GREEK MYTHOSThe Godsunder Codex · Places

DELPHI (sanctuary in Phocis)

Ancient town in Fokida, Greece

Also called: Pytho
Kind of place: Sanctuary
Region: Phocis
Patron: Apollo
Landmarks: Great House of Apollo Hymn XXVII to Artemis ll. 1-20; Altar set up by the Chians (Apollo) Herodotus 2.135.4; Cirrha Pausanias 10.37.8
People of myth here: Ion Son of Xuthus, Iphitus, Son of Naubolus, Machaereus, Phoebe, Pythia, Python, Schedius, Themis, Xenocleia, Apollo, Hestia
Where: 38.48° N, 22.50° E

The location was given the title of the Navel of the earth. Strabo 9.3.6 The site is rocky and shaped like a theatre. Strabo 9.3.3 Apollo's temple is located in this town. Euripides, Ion 1-40

Described in the sources

Delphi is the location of the oracle of Apollo, which was once held in the highest veneration. Ovid, Heroides 21.214 +3 Cirrha is the port serving the town of Delphi, located below Cirphis near the sea where the river Pleistus flows into the sea. Pausanias 10.1.2 +3 Delphi is located in the most westerly parts of Phocis, where it is described as the citadel and one of the two most celebrated cities of the region. Euripides, Orestes 1069-1104 +3 The temple at Delphi holds a pre-eminence due to its celebrity. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 2.95 ¶1 +2 The Pythian priestess resided at this site and delivered oracles, including one regarding Asclepius's birth. Herodotus 1.19.3 +2 The site was known by the name Pytho in addition to Delphi. Pausanias 10.6.5 +1 Delphi is described as occupying the central spot of the world. Ovid Met. 10.162-219 +1 Battus traveled to Delphi to seek an oracle regarding his voice. Herodotus 4.155.2 +1 Croesus dedicated offerings at Delphi that were his own property. Herodotus 1.51.1 +1 Telephus traveled to Delphi to seek an oracle regarding his parents. Apollodorus 3.9.1 +1

Gods and worship

The Pythian priestess resided at this site and delivered oracles, including directing Leonymus to White Island, issuing religious instructions, advising the Metapontines to obey a vision, delivering hexameter verses to the Lydians, delivering a prophecy to the Thebans, and delivering a message from Apollo about founding a city. Herodotus 1.167.2 +4 The site contains votive offerings dedicated to Apollo, including bronze figures representing a sacrifice and procession. Pausanias 10.18.5 +1 The Greeks vowed to dedicate surrendered possessions to the god of Delphi if they won, sent first-fruits to this location to offer to the god, and inquired of the god here if he was content with their offerings. Herodotus 7.132.2 +1 The god gives oracles to men from this location. Euripides, Ion 1-40 The god was unable to reverse the orders of Jupiter. Ovid Met. 2.676-707 A god residing here provided an oracle to the Phocians. Pausanias 10.1.4

Stories and history

The Gallic army under Brennus attacked the town. Athenaeus 6.25 +2 The Phocians plundered the temple, causing a conflict known as the Sacred War. Athenaeus 12.43 +2 The Phocians took control of the sanctuary and town at Delphi during the presidency of Heracleides. Athenaeus 6.19 +2 Nero removed five hundred bronze statues from Delphi, including the statue of Hydna. Pausanias 10.19.2 +1 A portion of Xerxes' army marched to plunder the temple at Delphi and present its wealth to him. Herodotus 8.35.2 +1 The Gauls plundered the sanctuary at Delphi, eager to sack the town and steal the god's treasures. Diodorus 5.32 +1 The men of Delphi ambushed and killed the young warrior Neoptolemos near the temple by striking him and throwing stones and darts at him. Euripides, Andromache 1047-1084 +1 The prophet at Delphi has been killed. Statius, Thebaid 9.510-537 ¶1 The wife of Philomelus captured the town. Athenaeus 6.86 Delphi provided an oracle to the Athenians. Pausanias 5.21.7

Myths set at Delphi

In the age of the gods

Before the heroes. In Godsunder these are history: everyone in the world knows them.

The Transfer of the Delphic Oracle. Themis, the titaness of divine order, holds the oracular seat at Delphi before being displaced. She consents to the transfer of the oracle to Apollo, assisting him in establishing it for humanity's benefit. Aeschylus, Eumenides 1-33 +5 Themis
The Slaying of the Python. hook: "Latona defends her newborn son from the Python in a cave at Delphi.", "goal: "Latona commands her infant son to slay the serpent.", "outcome: "The infant son kills the serpent while held by his mother."}, Athenaeus 15.62 +1 Leto

