Full Answer
What prophecy did the oracle of Delphi give to Acrisius?
While acting as the ruler of Argos, Acrisius went to the Oracle of Delphi where he received a somewhat frightening prophecy. The oracle told him that his grandson will end his life and it does not matter where he goes to hide, that will be his fate.
How was the oracle given to King Acrisius fulfilled?
Explain how the oracle given to king acrisius was fulfilled. Since King Acrisius found out that the oracle has prophesied that he will eventually be killed by his grandson, he quickly put his daughter, Danae, in a locked tower. But the gods intervened when a disguised Zeus entered the tower and freed Danae, resulting to the birth of Perseus,...
How did Acrisius kill his grandfather?
During the games, a bad throw of the discus by Perseus resulted in hitting Acrisius on the head, causing his grandfather’s instant death, and thus fulfilling the prophecy of the oracle. Who was Acrisius? In Greek mythology, Acrisius was the king of Argos, son of Abas and Aglaea and twin brother of Proetus.
Who is Acrisius in Greek mythology?
In Greek mythology, Acrisius was the king of Argos, son of Abas and Aglaea and twin brother of Proetus. When their father died, Acrisius slyly possessed all of the inheritance and expelled his brother.
Why did Acrisius visit the oracle at Delphi?
So, Acrisius “journeyed to Delphi to ask Apollo if there was any hope that some day he would be the father of a boy”. To his disappointment, the Oracle foretold that Acrisius would never have a son, and to make matters worse, that his own grandson would kill him.
What was the Oracle of Delphi told about King Acrisius?
The Oracle of Delphi tells King Acrisius that his daughter, Danae, will give birth to a son who'll kill him one day. Totally freaked out, Acrisius locks Danae in a bronze chamber that's open to the sky. Zeus sees Danae locked in the chamber and falls for her.
How was the oracle given to King Acrisius?
How was the Oracle's prophecy given to king Acrisius fulfilled? The Oracle's prophecy was fulfilled when Acrisius in his old age was struck by a discus that was innocently thrown by Perseus in a game.
What terrible news did King Acrisius receive from the Oracle of Delphi?
I shall consult the oracle." Page 2 He sent to the oracle at Delphi, and the messenger returned with this prophecy: "Your daughter will bear a son who will one day kill you." Acrisius had the messenger beheaded for bringing bad news and retired to his throne-room to continue his brooding.
What did King Acrisius do?
As his daughter was childless at the time, Acrisius incarcerated her so as to remain a virgin. However, Zeus, who had fallen in love with her, sneaked into her cell and impregnated her. Acrisius, enraged that his daughter now had a child, locked both of them in a chest and threw it into the sea.
What happened King Acrisius?
Coming back to Seriphos he took his mother thence, and made for Argos, but by stress of weather came to Thessaly, and there, at Larissa, accomplished the prophecy, by unwittingly slaying Acrisius. In the end he founded the city of Mycenae, and died there.
What is the oracle that was delivered to King Acrisius?
The dreadful oracle that was delivered to King Acrisius is that his daughter, Danae, would bear a son and that his grandson will in the future be the cause of his death. For a King who wanted to have an heir and did not have any, his only daughter served as his only light of hope.
Who is the father of Perseus?
ZeusPerseus was the son of Zeus and Danaë, the daughter of Acrisius of Argos. As an infant he was cast into the sea in a chest with his mother by Acrisius, to whom it had been prophesied that he would be killed by his grandson.
Why is Perseus Medusa backwards?
Because the power Medusa embodied she was now a target of Perseus. Perseus wanted to save his mom into being forced in marriage with the King. And so of Perseus brought back Medusa head his mom could be saved. Perseus then went on a journey he had an encounter with the gray sisters.
Why did Acrisius want to get rid of Perseus How does he do that?
What does he do to them instead? He was afraid to kill Danae and Perseus because he feared Zeus and the other gods. Acrisius instead puts them in a chest and throws them on the sea.
When Perseus visited the oracle of Apollo at Delphi he was told to go find the?
Thus it was that Perseus too came to Delphi, some 25 years after Acrisius had come. He told the oracle of his plight, asking where he could find the Gorgons and how he could possibly protect himself against their terrible power.
Why do you think King Acrisius so badly wanted his daughter to have a son?
He was told by a god that he would not have a son, only a daughter, and his daughter would have a son that would kill him. So Acrisius locked Danae up so no one could enter and she couldn't leave. This would ensure Danae wouldn't have any kids.
What did the oracle of Delphi say?
The Oracle said that the time to revive classical Greek culture has passed, Apollo is dead. Some say that the reason for this answer was that there was no “narcotic” gas (narcotic derived from Narcissus) coming anymore from the ground in Delphi that was used to set the Pythia in trance.
What did the oracle of Delphi tell Croesus?
