Greece: Delphi - Day 11

    I had to dedicate a singular post to Delphi because it was the absolute highlight of my trip. When I first learned I would be going on a Biblical tour through Greece I didn't suspect that we would be going anywhere near Delphi because it is the most antithetically Biblical site in Greece. Delphi, is the sacred cult center of the god of light, music, and poetry: Apollo. It is the place where the famous Pythian oracle did her soothsaying, and it was probably the most important religious site in all of ancient Greece. As far as we know, Paul never visited Delphi. Even though this is not an important Biblical site, per say, it was one of those few sites I had always dreamed of visiting. 

   When I was younger, there was a period of time where I was quite enthralled by Greek mythology. I don't read mythology as a pass time anymore because I don't believe it is a good use of my time, but I still do read it for education because I think it is vital to understand the cultures that made up the Biblical world and that inevitably shaped ours. So, even though I no longer indulge in the fantastic and enchanting myths of ancient Greece in the same way I used to, I still have a fondness for some of the characters from those myths. One of those characters is Apollo. Apollo and Hermes were my favorite duo and when I played video games, I would even use "Apollo0fDelphi" as my gamer tag. I still use this nickname for various things. Beyond this, I had always wanted to see Delphi because I knew that it was a small site hidden away in the mountains. My imagination had turned the descriptions of Delphi into a mysterious and wild site, not yet pried from the grasp of the dense forest which enveloped it. It was the kind of place that, I felt, if you were quiet enough, you could probably still "hear" the nymphs laughing in the whisper of the fir trees. I even wrote a short story for school based on the idea of Delphi I had in my mind. 

   So, when my professor sent us a list of potential sites for us to write our report on, I was shocked and elated to see Delphi among the sites. I spent much of my free time at Bogi working on my six page report, and it was a happy reprieve from doing German. Along with this, I was working on a report for my art history professor, Mrs. Giselle, on idealism in Greek athletic votive statues. Since Delphi was one of the four primary sites for the Panhellenic Games, my research converged to give me a rich look at Delphi's religious and cultural history, of which it had both in excess because it was one of the only neutral cities in the entirety of Greece where all Greek were equal and war and disagreements were set aside. 

   Before we arrived in Delphi, we still had quite a long drive from Thermopylae. Delphi is situated on the slope of Mount Parnassus and it overlooks the Gulf of Corinth. It is deep within the wild terrain of the  Pindus mountain range. During this drive through the twists and turns, I presented my research to the entire tour group. I had been looking forward to presenting my research the entire week and I had rehearsed my script multiple times. However, when it came time to present, I was entirely out of breath and my excitement stole any eloquence I had tried to maintain. Even so, my professor loved what I presented and never quite forgot the message I gave that day. He recently asked me to publish my work in the Institute of Archaeology Newsletter. I happily obliged. I will share that article after recounting my own experience in Delphi. 

   We weren't scheduled to go to the site of Delphi until the next morning. Until then, we would stay in a nearby village. As the sun set over the mountains we made a sharp turn that led us into a new valley. I gasped. I was in a completely foreign country, yet I knew exactly where we were. I recognized the bend of the valley, the little sliver of blue ocean off in the distance. We had reached the Pleistos River Valley and I was able to point to the exact place I knew Delphi sat. What a strange feeling, to recognize a place you have never been. 

   That night, we stayed in a cute little hotel on the mountain and as if my mind wasn't already full of enough adventure and imagination at this point, Erin recounted her college days when she travelled to Siwa alone and got stuck in the desert with the Bedouins during a sandstorm, contracted a deadly virus, was eventually left at a train station to die, crawled on the train to Cairo, and was nursed back to health by the owners of a local hotel. Erin is one of the most refined and elegant people I have ever meant. She has a kind and genuine soul. If I didn't already look up to her, this story sealed the deal. I went to bed that night thinking about how I was living out my own adventures. 

   That morning I walked out the lobby to find this old man and his kid. 

  This seemed fitting, since legend has it that the sacred site of Delphi was found by a shepherd and his goats. The little kid wanted to come with us and even tried to get on our bus. I would have let him, but Erin said no. :( 

The gentleman let me feed him some olive branches. 

And then, it was off to Delphi. As we drove, we could see the sacred Amfissa olive grove at the bottom of the valley. The grove is about 5,000 years old and is one of the oldest in the world. When we finally arrived at Delphi, I didn't really know what to do with myself. This felt like the climax of everything I had worked for up to that point. It was the moment little me would have balked at, the moment she would have never even conceived of. This felt more personal. As I stood at the museum, barely able to glance a few broken stone walls along the steep slope, my mind filled in the all the blanks. I knew where everything was even though I could not yet see the site. And when I realized that I knew exactly how to get around, which paths to take, what ruins I would see. I began to cry. It wasn't the kind of cry where I felt it well up in my throat. Just, all of a sudden, there were warm tears streaming down my cheeks and I was smiling.

   My professor told me later that when he saw me crying, he almost cried too. 

