СНАР. Х.

Of the Oracle of Trophonius.

Rophonius, the Son of Erefinus, and Brother of Agamedes (a), bean immoderate Thirft of

a Manfion under Ground, at Lebadea a City of Baotia, into which when he enter'd, he pretended to be infpired with an extraordinary Knowledge of future Events; but at length, either out of defign to raise in Men an Opinion, that he was tranflated to the Gods, or being fome way neceffitated thereto, perifh'd in his Hole (b). Cicero (c) gi veth us a very different account of his Death, when he tells us, that Trophonius and Agamedes, having built Apollo's Temple at Delphi, requefted of the God, that, as a Recompence for their Labour, he would give them the best Thing that could happen to Man; Apollo granted their Petition, and promis'd them, that it fhould be effected the third Day after; accordingly, on that Day in the Morning they were found dead. Several other Fables concerning him, and the manner of his Death, are related in the Scholiaft upon the Clouds of Ariftophanes.

However that be, Trophonius had Divine Honours paid him after Death, and was worship'd by the name of Jupiter Trophonius (d). Nor was it a thing unusual for Men Deified to be honour'd with the name of a God; feveral Inftances whereof might be produc'd, but one fhall fuffice for all, viz. that of Agamemnon, who was worship'd at Sparta by the name of Jupiter Agamemnon, as Lycophron witneffeth (e),

Εμὸς δ' ακοίτης, δμωίδα νύμφης ἄναξ,
Ζευς Σπαρτιάταις αἱμύλοις κληθήσεται,
Τιμες μεγίσας παρ' Οιβάλε τέκνοις λαχών.

Then fhall my Husband, whom a Captive Bride

I now obey as my fuperiour Lord,
By subtle crafty Spartans Jove be call'd,
And worship'd fo, from their Pofterity
Receiving greatest Honours

E. D.

Which words Caffandra speaks of Agamemnon, whofe Captive and Concubine fhe was after the Destruction of Troy.

This Oracle came firft into repute on this Account: On a time, when for the Space of two Years there had been no Rain in Boeotia, all the Cities of that Country, with a joint Confent, appointed chofen Perfons to go to Delphi, there to pay their Devotions to Apollo, in the Name of their Country, and defire his Advice and Affiftance: The God accepted their Piety, but return'd them no other Answer, than that they fhould go home, and confult Trophonius at Lebadea. The Embaffadors immediately obey'd, and repair'd to Lebadea, ftill re

(a) Suidas voce popávios. (b) Phavorin. (c) Tusc. Quest, lib. I. lib. IX.

(e) Cassandr. v, 1123.

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maining as much in the dark, as at firft; there being not the least Sign or Foot-step of any Oracle in that Place: At length, when they had search'd a long time to no purpose, and began to defpair of Succefs, one Saon, an Acrephian, the Senior of all the Embaffadors, efpy'd a Swarm of Bees, and immediately took up a Refolution to follow them; by this means he came to a Cave, into which he had no foener enter'd, but by fome evident Tokens perceiv'd, that in that Place was the Oracle, Apollo had commanded them to enquire of. Upon this he pay'd his Devotion to Trophonius, and receiv'd from him a welcome, and fatisfactory Anfwer, together with Inftructions in what Manner, and with what Rites and Ceremonies he would have those that should come for Advice, to approach him (a).

The Place of this Oracle was under the Surface of the Earth, and therefore it was commonly call'd nalaßáciov, and the Persons that confulted it nalalaivuvTes, because the way to it was a Defcent. Concerning it there are innumerable Fables, which it would not be worth the while to mention in this Place: I fhall therefore pafs them by, only giving you the Accounts Paufanias and Plutarch have left of it; the former of which confulted it in Person, and thereby had opportunity of being an Eye-witnefs of what he reports. His Words are thus tranflated by Mr. Abel.

"Whofefoever's Exigences oblige him to go into the Cave, must in the first Place makes his abode for fome fet-time in the Chapel of "Good Genius, and Good Fortune, during his ftay here, he abftains from "hot Baths, and employs himself in performing other forts of Atone"ment for paft Offences; he is not wholly debarr'd bathing, but then "it must be only in the River Hercynna, having a fufficient Sustenance "from the Leavings of the Sacrifices. At his going down, he facrificeth "to Trophonius and his Sons, to Apollo, Saturn, and Jupiter, (who "hath the Title of King) to Juno Heniocha, and Ceres, call'd Europa, "reported to be Trophonius's Nurfe. There's a Prieft ftands confulting "the Bowels of every Sacrifice, who according to the Victim's Afpects, "prophefies whether the Deity will give an aufpicious and fatisfactory "Anfwer. The Entrails of all the Sacrifices confer but little towards "the revealing of Trophonius's Anfwer, unlefs a Ram, which they "offer in a Ditch to Agamedes, with fupplication for Succefs, that Night on which they defcend, prefents the fame Omens with the former; on this depends the Ratification of all the reft, and with out it their former Oblations are of none. Effect. If fo be this "Ram doth agree with the former, every one forthwith defcends, "back'd with the eagernefs of good hopes; and thus is the Manner: Immediately they go that Night along with the Priefts to the River Hercynna, where they are anointed with Oil, and wash'd by two Citizen's Boys, aged about Thirteen Years, whom they call Egas, i. e. Mercuries: Thefe are they that are employ'd in washing whoever hath a mind to confult; neither are they remifs in their Duty, but, as much as can be expected from Boys, carefully perform all things neceffary. Having been wafn'd, they are not ftraitway conducted "by the Priests to the Oracle, but are brought to the River's Rifes, which are adjacent to one another: Here they must drink a Dose (a) Paufanias Baoticis,

