Oracle, << AWR uh kuhl >>, in the ancient Greek world, was a shrine where people came to seek advice from prophets or prophetesses. They were individuals who had special powers to speak on behalf of a god. These sacred persons were believed to have the power to reveal the will of the gods and to foretell the future. The word oracle also refers to the prophet and prophetess, and to their prophecy.
The most important oracle was in Delphi in central Greece, and was dedicated to the god Apollo. The prophetess of Delphi, often called the Pythia, sat on a large three-legged stand or tripod. In a state of ecstasy inspired by Apollo, she frequently uttered his oracles in a strange and puzzling form. The meaning of the Pythia’s oracles was often so unclear that priests at the shrine interpreted them for the public.
Most oracles were dedicated to Apollo. Some were dedicated to Zeus or other gods. One famous oracle of Zeus was in a grove of oak trees in Dodona in northwestern Greece. The people believed that Zeus spoke through the rustling of the oak leaves. The priests at Dodona interpreted these rustlings. Other important oracles were in Italy, Libya, and Syria.