   We visited the museum first, which was very exciting since there are many important artifacts in the museum, some of which I had studied for my art history paper. 

This stone is called the Omphalos. The Greeks believed
that Delphi was the center of the earth, and this stone marked its naval. 

   Delphi is a very geologically significant location. It is located on the Delphi Fault, which led to the formation of the severe landscape, deep valleys, gurgling springs, and caves that made the site a place of mystery and spirituality for the ancients. Mythologically, Delphi is believed to be the place where Apollo defeated the serpent of Gaia, Python. The account of Python writhing around and making an "awful noise" probably refers to a devastating earthquake that shook the area. Earthquakes are still common in this region today. It's geological situation is the reason it was associated so closely with Gaia, the goddess of the earth, and probably the reason it was accepted as the center of the earth as well. 

   In fact, the Temple of Apollo is also linked to the geological formation of Delphi. As I wrote in my paper, "The Roman author Strabo says, “the seat of the oracle is a cavern hollowed down in the depths … from which arises pneuma [vapor] that inspired a divine state of possession.” This description matches one of the current geological understandings of Delphi, which shows that the Delphi Fault runs underneath the temple of Apollo, and possibly even intersects with another fault there. Geologists suspect that fissures created by these faults could have admitted gases, which may have had psychedelic effects... the previous Cult of Gaea, worship of the Corycian Cave, and the purifying waters of the Castilion Spring all suggest a strong tie between geological forces and cult practices. Thus, whether the oracle induced her trances with vapors from deep in the hollows of the earth's crust or not, nature and the geological situation of Delphi played a crucial role in shaping the Cult of Apollo. The intersection of nature and religion in Delphi is most striking."
 

And this is The Bronze Charioteer

My art professor, Mrs. Giselle, and I. 

   This is an athletic votive statue depicting a charioteer. Bronze statues do not survive well, and this is one of the most important artistic artifacts in all of Greece. Because of Delphi's religious significance, it also became very culturally significant. Its neutrality made it a perfect place for art and athleticism to thrive. The Pythian Games were held here on a regular basis, an event even Nero took part in. These games were on par with the Olympic Games, and were one of four main athletic and artistic competitions in Greece. Artistic competitions were especially important in Delphi because they honored Apollo, the god of music and poetry. Reportedly, this was the only location were woman were allowed to compete alongside men. 

   After the museum, we finally headed to the site. It is a long walk from the museum and our tour group moved slowly. Eventually, I just had to leave them behind. I wasn't learning anything new from the tour guide anyways. We were one of the first groups to arrive, so when I first entered the city, I was entirely alone and I realized that the picture of Delphi that I had held so dearly was not far from the truth. Unlike the forum of Rome and other archaeological sites I had visited, Delphi had no been overtaken by the modern world. It was lonely and isolated. A soft breeze blew through the pine needles and a Eurasian Hoopoe hooted somewhere in the distance. Little butterflies flitted through the pillars of the ruins and lazy cats sunned themselves on the old stone path. Around me, the pillars melted into the forest background, and bellow me a vast valley crawled to meet the sea. I stood, closed my eyes, and just listened. 

   Eventually some of the other girls caught up with me and more tourists began trickling in. My little moment ended, but it was enough to revive my imagination and bring to life the stories and images I had created years ago while also inspiring me for future stories as well. 

   This is the treasury of the Amphictyonic League, it has some of the oldest friezes in Greece which inspired Phidias when he sculpted the Parthenon. Along with religion and culture, Delphi also became an important political site where leagues could meet and establish their treasuries. Why, you ask? Because of its neutrality, of course. 

And here I am, in front of the Temple of Apollo

   Now, it was around this time that the rest of the tour caught up to us and Erin said we had time to climb to the top of the theater, but we did not have time to go further then that. I was really disappointed by this because at the very top of the slope there was a stadium. I had visited the Circus Maximus in Rome but nothing remains of that stadium except an indented field. I was dying to see a real stadium, and not just any stadium, but the stadium where the Pythian Games had been held and the best preserved stadium in Greece. So... you will never guess what I did. 

   I ran. I ran about half a mile up the mountain. When I say that Delphi is on a slope, I am not being dramatic. If you do not believe me, then here is an arial shot:

This was no easy jog. My heart was pumping, my breath was short, and my legs were shaking by the time I reached the stadium. As I ran, I could hear people chattering excitedly around me, and I could imagine, just for a moment, that the Pythian Games had already started and I was late. But low and behold, when I reached it, I was below the seats and I couldn't see inside. So... you will never guess what I did. I ran to the other side. The stadium is 194 feet long, so that's about two football fields if you don't include the end zones. Thankfully, I was able to see the entire stadium from the other side and I was awestruck. It was such a pretty location because it is entirely enveloped in the forest. 