War against Persia and defeat In a likely legendary event recounted by Herodotus, Croesus responded by consulting the oracle of Delphi, who told him that he would "destroy a great empire" should he attack Cyrus. This answer of the Delphian oracle remains one of the famous oracular statements from Delphi.
What did the oracle at Delphi say about Oedipus when he was born?
Brief Summary One day, Oedipus goes to the Oracle of Delphi to find out who his real parents are. The Oracle doesn't see fit to tell him this, but she does tell him that he's destined to kill his father and sleep with his mother.
What did the oracle at Delphi say about Socrates?
The Oracle of Delphi, which found the sum of human wisdom in the expression "Know thyself," also said that there was no man wiser than Socrates, from which one might conclude that no man knew himself better than Socrates.
Why did Croesus want to test the oracles?
Croesus wanted to be absolutely sure that the oracles were accurate in their predictions, and weren’t just making stuff up to cheat gullible people out of their gold. He decided to test them.
Who did Croesus sacrifice to?
Croesus was impressed that she knew his strange recipe. He immediately made a rich sacrifice to Apollo, the god who supposedly guided the Delphic oracle.
What did Croesus dream about?
He dreamed that snakes were swarming through the streets of Sardis until horses came down from the fields, and ate all the snakes. He wondered what the meaning of this strange dream could be - but by the time he found out, it was too late.
Why did Croesus say "It is time to flee"?
This reply pleased Croesus even more because he reasoned that the Medes would never choose a mule for their leader and he would not have to flee. Also, on the advice of the oracle, he made a treaty of friendship with the Greeks who lived in Sparta.
What does "if Croesus goes to war" mean?
The Delphic Oracle replied as follows: If Croesus goes to war, he will destroy a great empire. And that, is probably the most famous prophesy of all time, famous not for its accuracy so much as for its ambiguity. Ambiguity means that it could be understood in more than one way.
What did Croesus choose to understand?
But the one and only way in which Croesus chose to understand it was this: that if he went to war against the Persians, the Persian empire would fall. When Croesus received this answer from the Pythian Priestess of Delphi, he was pleased he sent her more gifts.
What was Croesus's son's name?
At his side was his one remaining son. You may recall, that his other son, Atys, had been killed in a hunting accident. This surviving son was dumb - which meant that he was unable to speak. Croesus had tried everything to cure this boy of his affliction, and had even consulted the Delphic oracle about him. The oracle’s reply was telling - because she had warned.
Who is Acrisius' father?
He was the twin brother of Proetus and the half brother of Lyrcus. Acrisius was father by Eurydice or Aganippe of Danae and thus grandfather of the hero Perseus through her. His other daughter was Evarete, wife of King Oenomaus of Pisa in Elis.
Where did Perseus go when he was in Argos?
Perseus and Danaë return to Argos with Andromeda, but King Acrisius has gone to Larissa. When Perseus arrives in Larissa, he participates in funeral games and accidentally strikes Acrisius on the head with a discus, killing him and fulfilling the prophecy.
Who was the founder of the Delphic amphictyony?
According to the Scholiast on Euripides, Acrisius was the founder of the Delphic amphictyony. Strabo believes that this amphictyony existed before the time of Acrisius, and that he was only the first who regulated the affairs of the amphictyons, fixed the towns which were to take part in the council, gave to each its vote, and settled the jurisdiction of the amphictyons.
Who was the king of Argos?
Jump to navigation Jump to search. Ancient Greek mythological King of Argos. In Greek mythology, Acrisius ( / əˈkraɪsiəs /; Ancient Greek: Ἀκρίσιος) was a king of Argos. He was the grandfather of the famous Greek demi-god Perseus .
Who does Zeus ask Poseidon to calm the water?
Zeus asks Poseidon to calm the water; he does and Danaë and Perseus survive, washing up on the island of Seriphos. A fisherman named Dictys, brother of King Polydectes, finds the pair and takes care of them. Perseus grows up to be a hero, killing Medusa and rescuing Andromeda.
Who expelled Proetus from his inheritance?
Acrisius and Proetus was said to have quarrelled even in the womb of their mother and when Abas died and Acrisius had grown up, he expelled Proetus from his inheritance. On his exile, Proetus was supported by his father-in-law Iobates, the Lycian, Proetus returned, and Acrisius was compelled to share his kingdom with his brother by giving Tiryns to him, while he retained Argos for himself.
Who was Acrisius?
In Greek mythology, Acrisius was the king of Argos, son of Abas and Aglaea and twin brother of Proetus. When their father died, Acrisius slyly possessed all of the inheritance and expelled his brother.
Why did Acrisius imprison his daughter?
As his daughter was childless at the time, Acrisius incarcerated her so as to remain a virgin. However, Zeus, who had fallen in love with her, sneaked into her cell and impregnated her. Acrisius, enraged that his daughter now had a child, locked both of them in a chest and threw it into the sea.
