DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0287
of the religion of greece.
265
of the torrent carried baek those islands from whence they had grounded,
and situating them in the same place as at first, or bringing them about
with a circumference ; but in the gentle turning of them, the water
makes one rising roll: betwixt these, the sea seemed to bend inwards
about (as near as he could guess) eight parts of the whole. This sea
had two mouths, which were inlets to boisterous rivers, casting out fiery
foam, the flaming brightness of which covered the best part of its natural
azure. He was very much pleased at this sight, until he looked down,
and saw an immense hiatus, resembling a hollow sphere, of an amazing
and dreadful profundity. It had darkness to a miracle ; not still, but
thickened, and agitated : here he was seized with no small fright, by the
astonishing hubbubs, and noises of all kinds, that seem to arise out of
this hollow, from an unfathomable bottom, viz. he heard an infinity of
yells and howlings of beasts, cries and bawlings of children, confused
with the groans and outrages of men and women. Not long after, he
heard a voice invisibly pronounce these words :'-
What follows is nothing but a prolix and tedious harangue upon va-
rious subjects. One thing there is more especially remarkable in this
account, viz. that he makes Timarchus to return from consultation with
a brisk and cheerful countenance, whereas, it is commonly reported that
all the consultants of this oracle became pensive and melancholy ; that
their tempers were soured, and their countenances, however gay and plea-
sant before, rendered dull and heavy ; whence, of any per on dejected,
melancholy, or too serious, it was generally said elg T£o#wv/« (xtftav-reurcw,
i. e. he has been consulting the oracle of Trophonius. But this is only to
be understood of the time immediately ensuing consultation ; for, asBwe
Jearn from Pausanias, all enquirers recovered their former cheerfulness
in the temple of Good Genius and Good Fortune.
CHAP XL
of other grecian oracles.
Amphiaraus was the son of Oicleus, and married Eriphyle the sister of
Adrastus, king of Argos : he was an excellent soothsayer, and by bis skill
foresaw that it would prove fatal to him if he engaged himself in the
Thebanwar. Wherefore, to avoid inevitable destruction, he hid himself,
but was discovered by his wife Eriphyle, whom Polynices had corrupted
with a present of a golden chain. Being discovered, he was obliged by
Adrastus to accompany the army to Thebes, where, as he bad foretold,
together with his chariot and horses, he was swallowed up by the earth,
whence Ovid saith of him :
Notus humo mersis Amphiaraus equis.
Some say this accident happened in the way betwixt Thebes and Chal-
cis : and for that reason the place is called 'Agpa, i. e. a chariot, to this
day, saith Pausanias (1).
After his death, he was honoured with divine worship ; first by the
(1) Atticis,
34
265
of the torrent carried baek those islands from whence they had grounded,
and situating them in the same place as at first, or bringing them about
with a circumference ; but in the gentle turning of them, the water
makes one rising roll: betwixt these, the sea seemed to bend inwards
about (as near as he could guess) eight parts of the whole. This sea
had two mouths, which were inlets to boisterous rivers, casting out fiery
foam, the flaming brightness of which covered the best part of its natural
azure. He was very much pleased at this sight, until he looked down,
and saw an immense hiatus, resembling a hollow sphere, of an amazing
and dreadful profundity. It had darkness to a miracle ; not still, but
thickened, and agitated : here he was seized with no small fright, by the
astonishing hubbubs, and noises of all kinds, that seem to arise out of
this hollow, from an unfathomable bottom, viz. he heard an infinity of
yells and howlings of beasts, cries and bawlings of children, confused
with the groans and outrages of men and women. Not long after, he
heard a voice invisibly pronounce these words :'-
What follows is nothing but a prolix and tedious harangue upon va-
rious subjects. One thing there is more especially remarkable in this
account, viz. that he makes Timarchus to return from consultation with
a brisk and cheerful countenance, whereas, it is commonly reported that
all the consultants of this oracle became pensive and melancholy ; that
their tempers were soured, and their countenances, however gay and plea-
sant before, rendered dull and heavy ; whence, of any per on dejected,
melancholy, or too serious, it was generally said elg T£o#wv/« (xtftav-reurcw,
i. e. he has been consulting the oracle of Trophonius. But this is only to
be understood of the time immediately ensuing consultation ; for, asBwe
Jearn from Pausanias, all enquirers recovered their former cheerfulness
in the temple of Good Genius and Good Fortune.
CHAP XL
of other grecian oracles.
Amphiaraus was the son of Oicleus, and married Eriphyle the sister of
Adrastus, king of Argos : he was an excellent soothsayer, and by bis skill
foresaw that it would prove fatal to him if he engaged himself in the
Thebanwar. Wherefore, to avoid inevitable destruction, he hid himself,
but was discovered by his wife Eriphyle, whom Polynices had corrupted
with a present of a golden chain. Being discovered, he was obliged by
Adrastus to accompany the army to Thebes, where, as he bad foretold,
together with his chariot and horses, he was swallowed up by the earth,
whence Ovid saith of him :
Notus humo mersis Amphiaraus equis.
Some say this accident happened in the way betwixt Thebes and Chal-
cis : and for that reason the place is called 'Agpa, i. e. a chariot, to this
day, saith Pausanias (1).
After his death, he was honoured with divine worship ; first by the
(1) Atticis,
34