracle.
/*. 5.
94 Myth and Religion
heart. And uttering my voice I spake to her winged
words
"Mother mine, wherefore dost thou not abide me who
am eager to clasp thee, that even in Hades we twain may
cast our arms each about the other, and have our fill of
chill lament?
Is this but a phantom that the high goddess
Persephone hath sent me, to
for more exceeding sorrow?"
the end that I may groan
and my lady mother answered me anon:
So spake I,
"Ah me, my child, of all men most ill-fated, Persephone,
the daughter of Zeus, doth in
no wise deceive thee, but
even on this wise it is with mortals when they die. For
the sinews no more bind together the flesh and the bones,
but the great force of burning fire abolishes these, so soon
as the life hath left the white bones, and the spirit like a
dream flies forth and hovers near. But haste with all
thine heart toward the sunlight and mark all this, that
even hereafter thou mayest tell it to thy wife."
III. The Temple op Apollo at Delphi and the
Amphictyony
The temple of Apollo is now much neglected, although
formerly it was held in the greatest reverence. Proofs
of the respect which were paid to it are the treasures,
built at the expense of communities and princes, where
was deposited the wealth dedicated to sacred uses, the
works of the most eminent artists, the Pythian games,
and a vast number of recorded oracles.
The place where the oracle is delivered is said to be a
deep hollow cavern, the entrance to which is not very wide.
From it rises up an exhalation which inspires a divine
frenzy: over the mouth is placed a lofty tripod on which
the Pythian priestess ascends to receive the exhalation,