As the sun rises over Delphi in 500 BCE, Aristonike hurries to the temple of Apollo. Like all Greeks, she's known the legend of Delphi since childhood. Two eagles released by Zeus from opposite ends of the Earth met on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, identifying Delphi as the center of the world. Marking this spot was a mysterious stone guarded by a legendary serpent called the pytho. But when Apollo killed the pytho, he made Delphi his home— establishing the city as the best place in the world to seek guidance directly from the God of Prophecy.
Well, almost directly. At any given time, a single oracle known as the Pythia communicates Apollo’s will. Reserved only for women, this is the most important job in the city— and one that Aristonike will soon have to take on as the current Pythia-in-training. Despite serving in the Temple of Apollo for many years, Aristonike is still uncertain that she’s wise enough to fulfill this role. But these doubts will have to wait. Today she’ll be shadowed by officials from the city’s governing council. If her performance meets their standards, this is the day she’ll become the new Oracle of Delphi.
In the heart of the temenos, or sacred enclosure, Aristonike greets the current Oracle and the city officials. The group joins the procession to the Castilian Spring, where the Pythia performs a purification ceremony to prepare for a day of prophecy. To establish whether Apollo is willing to be consulted, Aristonike brings water from the spring to the temple priests, who sprinkle it on a goat. If the goat shudders, it will be a prophecy day. If not, travelers from as far away as modern day Sicily, Egypt, and Afghanistan will have to wait an entire month to consult the Oracle again.
Fortunately, Apollo is in a communicative mood. Delphians are first in line, most seeking advice about business or marriage. Following the locals are other Greeks and then non-Greeks, including ambassadors from great cities who plan to ask about whether to go to war, or where they should found new colonies. Most supplicants bring two options for the Pythia to choose between, alongside the obligatory sacrificial cake.
Aristonike reports back to the Pythia, pointing out important figures and sharing some of their concerns— all while the city counselor takes notes on her performance. Then the Pythia disappears into her oracular chamber known as the adyton. Inside, she’ll channel the inspiration of Apollo, uttering ambiguous prophecies the questioners must interpret.
The adyton is the one place in the temple Aristonike isn’t allowed to go. So while consultations continue, the Oracle-in-training sets off to collect wood for the temple’s eternal flame. While gathering branches from the sacred laurel trees, Aristonike spies wealthy Greeks training for the upcoming Pythian Games. Second in importance only to the Olympics, these games bring great riches and attention to Delphi. Typically, Aristonike would pause to admire the athletes, but today she’s more focused on impressing her observer. Taking the exact amount of branches necessary, she hurries back to the temple for her long awaited evaluation.
The counselor who shadowed her shares his notes with the other officials, and after a brief discussion, their leader nods. He endorses Aristonike as the new Oracle— and the Pythia offers Apollo’s blessing on their verdict.
Approaching Aristonike beside the sacred hearth, the Pythia finally unveils the secrets of her trade. Passed directly from one Oracle to the next, no history book will ever record these details. But the Pythia’s insights will guide all of Aristonike’s future prophecies— shaping wars, politics, and relationships for years to come, and making Aristonike one of the most powerful women in the ancient world. As the Pythia concludes her final lesson, she points to two inscriptions on the temple walls: “know yourself” and “nothing in excess.” Left alone to ponder these ideas, Aristonike feels the first touch of Apollo’s inspiration— the insight that keeping an open mind may be more important than finding a single answer.