In the age of heroes

The Construction of the Delphic Temple. Trophonius and his brother Agamedes set out to build the temple for Apollo at Delphi. Trophonius kills Agamedes to prevent him from being tortured for information, ending the construction project. Hymn III to Delian Apollo ll. 294-299 +5 Trophonius
The Contest with Apollo over the Tripod. Heracles, accused of murder and denied an oracle, attempts to steal the Delphic tripod to create his own prophecy. Zeus intervenes to stop the resulting fight with Apollo, leading to the tripod's return. Apollodorus 2.6.2 +5 Heracles
The Death of Neoptolemus and Peleus's Exile. hook: Peleus laments the death of his son Neoptolemus and the destruction of his household, believing his family line has ended. goal: Thetis instructs Peleus to bury the corpse at Delphi and then move to a cave to become a god. outcome: Peleus agrees to stop grieving and follow Thetis's plan to dwell with Nereus as an immortal deity. Euripides, Andromache 1173-1183 +5 Peleus
The Death of Neoptolemus at Delphi. Neoptolemus travels to Delphi, either to demand justice for his father or to atone for past actions, but is targeted by Orestes and the local crowd. He is killed at the altar of Apollo, with his body cast out and his remains later gathered for burial. Aeneid 3.320 +5 Neoptolemus
The Journey to Delphi. hook: "Creusa and her husband Xuthus travel to the oracle at Delphi to seek a divine answer regarding their childless marriage.", "goal": "Creusa seeks a secret oracle answer about having children while keeping her specific inquiry hidden from her husband.", "outcome": "Creusa prays for success in their journey home after receiving instructions from her husband."} Apollodorus 3.15.1 +5
The Murder of Iphitus and the Quest for Purification. Heracles, driven mad, kills his friend Iphitus and suffers a dire disease, prompting him to seek purification and an oracle's guidance. He is purified by Deiphobus but is ultimately punished by Zeus with slavery for using deceit in the murder. Apollodorus 2.6.2 +5 Heracles
The Murder of Laius. Laius, King of Thebes, travels in a chariot to Delphi but is ambushed and killed by a group of men, including his own son Oedipus, who does not know his identity. The murder is later avenged, and Laius is buried at a crossroads where his tomb remains. Apollodorus 3.5.7 +5 Laius
The Rescue of Creusa from Stoning. Creusa, a royal bride, is condemned to death by stoning after a vote at Delphi. She flees to the altar of Apollo to save herself from her pursuers. Euripides, Ion 1106-1131 +5
The Search for Europa. After Europa is carried off by a mighty god, her father Agenor and brother Cadmus set out to find her. Cadmus searches a wide territory, visits Delphi and Thebes, and eventually stops at Thera, but fails to locate her. Apollodorus 3.1.1 +5 Europa
The Service to Eurystheus. Zeus persuades Hera to allow Heracles to serve Eurystheus for twelve labours, and Heracles journeys to Delphi to inquire about this service. Heracles eventually appears at Eurystheus's court, feeling that his high achievements do not deserve servitude to an inferior. Athenaeus 13.80 +5 Heracles
The Shipwreck of Ceyx. Ceyx, distressed by his brother's fate, sets out to consult the oracle at Delphi but is lost at sea. He drowns in a storm, calling out to his wife Halcyone until a wave silences him. Ovid Met. 11.410-748 +5 Ceyx
The Cure of Battus's Stammer. hook: A boy born with a stammer travels to Delphi to seek a cure for his voice. goal: He seeks to resolve his speech impediment after receiving repeated oracles. outcome: He is cured of his stammering after a frightening encounter with lions. Herodotus 4.155.1 +4