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of the Water of it, call'd Lethe, or Oblivion, to deluge with oblivion "all those things, which fo lately were the greatest part of their conAfter that, they take the Water of Mnemosyne, viz. Remem brance, to retain the remembrance of those things, that shall be * exhibited to them in their Descent amongst which is expos'd a Sta"tue, adorn'd with that admirable carving, that it's fet up by the "People for Dadalus's workmanship; whereupon they never exhibit it, unless to Defcendents: to this therefore, after fome venerable obeyfance, having mutter'd over a Prayer or two, in a linen Habit fet off with Ribbands, and wearing Pantofles, agreeable with the "fashion of the Country, they approach the Oracle, which is fituated "within a Mountain near a Grove, the Foundation of which is built fpherical-wife, of white Stone, about the fize, in circumference, "of a very small Threshing-floor, but in height fcarce two Cubits, fupporting brazen Obelisks, encompass'd round with Ligaments of "Brafs; between which there are Doors that guide their Paffage into the midst of the Floor, where there's a fort of a Cave, not the product of rude Nature, but built with the niceft accuracy of Me"chanifm and Proportion: the Figure of this Workmanship is like an "Oven, its breadth diametrically (as nigh as can be gueft) about nine Cubits, its depth eight, or thereabouts; for the Guidance to which there are no Stairs, wherefore 'tis requir'd that all Comers bring a 16 narrow and light Ladder with them, by which when they are come down to the bottom, there's a Cave between the Roof and the Pave "ment, being in breadth about two andauai, and in height not "above one; at the mouth of this, the Defcendent, having brought with him Cakes dipt in Honey, lies along on the Ground and fhoves himself Feet foremost into the Cave; then he thrufts in his "Knees, after which the reft of his Body is roll'd along, by a Force not unlike that of a great and rapid River, which over-powering a Man with its Vortex, tumbles him over Head and Ears. All that હ come within the Approach of the Oracle, have not their Answers "reveal'd the fame Way: Some gather their Refolves from outward "Appearances, others by word of Mouth; they all return the fame

way back, with their Feet foremost. Among all that have descended, 'twas never known that any was loft, except one of the Life"guard of Demetrius; and befides, 'tis credible the Reafon proceed"ed from the Neglect of the Rituals in his Defcent, and his ill Design; for he went not out of neceffity to confult, but out of an avaricious Humour, for the facrilegious Conveyance back of the Gold and "Silver, which was there religiously beftow'd; wherefore 'tis faid, "that his Carcafe was thrown out fome other way, and not at the "Entrance of the facred Shrine. Among the various Reports that fly "abroad concerning this Man, I've deliver'd to Pofterity the most "remarkable. The Priests, as foon as the Consultant is return'd, place him on Mnemofyne's Throne, which is not very far from "the Shrine; here they enquire of him, what he had seen or heard, which when he hath related, they deliver him to others, who "(as appointed for that Office) carry him ftupify'd with Amazement, and forgetful of himself, and thofe about him, to the Chapel * of Good Genius and Good Fortune, where he had made his former

* ftay

"ftay at his going down; here, after fome time, he's reftor'd to his "former Senfes, and the chearfulness of his Vifage returns again. What "I here relate, was not receiv'd at fecond-hand, but either as by ocular "Demonftration I have perceiv'd in others, or what I've prov'd true by my own Experience; for all Confultants are oblig'd to hang up engraven on a Tablet, what they have seen, or heard.

Thus far Paufanias. Plutarch's Relation concerns the Appearances exhibited to Confultants; which tho they were various, and feldom the fame, yet being a remarkable Story, I will give it you, as it is tranflated by the fame Hand.

