DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0283
of the religion of greece,
No less famous was Ptous, a mountain in Boeotia, for the oracles given
by Apollo, surnamed Ptous, from that place, where was a temple dedi-
cated to him.. This oracle ceased when Thebes was demolished by
Alexander(1).
Apollo, surnamed AetQvaTos, from Daphne, his beloved mistress, or the
laurel, into which she was transformed, had an oracle near the Castilian
fountain, the waters of which were also endued with a prophetic virtue(2).
Apollo was called Ismenius, from Ismenus, a river and mountain in
Boeotia, in which he had a temple, and gave answers to those that came
to enquire of him.
Pausanias (3) hath told us of another place in Bceotia where Apollo re-
turned answers, viz. a stone called 2«#£oni-jj£, upon which he had an
altar, erected out of the ashes of victims offered to him ; whence he was
called Spodius, from XiroSog, i. e. ashes ; whpnce, for 2<r6v5<og in Pausa-
nias, must be read 25r6<J<os- He did not here, as in other places, signify
his will by inspired prophets, but by «krtS6vsg, ominous sounds, in the ob-
servation of which he instructed persons appointed for that purpose ; for
this way of divination also was in use among the Grecians, especially at
Smyrna, saith my author, where was a temple built on the outside of the
eity wall for that purpose. Thus much of the oracles of Apollo.
CHAP. X
of the oracle of trophonius.
Trophonius, the son of Eresinas, and brother of Agamedes (4), being
possessed with an immoderate thirst of glory, built himself a mansion under
ground, at Lebadea, a city of Boeotia, into which, when he entered, he
pretended to be inspired with an extraordinary knowledge of future
events ; but at length, either, out of design to raise in men an opinion that
he was translated to the gods, or being some way necessitated thereto,
perished in his hole (5). Cicero (6) giveth us a very different account
of his death, when he tells us, that Trophonius and Agamedes, having
built Apollo's temple at Delphi, requested of the gods that as a recom-
pense for their labour, he would give them the best thing that could hap-
pen to man. Apollo granted their petition, and promised them that it
should be effected the third day after ; accordingly, on that day, in the
morning, they were found dead. Several other fables concerning him,
and the manner of his death, are related in the scholiast upon the Clouds
of Aristophanes.
However that be, Trophonius had divine honours paid him after death,
and was worshipped by the name of Jupiter Trophonius (7). Nor was ita
thing unusual for men deified to be honoured with the name of a god, seve-
ral instances whereof might be produced, but one shall suffice for all, viz.
that of Agamemnon, who was worshipped at Sparta, by the name of Jupi-
ter Agamemnon, as Lycophron witnesseth (8) ;
(1) Pausan. Boeot.
(4) Suidas voce Tjoipwuot.
(7) Strabo. lib. ix.
(2) Clem. Protrept.
(5) Phavorin.
(8) Cassandr. v. 1123,
(3) Pausan. ibid.
(6) Tusc. Qua>st. lib, i. 47.
No less famous was Ptous, a mountain in Boeotia, for the oracles given
by Apollo, surnamed Ptous, from that place, where was a temple dedi-
cated to him.. This oracle ceased when Thebes was demolished by
Alexander(1).
Apollo, surnamed AetQvaTos, from Daphne, his beloved mistress, or the
laurel, into which she was transformed, had an oracle near the Castilian
fountain, the waters of which were also endued with a prophetic virtue(2).
Apollo was called Ismenius, from Ismenus, a river and mountain in
Boeotia, in which he had a temple, and gave answers to those that came
to enquire of him.
Pausanias (3) hath told us of another place in Bceotia where Apollo re-
turned answers, viz. a stone called 2«#£oni-jj£, upon which he had an
altar, erected out of the ashes of victims offered to him ; whence he was
called Spodius, from XiroSog, i. e. ashes ; whpnce, for 2<r6v5<og in Pausa-
nias, must be read 25r6<J<os- He did not here, as in other places, signify
his will by inspired prophets, but by «krtS6vsg, ominous sounds, in the ob-
servation of which he instructed persons appointed for that purpose ; for
this way of divination also was in use among the Grecians, especially at
Smyrna, saith my author, where was a temple built on the outside of the
eity wall for that purpose. Thus much of the oracles of Apollo.
CHAP. X
of the oracle of trophonius.
Trophonius, the son of Eresinas, and brother of Agamedes (4), being
possessed with an immoderate thirst of glory, built himself a mansion under
ground, at Lebadea, a city of Boeotia, into which, when he entered, he
pretended to be inspired with an extraordinary knowledge of future
events ; but at length, either, out of design to raise in men an opinion that
he was translated to the gods, or being some way necessitated thereto,
perished in his hole (5). Cicero (6) giveth us a very different account
of his death, when he tells us, that Trophonius and Agamedes, having
built Apollo's temple at Delphi, requested of the gods that as a recom-
pense for their labour, he would give them the best thing that could hap-
pen to man. Apollo granted their petition, and promised them that it
should be effected the third day after ; accordingly, on that day, in the
morning, they were found dead. Several other fables concerning him,
and the manner of his death, are related in the scholiast upon the Clouds
of Aristophanes.
However that be, Trophonius had divine honours paid him after death,
and was worshipped by the name of Jupiter Trophonius (7). Nor was ita
thing unusual for men deified to be honoured with the name of a god, seve-
ral instances whereof might be produced, but one shall suffice for all, viz.
that of Agamemnon, who was worshipped at Sparta, by the name of Jupi-
ter Agamemnon, as Lycophron witnesseth (8) ;
(1) Pausan. Boeot.
(4) Suidas voce Tjoipwuot.
(7) Strabo. lib. ix.
(2) Clem. Protrept.
(5) Phavorin.
(8) Cassandr. v. 1123,
(3) Pausan. ibid.
(6) Tusc. Qua>st. lib, i. 47.