23 more

The Journey to Delphi for Legislation. Lycurgus traveled to the oracle at Delphi to seek guidance on the specific laws he should establish for the Lacedaemonians. He visited Delphi to obtain divine ordinances for his legislation. Herodotus 1.65.2 +4
The Marriage to Helenus. hook: "Andromache marries Helenus after the death of Pyrrhus at Delphi." goal: "She is required to live in the Molossian land and keep the surviving child of the line of Aeacus." outcome: "A line of prosperous kings of Molossia descends from her son, Molossus, who shares her fate of death."} Euripides, Andromache 1231-1283 +4 Andromache
The Prophecy of Oedipus's Doom. Phoebus delivers a terrifying prophecy to Oedipus that he will kill his father and defile his mother's bed. Oedipus leaves Delphi without the specific knowledge he sought, but the god fulfills the old prophecies stored in his mind. Seneca, Oedipus act 1 ¶1 +4 Apollo
Helenus' Marriage to Andromache. Helenus marries Andromache after the death of Pyrrhus at Delphi. They settle in Molossia, where their son Cestrinus is born and a line of prosperous kings begins. Euripides, Andromache 1231-1283 +3 Helenus
The Journey to Delphi and Mysia. Telephus travels to Delphi to learn his origins and then sails to Mysia to find his mother. He is rescued by King Teuthras, who raises him as his own son. Apollodorus 3.9.1 +3 Telephus
The Slaying of Neoptolemus at Delphi. Orestes, driven by enmity over a marriage dispute, conspires with allies to ambush Neoptolemus at Delphi. He kills the son of Achilles, and in some versions, loots the temple and burns it. Apollodorus, Epitome 6.14 +3 Orestes
The Suicide of Menoeceus. An oracle demands the death of the latest born of the serpent-brood to save Thebes from an invading army. Menoeceus kills himself to fulfill this demand, causing intense grief for his father Creon. Apollodorus 3.6.7 +3 Menoeceus
The Purification by Achelous. Alcmaeon, having married Callirrhoe and settled in the land of the river Achelous, is commanded by an oracle to undergo a trial at the river. He is purified by the river god Achelous and subsequently dedicates sacred items at Delphi as commanded. Apollodorus 3.7.5 +2 Alcmaeon
The Burning of the Temple. Pyrrhus attacks the sanctuary at Delphi, though another account claims the temple was destroyed by sudden fire rather than his actions. The story ends with the destruction of the temple in Corinthian territory. Pausanias 10.7.1 +1 Neoptolemus
The Capture of Tiresias by the Argives. The Argives and sons of Polyneices capture Thebes and take the prophet Teiresias as spoil. They transport him to Delphi to give him to Apollo, while also giving his daughter to the god. Pausanias 9.33.1 +1 Tiresias
The Conflict with Menelaus. Neoptolemus, a worthy descendant of Achilles, faces a threat to his life from Menelaus at a goddess's shrine. He is destined to die by a sword from Delphi and seek revenge against Apollo for his father's death. Euripides, Andromache 309-383 +1 Neoptolemus
The Conquest of the Dryopes. Heracles receives divine instructions to bring the Dryopes to the Peloponnese. He conquers the people of Asine, breaches their city walls, and offers the captured Dryopes to Apollo at Delphi. Pausanias 4.34.10 +1 Heracles
The Dedication of the Royal Seat. hook: Midas possesses a royal seat used for giving judgment. goal: Midas seeks to dedicate his royal judgment seat as an offering at Delphi. outcome: Midas places the seat in the same location as Gyges's bowls. Herodotus 1.14.2 +1 Midas
The Dedication of the Statue of Arcas at Delphi. The Tegeans dedicated a statue of Arcas at Delphi after capturing Lacedaemonian attackers. The story ends with the statue's dedication following the military victory. Pausanias 10.34.2 +1 Arcas
The Epigoni's Revenge. The sons of Polyneices join the Argives to capture Thebes and transport spoils to Delphi. Polyneikes is slain by a swift Erinys before his brother Thersander. Pausanias 9.33.1 +1 Polynices
The Exile and Journey to Theseus. hook: "Heracles, driven mad and having killed his children, exiles himself and travels to Delphi to ask the god where he should live.", "goal": "He seeks a place to hide from the world and begs Theseus to restore him to the underworld and chain him.", "outcome": "Theseus tells him his land awaits his arrival, and Mars will wash clean his hands and give back his arms."}, Apollodorus 2.4.12 +1 Heracles
The Punishment of Coroebus at Delphi. Coroebus killed the personification of Vengeance to appease Argos and voluntarily went to Delphi to accept divine punishment. He was forbidden from returning to Argos, ordered to carry a tripod out of the sanctuary, and instructed to build a temple where it fell. Pausanias 1.43.7 +1 Coroebus
The Purification of Alcmaeon. Alcmaeon, driven away from the Thesprotians, seeks purification at the springs of the river god Achelous. He is purified by the river, colonizes the silt land it created, and is instructed to dedicate a necklace and robe at Delphi. Apollodorus 3.7.5 +1 Achelous
The Settlement of Podalirius in Caria. Podalirius consults the oracle at Delphi to find a safe home, receiving a cryptic instruction about a falling sky. He eventually settles in Syrnus in Caria, having been diverted from his original route home after Troy's fall. Apollodorus, Epitome 6.18 +1 Podalirius
Jocasta and the Oracle of Laius. Jocasta tells her brothers they must consult the Delphic oracle to prove they are sons of Laius, who is identified as their natural father in this version. The oracle delivered to Cadmus from Delphi applies specifically to her and her sons. Pausanias 9.26.3 Jocasta
The Consultation at Delphi. Menelaus consults the god at Delphi about avenging Paris. The god instructs him to bring Helen's golden neck ornament, promising that Paris will fall if he does. Athenaeus 6.22 Menelaus
The Oracle of Delphi. Hyllus travels to Delphi to seek divine guidance on how to return the Heraclids to their ancestral lands. After interpreting the oracle's command to wait for the third crop as three years, he leads the army back to the Peloponnese. Apollodorus 2.8.2 Hyllus
The Search for the Descendant of Pelops. hook: An oracle from Delphi commands the king to find a descendant of Pelops. goal: He sets out to locate and bring this specific lineage to serve as a co-founder. outcome: He discovers Agorius, a descendant of Orestes, and brings him along with a small group of Achaeans from Helice. Pausanias 5.4.3 Oxylus