ORACLE (Lat. oracalum, from orare. to pray, from os. Skt. usyn, mouth). The place where a deity gives responses to the inquiries of votaries, or the response itself. The belief that the gods could and would reveal the future was common among the nations of antiquity. and few under takings were entered upon without consultation of those who were able to interpret the signs by which the future was manifested. Thus we find the kings of Egypt. Babylonia. and Assyria seeking divine advice or sanction before their cainpaigns, while among the Hebrew- the high priest made use of the Urim and Thummim to determine the will of Jehovah. The Greeks and Romans were fully convinced of the importance of signs and omens. and the need of their correct interpretation. as well as of the possibility of predicting the future by means of various methods, which arc treated under DIVINATION. While consultation of the gods was thus possible anywhere, there were certain places especially chosen by the gods as seats of answer to human inquiries, and these oracles played an important part in ancient life. They were naturally eon nected -anctuarie--. and the answers were usually imparted or interpreted by the priests. The number of such oracular shrines was very great. and most of them doubtless enjoyed little more than a local reputation. Only a few reached a national or international importanee, but these may fairly be taken as typical. They fall naturally into three classes: (1) those in which the answer was given through signs: (2) those in which the gud spoke through the mouth of some inspired person; (3) those in which the god manifested his will by dreams or visions in the sanctuary.
In the first class belongs the very ancient oracle of Zeus at Dodona (q.v.) in Epirus, where answers seem at first to have been given by the rustling of the leaves of the sacred oaks, later other methods of divination, including the lot, were also employed. At Olympia the family lamida., in whom the prophetic gift wag hereditary, answered inquiries and predicted the future from the sacrifices at the great altar, and a similar method was followed in early times at the oracle of Ismenian Apollo near Thebes. Next to Dodona, and in later times surpassing it in fame. was the oracle of Zeus Amnion, in the oasis of Siwah in Libya, noted for the visit of Alexander the Great, who was there hailed as the divine son of Ammon. It was, however, frequently consulted hy Greeks in earlier times.
The answers were determined by the swaying of the image of the god, as it was carried in solemn procession on the shoulders of the priests. At some places the answer was given by casting lots, or throwing dice bearing characters or num bers, which were interpreted by the priests or by a key. Thus at Attaleia in Phrygia the numbers referred to a collection of oracles in verse, and the answer was sought in the verses indicated by the number.
The second class were far more numerous, and seem to have been prevailingly oracles of Apollo, for this god was the special minister of Zeus in declaring the future. Here belongs far the most famous of the ancient oracles. that of the Pythian Apollo at Delphi (q.v.). The responses were here given by a prophetess, the Pythias who after cere monial purifications drank from the sacred water of the Cassotis,chewed leaves of the sacred laurel, and seated herself on the sacred tripod, which was placed in the shrine of the temple over a sub terranean chasm from which issued a cold vapor, whose fumes threw her into an ecstasy. The questions were propounded by a prophet. and the mutterings or ravings of the Pythia were reduced by the priests to hexameter verses. and thus com municated to the inquirer. Responses were at first given in hut one month each year; later, however. they could he obtained on all but un lucky days. The favorable days were determined by examining the sacrificial victims. The order of the inquirers was determined by int, unless precedence in consulting the oracle had been granted as a mark of honor hy the community. The oracle early attained wide fame. and in the sixth century n.e. received rich gifts from King Crcesus of Lydia. Later it was frequently con sulted by Athenians. Spartans, and other peoples before venturing to decide critical questions of policy, especially in matters co neeted with re ligion. In spite of .11rdism during the Persian wars and some 1111110ilbled eases of deception. the oracle maintained its reputation through the best period of Greek history. and with some fluctuations enjoyed prosperity even under the Roman emperors. Other famous oracles of Apollo where inspired prophets or prophetesses revealed the answers of the god were at Branchiche near IMiletus, at Abe in Phocis, at Clams near Colo phom at Patara in Lycia. and at Argos. The inspiration was in most case: communicated by drinking from a sacred spring or of the blood of a sacrifice.