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The Myth of the First Temples at Delphi *
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 February 2009
Extract
The intriguing myth of the first temples at Delphi is first attested in Pindar's fragmentary eighth Paean. This text, and Pausanias 10.5.9–13, are the only two sources that actually tell the story of the first temples, while a few others simply mention, en passant, one or more-but not all-of these legendary temples, without setting out to give an account of the myth.
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References
1 11.58–99 ed. Snell 19643; cf. The Oxyrhynchys Papyri, Part xxvi, ed. by Lobel, E. (London, 1961), pp. 45–50.Google Scholar I should note that an extraordinarily bad study has been written on three-quarters of this myth: Elderkin, G. W., The First Three Temples at Delphi. Their religious and historical significance (Princeton, 1962).Google Scholar
2 Cf. below.
3 Pindar says (cf. below) that it was built by Hephaistos and Athena, but Pausanias only mentions Hephaistos as the divine builder in the version which he mentions in order to reject.
4 Cf.Pausan. 9.37.3.
5 All that survives of the account of the laurel temple is but cf. also the mention of the laurel temple in the Scholia to Pind. Paean 8, P. Oxy. 841 fr. 107.
6 Cf. Snell, , op. cit, p. 43;Google ScholarLobel, , op. cit., pp. 49–50.Google Scholar
7 Isthm. fr. 2 Snell; cf. also Plut., Consol. ad Apoll. 109 A-B.
8 Op. cit., p. 46 on fr. 22.Google Scholar
9 Op. cit., p. 46.Google Scholar
10 The text reads and Snell, B., Hermes 73 (1938), 435, supplements vel sim.Google Scholar
11 For the temple of Trophonios and Agamedes cf. also the following sources. Steph. Byz. s.v. Pausan. 9.37.4; Schol. Arist. Nub. 508, ed. Dindorf; Cic. Tusc. 1.47.114 (and cf. also above, n. 7). The account of their involvement in the building of a temple to Apollo given in the Homeric Hymn to Apollo will be discussed below.
12 For the important role of the laurel in Delphic cult and ritual cf. Amandry, P., La Mantique apollinienne à Delphes. Essai sur le fonctionnement de l'oracle (Paris, 1950), pp. 126–9;Google Scholar (cf. also Eur. Ion, vv. 112–24).Google Scholar
13 Cf. Plut., De Pyth. orac. 397 a, De E apud Delph. 385 C; Luc. Bis acc. l; Aristoph., Ploutos 39; Schol. Aristoph. Ploutos 39; Callim. Iamb. 4 fr. 194. 26–7 Pfeiffer; cf. also Amandry, , op. cit., pp. 126–9.Google Scholar
14 Cf. Aristoph, . Ploutos 213Google Scholar; Schol. Aristoph. Ploutos 213; Callim. Hymn to Delos 94; cf. Aristonoos, , Paean to Apollo, vv. 9–11.Google Scholar (Colin, M. G., Fouilles de Delphes III Epigraphie, vol. ii (Paris, 1909-1913), no. 191,Google Scholar where Apollo is said to prophesy shaking a laurel branch; (the date of this paean is the third quarter of the fourth century B.C.). And cf. Amandry, , op. cit., pp. 129–34.Google ScholarThe Homeric Hymn to Apollo v. 396Google Scholar (cf. 394–6) makes clear that the laurel played a fundamental role in the act of divination. I intend to discuss elsewhere the problems associated with this passage, and some other aspects of the laurel's place and significance in Apolline cult and ritual. Bousquet's suggestion (Gnomon 32 (1960), 260) that the laurel tree shaken by the Pythia and situated in the adyton was artificial, made of bronze, is very unconvincing, especially when three factors are taken into account: (i) we know from the texts, and especially the Ion, that real laurel was used a lot, and grew in the sanctuary, (ii) laurels grew in the adyton-courtyard of the temple (and oracle) of Apollo at Didyma, (iii) several inscriptions mention the which is likely to be referred to the adyton laurel, and which is a real laurel from which crowns were made.
15 It is interesting to note that according to Hesychius, the laurel growing at Tempe had a special name; it was called Svapeia (cf. Hes. s.v. ).
16 Cf. Brelich, A., Paides e parthenoi (Rome, 1969), pp. 398–412; 427–8;Google Scholar cf. also op. cit., pp. 397–8; 412–27.Google Scholar
17 Theopompos, , FGrH 115 F 80;Google Scholar Callim. Aet. 4 fr. 86; according to Hypoth. Pind. Pyth. c, Apollo was purified in Crete, but he then went to Tempe and brought the laurel to Delphi from there; in Aristonoos' Paean (cf. n. 14) Apollo is said to be a laurel branch when prophesying in w. 9–11 and to have been purified at Tempe in v. 15 but no connection is made by the poet between laurel and Tempe purification; cf. also: Nicander, , Alexipharmaca vv. 198–200;Google Scholar Steph. Byz. s.v. , Plut. Quaest. Graec. 293 C, and Tert. De cor. 7,5.
18 Theopompos, , FGrH 115 F 80;Google Scholar Steph. Byz. s.v. cf. also Iamb. 4 fr. 194 Pfeiffer 34–6; Hypoth. Pind. Pyth. c; Plut. De mus. 1136 A, De def. orac. 418 A-B, Quaest. Graec. 293 C.
19 Theopompos, , FGrH 115 F 80; Hypoth. Pind. Pyth c; cf. also Callim. Iamb. 4 fr.194 Pfeiffer 34–6.Google Scholar
20 Cf. Schaefer, H., Die Lauhhütte. Ein Beitrag zur Kultur-und Religionsgeschichte Griechenlands und Italiens (Leipzig, 1939), pp.54 ff.Google Scholar, and especially the important study by Berard, C., ‘Architecture eretrienne et mythologie delphique. Le Daphnéphoréion’, AntK 14 (1971), 59–73.Google Scholar
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23 The last two on the inside are in front of the transversal wall.