Not sure how I managed to smile through the pain in my lungs

   Once I had taken a good five seconds to soak it in, I had to run back, so I ran the entire length of the stadium again, and ran all the way down to the entrance of the archaeological site. When I got there, Erin told me were were missing someone and she needed to me to run back along the path to the museum and look for them. I ran about halfway back before returning to Erin. When she saw that I had not found our missing group member, she sent me back to the Museum, and I ran. Thankfully, I found them in the gift shop. Sweaty and bedraggled, I returned to the bus victorious. The hike from the museum to the stadium is 1.7 miles with an elevation gain of 387 feet. So, not only did I run the equivalent of four football fields, but I also ran at least 1.7 miles and then some! If ever a woman was to have competed in the Pythian games, it should have been me. If so, surely some archaeologist would have unearthed a bronze statue of me by now.  

   This is my favorite memory from my time in Greece. Its an experience I can't wait to tell my kids about. Except when I tell them, I'm sure it will be three football fields long, 600 foot elevation gain, and 3 miles. The funny part is, even though I "disobeyed" and went to the stadium, I got to the bottom at the exact same time as everyone else. I mentioned in an earlier post that I wandered off a lot, but never disrespected anyones time, and I think that this is a great example of that. What I learned in Greece is if you're really driven and if you are willing to run, you can see anything in two minutes. 

   Overall, Delphi was my favorite archaeological site in Greece before I visited, and it still is today. I often think about going back. And finally, after making you sit through this insane info dump, here is the article I published on Delphi:

Delphi & The Mysteries of Apollo: Finding God in Godless Places

By Afton Logan

Deep in the hills of Greece, where the Pindus Mountains stretch up to touch the stars, a mysterious mountain, covered in a forest of spindly trees, twisting caves that snake into the heart of the mountain, and gurgling, mossy springs, inspired the imaginations of the ancients. Images of nymphs flickering in and out of vision, the haunting dirge of the pan flute issuing from the recesses of a dark cave, and the gently plucked notes of Apollo’s lyre, traveling on the ripples of a spring-fed pool, made Delphi a mysterious and sacred site. 

In the ancient era, Delphi was one of the most religiously and politically crucial Greek cities, due to its “mystical” properties. For it was here that the Oracle of Delphi did her soothsaying, and the cult of the radiant poet god, Apollo, with its glittering marble colonnades, was established for the next 1,000 years. 

As I stood in the ancient ruins, I was impressed by their quiet sanctity. A soft breeze whistled through the pine trees, and forest birds larked in nearby flora. Below me, a deep green valley slithered silently towards the shimmering sea. I could easily see how this forest grove, with its gurgling springs, caves, and cool, quiet ambience, could have inspired the imagination of the Greeks. In fact, I knew it was these natural aspects of Delphi that the Greeks had come to worship.

And there, in a place devoid of holiness, set aside for a millennium of pagan practices, I found that God’s Holy Scripture was illuminated for me. The setting of Delphi presented me with a sharp and clear understanding of Paul’s plea in Acts 17 as he addressed the Athenians on the Areopagus, which overlooked the Temple of Athena. Paul “perceived that the Greeks were very religious” (Acts 17:22), but he also saw that their spirituality was misguided and misplaced. In his passionate petition, each verse is saturated with meaning. 

In verse 24, Paul says, “God who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:24-25). Consider this verse in contrast to Delphi and the Temple of Apollo. Delphi was a place where caves were sacred, springs had supernatural properties, and a mixture of gaseous vapors served as a mystical link between mortal and divine. In her monthly ritual, the oracle induced her “visions” by inhaling a narcotic mixture, resulting in a psychedelic experience. The fate of all Greece rested on the vague and cryptic interpretation of these “trances.” 

Yet, Paul declares that God is not in the earth; He cannot be found in sacred groves, felt in the darkness of a cave, or poured out in the waters of a spring. He cannot be tempted by rich offerings, captured and confined in a temple. His awesome power cannot be exploited with the right narcotic mixture. 

On the contrary, God is the Creator of the earth. He is separate from His creation, greater than we could ever imagine. He is not a feeling to be caught or an unseeable power to be tamed and used. Paul is painting God in contrast to how the Greeks had come to understand the divine (Acts 17:29). He juxtaposes the Gospel with the religious institution that had consumed the Greco-Roman way of life. 

Paul understood who the Greeks and the Romans were, what shaped them, and what was keeping them from God. In his letter to the Romans, he reminds the church, “[there were those] who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). These cultural institutions were deeply entrenched in the Greco-Roman way of life and impacted the spread of the Gospel and the spiritual health of the early church. The worship of the goddess Artemis was so closely intertwined with the economic stability of Ephesus that Paul’s message was considered a threat to daily life. In Lystra, Paul was stoned after refusing to be identified with the father god, Zeus, and on the Island of Cyprus, Paul personally contended with the sorcerer Bar-Jesus. As we consider the challenges Paul would have faced as he brought a new understanding of nature to the Greeks, let us contemplate what Paul was asking---that the Greeks breathe anew. This time, the vapor which would reach their nostrils was not that of some noxious gas, but the breath of life, which brings truth and eternity.

   If you are interested in my other two papers, let me know and I will send them to you. Thanks for reading guys. I know this was a long one. :)