Where was Acrisius' chest found?
Many years later, Acrisius moved to the city of Larissa and attended at some funeral games, in which his grandson participated, unbeknown to either of them.
Who was the king of Argos?
Acrisius. In Greek mythology, Acrisius was the king of Argos, son of Abas and Aglaea and twin brother of Proetus. When their father died, Acrisius slyly possessed all of the inheritance and expelled his brother.
Who was the ruler of Tiryns?
However, assisted by his father – in – law Iobates, Proetus managed to take his share of the kingdom and became the ruler of the city of Tiryns. Acrisius had one daughter, Danae; after consulting the Oracle of Delphi, he found out that he would be killed by his daughter’s son.
What is the Oracle of Delphi?
The Oracle of Delphi has fascinated civilizations as both an institution and a concept across the millennia. There are a plethora of ancient sources which refer to the oracle, from the 5th-century BC poet, Pindar, to the 2nd-century AD geographer, Pausanias. Delphi has also captivated later artists and writers.
Why was Delphi important?
One of the many reasons why Delphi became so important was due to its independence. Delphi’s location in Greece meant that it was not attached to any of the large and powerful city-states, such as Athens, Sparta or Corinth.
What is the name of the dragon that rotted in the scorching sun?
After killing the dragon with his arrows, its body rotted in the scorching sun. The Greek for ‘to rot’ is pythein and this is thought to be the origin of the Pythia’s name. Delphi itself was formerly known as Pytho in the Bronze Age. Apollo and Python by JMW Turner, 1811, via Tate, London.
What was the most powerful religious institution in ancient Greece?
The Oracle of Delphi was one of the most powerful religious institutions in ancient Greece. Read on for why the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi held such importance.
Why was the Oracle only available for consultation?
For three months of the year, during winter, there were no consultations. It was believed that this was because Apollo sought warmer climes during the colder months. Consultation was, therefore, only possible for nine days of the year.
What happened to Pythia in the temple?
Later ancient sources mention a chasm in the floor of the temple. From this opening, some sort of vapor apparently rose up and was inhaled by the Pythia. She then entered a type of trance and uttered forth the divine words of Apollo.
When was the sanctuary of Apollo rebuilt?
Reconstruction of the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi by Albert Tournaire, 1894, in École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Art. By the 5th century BC, Delphi had become the most important oracular sanctuary in Greece. It attracted visitors from across the Greek world and beyond, from places such as Asia Minor and Egypt.
How Did the Oracle of Delphi Work?
Sacrifices were offered by the supplicants, adorned with laurel crowns and fillets of wool. Having prepared herself by washing and purification, the Pythia entered the sanctuary, with gold ornaments in her hair, and flowing robes upon her; she drank of the water of the fountain Cassotis, which flowed into the shrine, tasted the fruit of the old bay tree standing in the chamber, and took her seat.
Why Was the Oracle at Delphi Important?
The oracles at Delphi specifically channeled the god Apollo.
What Does Oracle Mean?
By definition, an oracle can be a priestess or priest who serves as a medium to provide prophecies or advice. It can also be the place where such prophecies are given, or it can be the prophecy itself. For the sake of clarity, in this article, the word oracle will usually refer to the priestess, seer, prophetess, medium, or Sibyl.
What Were the Fumes Below the Oracle?
Analyses of the ground and rocks below the temple indicate the presence of ethylene, a sweet-smelling gas, ethane, and methane. These gases flowed to the surface at this spot and could have resulted in delirium and ecstasy. ( Spiller et al. ).
What does Caroline Teti argue about the drug-induced oracle?
Caroline Teti argues that the idea of the drug-induced oracle is overplayed by many modern researchers. She indicates that there are several descriptions of the Pythia as a sane, composed, and calm individual during oracular readings. Those women, she proposes, used divine inspiration rather than drugs to predict the future. Even in the case of a drug-induced woman in a frenzy, her prophecies, assuming them to contain some truth, could not have come from the drugs themselves.
Why did people pay Pythia?
Although anyone could see the Pythia at Delphi for a price — usually an animal sacrifice or valuable votive offering — wealthy people and heads of state paid the oracle well for preferential treatment. Through her, they heard the will of the gods on essential matters, such as military campaigns or auspicious places to found a new colony.
What was sacrificed to the gods in the temple?
The sacrifice of a goat or sheep ensured that the gods looked upon her favorably. The southwest corner of the temple of Apollo held a special room called the adyton, which sat below the floor of the temple and was accessible by a set of stairs. Bay leaves (laurel) were a sacred symbol of Apollo and hung in the room and also burned as incense. The seer sat on a gilded wooden tripod placed over an opening in the ground from which fumes rose. Not far from the oracle sat the omphalos stone representing the center of the world. The Pythia began by inducing her divine trance.