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28 Lerat, L., RA 12 (1938), 215;Google Scholar cf. also Drerup, H., Griechische Baukunst in geometrischer Zeit, Archaeologia Homerica, Band II, ch.O (Göttingen, 1969), 064.Google Scholar
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32 Defradas, J., Les Thèmes de la propagande delphique (Paris, 1954), p.30,Google Scholar has argued that the two passages should be dated to the seventh century; firstly because indicates, he thinks, the type of monumental temple that the Greeks only began to build in the seventh century; and secondly because, he believes, the two passages are found in more recent parts of the poem. Berve (Review Defradas, , Thèmes, Gnomon 28 (1956) 174Google Scholar) has criticized these views and noted, first, that only implies stone foundations, and second, that the argument that the passages belong to more recent parts of the epics is of doubtful validity. The first point is self-evidently correct-except that I would modify ‘foundations’ to and/or ‘socle’. With regard to the second point, it is worth noting that Defradas's approach to the notion of ‘lateness’ in the epic is rather simplistic and confused. On Achilles' speech in Il. 9 to which our passage belongs, cf. Parry, A., The language of Achilles, TAPA 87 (1956), 1–7,Google Scholar who shows how Homer has here deliberately misused the traditional epic language in order to allow Achilles to express his disillusionment. On Od. 8.72–82 cf. Marg, W., ‘Das erste Lied des Demodokos’, Navicula Chilioniensis, Studia filologa Felici Jacoby Professori Chiloniensi Emerito octagenario oblata (Leiden, 1956), pp.16–29;Google Scholar cf. also Rüter, K.. Odysseeinterpretationen. Untersuchungen zum ersten Buch und zur Phaiakis (Göttingen, 1969), pp.247–54CrossRefGoogle Scholar (and cf. also Marg, W., review Rüter, Gnomon 43 (1971), 321–30, and esp. 328.)Google Scholar
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42 Cf. e.g. Eur. fr. 773 N2. 33–4; Aristoph. Av. 769–84;Callim. Hymn Ap. 4–5, Hymn Del. 249–54.
43 Cf. Aristophanes' comparisons between birds and Apollo:
Av. 716–22:
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45 Cf. Cook, A. B., ‘The bee in Greek mythology’, JHS 15 (1895), 1–24;CrossRefGoogle ScholarRansome, H. M., The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore (London, 1937), pp.91–111,Google Scholar with several errors; Picard, Ch., Ephèse et Claros (Paris, 1922), pp.183–4; 228–9;Google Scholaridem, REA 42 (1940), 279–83Google Scholar (very speculative); Feyel, M.,‘Etude sur le v.552 de l'hymne homerique à Hermes, RA 1946; i. 5–22;Google ScholarKeller, , op. cit., pp.421–31.Google ScholarCf. also Willetts, R. F., Cretan Cults and Festivals (London, 1962), pp.216–8; 257.Google Scholar Apart from the sources quoted in these discussions, cf. also Pind., Encom. fr. 123 Snell3 10–11.
46 Pindar, fr. 158 Snell3; Hesych. s.v. Porphyr. Antr. Nymph. 18; The Oxyrhynchus Papyri. Part XV, ed. by Grenfell, B. P. and Hunt, A. S. (London, 1922), 1802,Google Scholar col. ii, 29–35; cf. also pp.155–60; Callim. H. Apoll. 110–2; Schol. Pind. Pyth. 4.106c; Serv. Schol. Virgil. Aen. 1. 430; Lactant. Div. Inst. 1.22.
47 Pausan. 8. 13.1; Dittenberger, G., Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum 3 (Leipzig, 1915-1924), 352.6; 363; 16.Google Scholar
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50 On the relationship between Delphi and the oracle of Trophonios cf. Parke, H. W. and Wormell, D. E. W., The Delphic Oracle (Oxford, 1956), p.368.Google Scholar
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61 Cf. for Delphi Diod. Sic. 16.26; Pausan. 10.5.7.
62 There were of course also other modes of divination practised at Delphi (cf. Amandry, , Mantique, pp.57–65). The Delphic oracle having become the most important Greek divination centre, it attracted to itself divination methods that may not have originally belonged there.Google Scholar
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68 Cf. Guide, p.99.Google Scholar
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73 Cf. the corrected plan in AntK 17 (1974), 70 fig. 1. I am very grateful to Dr. P. Auberson for discussing this building with me and providing information about it.Google Scholar
74 Cf. vv. 76–9.
75 Vit. Apollon. vi.
76 I understand the Keledones as being part-human: cf. in v. 80 (and cf. Lobel, , op. cit. (cf. n.l), p.46)Google Scholar and perhaps also in v. 81 (cf. Lobel, ibid.); vv. 82–6 surely imply a human voice. Otherwise they appear to have had, wholly or partly, the form of wrynecks (cf. Snell, , op. cit. (cf. n.l), p.41,Google Scholar and Philostr, . op. cit.).Google Scholar
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85 The choice of these two as the contributors of the heroic element in the first place was natural. They were the architects of the heroic age par excellence. They were also associated with Apollo. It is possible that one of these two features determined the choice, and the other resulted from their connections with the building of the Delphic temple.
86 It is interesting to remember that, as we have seen, Strabo had ordered the Delphic temples according to a tripartite model expressing three different orders of ‘reality’: the mythical sphere represented by the temple of wax and feathers, the world of the heroic, legendary past, represented by the temple of Trophonios and Agamedes, said to be the second temple, and the real world of humanity, represented by ‘the present’ temple constructed by the Amphiktyones.
87 Cf. also above, discussion of second temple.
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