"Timarchus, being a Youth of Liberal Education, and juft initi"ated in the Rudiments of Philofophy, was greatly defirous of know"ing the Nature and Efficacy of Socrates's Damon; wherefore commu"nicating his Project to no mortal Body but Me and Cebes, after the "Performance of all the Rituals requifite for Consultation, he de"fcended Trophonius's Cave; where having stay'd two Nights and one "Day, his return was wholly despair'd of, infomuch that his Friends bewail'd Him as dead: In the Morning he came up very brisk, and << in the first Place paid fome venerable Acknowledgments to the God; "after that having efcap'd the ftaring Rout, he laid open to us "a prodigious Relation of what he had feen or heard, to this Pur"pofe: In his Defcent, he was befet with a caliginous Mift, upon "which he pray'd, lying proftrate for a long time, and not having Senfe "enough to know whether he was awake or in a Dream. He fur

mifes, that he receiv'd a Blow on his Head, with fuch an echoing "Violence, as diffever'd the Sutures of his Skull, thro' which his Soul "migrated; and being difunited from the Body, and mixt with bright

and refin'd Air, with a feeming Contentment, began to breathe for a long time, and being dilated like a full Sail, was wider than "before. After this, having heard a fmall Noife, whistling in

his Ears a delightfom found; he look'd up, but faw not a Spot of "Earth, only Iflands reflecting a glimmering Flame, interchangeably "receiving different Colours, according to the various Degrees of

Light. They feem'd to be of an infinite Number, and of a ftupendous fize, not bearing an equal Parity betwixt one another in this, tho "they were all alike, viz. Globular: it may be conjectur'd, that the "Circumrotation of these mov'd the Ether, which occafion'd that

Whiftling, the gentle Pleasantness of which bore an adequate Agreement with their well-tim'd Motion. Between these there was "a Sea, or Lake, which spread out a Surface glittering with many "Colours, intermixt with an azure; fome of the Iflands floated in its "Stream, by which they were driven on the other fide of the Tor"rent; many others were carried to and fro, so that they were well"nigh funk. This Sea, for the most part, was very fhallow and for"dable, except towards the South, where 'twas of a great Depth; it very often ebb'd and flow'd, but not with a high Tide; fome part "of it had a natural Sea-colour, untainted with any other, as miry and muddy as any Lake: The Rapidnefs of the Torrent carry'd back thofe Islands from whence they had grounded, not fituating "them in the fame Place as at firft, or bringing them about with a

Circum

293 "Circumference; but in the gentle turning of them, the Water makes "one rifing Rowl: Betwixt thefe, the Sea feem'd to bend inwards a"bout (as near as he cou'd guess) eight parts of the whole. This Sea "had two Mouths, which were Inlets to boisterous Rivers, cafting out "fiery Foam, the flaming Brightnefs of which cover'd the best part "of its natural Azure. He was very much pleas'd at this Sight, until he "look'd down, and faw an immenfe Hiatus, refembling a hollow'd Sphere, of an amazing and dreadful Profundity: It had Darkness to a "Miracle ; not thin, but thicken'd, and agitated: Here he was feiz'd "with no fmall Fright, by the aftonishing Hubbubs, and Noises of all "Kinds, that feem'd to arife out of this Hollow, from an unfathomable "Bottom, viz. He heard an Infinity of Yells and Howlings of Beasts, "Cries and Bawlings of Children, confus'd with the Groans and Outrages of Men and Women. Not long after, he heard a Voice invifibly pronounce thefe Words.

What follows is nothing but a prolix and tedious Harangue upon vari ous Subjects. One thing there is more especially remarkable in this Account, viz. That he makes Timarchus to return from Consultation with a brisk and chearful Countenance; whereas 'tis commonly reported, that all the Confultants of this Oracle became penfive and melancholy; that their Tempers were four'd, and their Countenances, however gay and pleafant before, render'd dull and heavy: whence of any Perfon, dejected, melancholy, or too ferious, it was generally faid, sis Tepavís usuárтdra, i.e. He has been confulting the Oracle of Trophonius. But this is only to be understood of the Time immediately enfuing Confultation; for as we learn from Paufanias, all Enquirers recover'd their former Chearfulness in the Temple of Good Genius and Good Fortune.

CHAP. XI.

Of other Grecian Oracles.

Mphiaraus was the Son of Oicleus, and married Eriphyle the Sifter of Adrafus, King of Argos; he was an excellent Sooth-fayer, aud by his Skill forefaw, that it would prove fatal to him, if he engag'd himself in the Theban War. Wherefore, to avoid inevitable Deftruction, he hid himself, but was discover'd by his Wife Eriphyle, whom Polynices had corrupted with a Prefent of a golden Chain. Being dif cover'd, he was oblig'd by Adraftus to accompany the Army to Thebes, where, as he had foretold, together with his Chariot and Horfes, he was fwallow'd up by the Earth; whence Ovid faith of him,

Notus humo merfis Amphiaraus equis.

Some fay this Accident happen'd in the Way betwixt Thebes and Chalcis, and for that Reason the Place is call'd Apua, i. e. a Chariot, to this Day, faith Paufanias (a).

(a) Atticis.

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