De Pythiae oraculis
Translated by Frank Cole Babbitt
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The opening
THE ORACLES AT DELPHI NO LONGER GIVEN IN VERSE (DE PYTHIAE ORACULA)
(The persons who take part in the dialogue are Basilocles and Philinus, who serve to introduce the later speakers; Diogenianus, Theon, Sarapion, Boethus, as well as Philinus himself and some professional guides.)
BASILOCLES. You people have kept it up till well into the evening, Philinus, escorting the foreign visitor around among the statues and votive offerings. For my part, I had almost given up waiting for you.
PHILINUS. The fact is, Basilocles, that wre went slowly, sowing words, and reaping them straightway with strife, like the men sprung from the Dragon’s teeth, words with meanings behind them of the contentious sort, which sprang up and flourished along our way.
BASILOCLES. Will it be necessary to call in someone else of those who were with you; or are you willing, as a favour, to relate in full what your conversation was and who took part in it?
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About this edition
- The words
- Frank Cole Babbitt's English translation, copied word for word.
- Copied from
Perseus Digital Library (Tufts University); CC BY-SA 4.0 — this edition may be reused under the same share-alike terms. creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
- Left out
- The printed table of contents (the app makes its own)