ORACLE OF, so called from Delphi, the capital of Phocis, the most famous of all the oracles of antiqui ty, sacred to Apollo. The origin of the oracle at Delphi is wrapt in obscurity. By some authors it is asorihed to chance; but many incline to believe that it owed its origin to certain exhalations, which, issuing from a cavern on which it was situated, threw all who approached it into convulsions, and during their continuance commnnicated the power of predicting the future. Be this as it may, these exhala tions were soon invested with a sacred character ; and as their reputation ex tended, the town of Delphi insensibly arose around the cavity from which they issued. The responses were delivered by a priestess, called Pythia, who sat upon a tripod placed ever the mouth of the cav ern; and after having inhaled the vapor, by which she was thrown into violent con vulsions, gave utterance to the wished-fo• predictions, either in verse or prose, which were then interpreted by the priests. Ori ginally the consultation of the oracle was a matter of great simplicity ; but in pro cess of time, when the accuracy of the pro fictions became known, a series of temples, each more magnificent than its pre lecessor, was erected on the spot.
Immense multitudes of priests and do mestics were connected with the oracle ; and to such a height of celebrity did it attain, that it wholly eclipsed all the oth er oracles of Greece. The position of the oracle was the most favorable that could well be imagined. Delphi formed at onto the seat of the Amphictyonic council and the centre of Greece, and, as was univer sally believed, of the earth. Bence, in every case of emergency, if a new form of government was to he instituted, war to be proclaimed, peace concluded, or laws enacted, it came to be consulted, not only by the Greeks, but even by the neigh boring nations ; and thus the temple was enriched by an incredible number of the most valuable presents and the most splendid monuments, and the town of Delphi rose to be one of the most wealthy and important of the cities of (3 recce.— DE L' NI IN, an edition of the Latin clas sics, prepared and commented upon by thirty-nine of the most famous scholars of the day, at the suggestion of Louis XIV., for the benefit of the young prince (in usum Delphini) under the superintend ence of Montansier his governor, and his preceptors Bessnet and !Islet.