A day in the life of the oracle of Delphi - Mark Robinson

譯者: Claire Hsu 審譯者: Amanda Zhu

As the sun rises over Delphi in 500 BCE,

公元前 500 年， 太陽升起照耀德爾菲，

Aristonike hurries to the temple of Apollo.

亞莉絲托妮姬趕往阿波羅的神廟，

Like all Greeks, she's known the legend of Delphi since childhood.

和所有希臘人一樣， 她從小就知道德爾菲的傳說。

Two eagles released by Zeus from opposite ends of the Earth

宙斯曾在世界的兩端釋放兩隻蒼鷹，

met on the slopes of Mount Parnassus,

牠們在帕納塞斯山的山坡上交會，

identifying Delphi as the center of the world.

確立位在該處的德爾菲為世界中心。

Marking this spot was a mysterious stone guarded by a legendary serpent

交會處有塊神祕石頭，

由傳說中一隻名為「皮托」的蛇看守。

called the pytho.

But when Apollo killed the pytho, he made Delphi his home—

但是當阿波羅殺了皮托之後， 他將德爾菲當成自己的家，

establishing the city as the best place in the world

將這座城市確立為世界上

to seek guidance directly from the God of Prophecy.

直接向預言之神尋求指點的首選之地。

Well, almost directly.

嗯，「算是」直接吧。

At any given time, a single oracle known as the Pythia communicates Apollo’s will.

在任何時候，

獨一無二的神諭祭司「皮媞亞」 會傳達阿波羅的旨意。

Reserved only for women, this is the most important job in the city—

這職位只能由女性來擔任， 是這城市中最重要的職位──

and one that Aristonike will soon have to take on as the current Pythia-in-training.

亞莉絲托妮姬是見習中的皮媞亞， 很快就會擔任這個職位。

Despite serving in the Temple of Apollo for many years,

儘管在阿波羅神廟服務多年，

Aristonike is still uncertain that she’s wise enough to fulfill this role.

亞莉絲托妮姬仍然不確定 她是否有足夠的智慧勝任這份職責。

But these doubts will have to wait.

但她必須暫時放下這些疑慮。

Today she’ll be shadowed by officials from the city’s governing council.

今天，城市市政會的官員們 會對她進行視察。

If her performance meets their standards,

如果她的表現符合標準，

this is the day she’ll become the new Oracle of Delphi.

這天她就會成為德爾菲的新神諭祭司。

In the heart of the temenos, or sacred enclosure,

在「特米諾斯」，神聖境地的中心，

Aristonike greets the current Oracle and the city officials.

亞莉絲托妮姬迎接 現任的女祭司與市府官員，

The group joins the procession to the Castilian Spring,

一行人列隊前往卡絲特莉亞聖泉，

where the Pythia performs a purification ceremony

在那裡，皮媞亞會舉行淨化儀式，

to prepare for a day of prophecy.

為接下來一整天的預言做準備。

To establish whether Apollo is willing to be consulted,

為了要確認阿波羅是否願意回答問題，

Aristonike brings water from the spring to the temple priests,

亞莉絲托妮姬將泉水 拿給神廟的祭司們，

who sprinkle it on a goat.

他們便將泉水灑在一隻山羊上。

If the goat shudders, it will be a prophecy day.

如果山羊因此而發抖， 今天就是可行預言之日。

If not, travelers from as far away as modern day Sicily, Egypt, and Afghanistan

如果沒有，遠從現今的西西里島、 埃及和阿富汗前來的旅行者們

will have to wait an entire month to consult the Oracle again.

必須再等一整個月才能向女祭司請教。

Fortunately, Apollo is in a communicative mood.

幸好，阿波羅很樂意進行交流。

Delphians are first in line, most seeking advice about business or marriage.

德爾菲市民排在隊伍最前面， 他們大多尋求商業或婚姻上的建議。

Following the locals are other Greeks and then non-Greeks,

接著當地人之後，便是其他希臘人， 再來是非希臘人，

including ambassadors from great cities who plan to ask

包含來自大城市的大使，

他們前來打算詢問是否該開戰， 或他們要到哪裡找新的殖民地。

about whether to go to war, or where they should found new colonies.

Most supplicants bring two options for the Pythia to choose between,

前來祈求的人們會向皮媞亞 提出兩個選項來讓她選擇，

alongside the obligatory sacrificial cake.

此外，獻上作為祭品的糕點是必要的。

Aristonike reports back to the Pythia,

亞莉絲托妮姬向皮媞亞回稟，

pointing out important figures and sharing some of their concerns—

指出幾位重要人物， 並分享一些他們的憂慮──

all while the city counselor takes notes on her performance.

市政顧問同時也在一旁記錄她的表現。

Then the Pythia disappears into her oracular chamber known as the adyton.

接著，皮媞亞會隱身進入 被稱作「阿底頓」的神諭室。

Inside, she’ll channel the inspiration of Apollo,

在裡面，她會感應阿波羅的啟示，

uttering ambiguous prophecies the questioners must interpret.

吐露出含糊的預言， 而詢問者必須自行解讀。

The adyton is the one place in the temple Aristonike isn’t allowed to go.

在這座神廟裡，「阿底頓」是 亞莉絲托妮姬不許進入的地方。

So while consultations continue,

所以，當諮詢持續進行時，

the Oracle-in-training sets off to collect wood for the temple’s eternal flame.

見習的女祭司到外頭 為廟裡的長明聖火收集木材。

While gathering branches from the sacred laurel trees,

當她從神聖的月桂樹上採收樹枝時，

Aristonike spies wealthy Greeks training for the upcoming Pythian Games.

亞莉絲托妮姬偷看有錢的希臘人 為即將到來的皮媞亞運動會進行訓練。

Second in importance only to the Olympics,

這項活動的重要性 僅次於奧林匹亞運動會，

these games bring great riches and attention to Delphi.

這些賽事為德爾菲吸引來 龐大的財富與關注。

Typically, Aristonike would pause to admire the athletes,

亞莉絲托妮姬通常會 停下來欣賞這些運動員，

but today she’s more focused on impressing her observer.

但今天她更專注於 給視察者留下好印象。

Taking the exact amount of branches necessary,

帶走所需數量剛好的的樹枝，

she hurries back to the temple for her long awaited evaluation.

她趕回神廟聽取期待已久的評估結果。

The counselor who shadowed her shares his notes with the other officials,

視察她的市政顧問 向其他官員分享他的紀錄，

and after a brief discussion, their leader nods.

在一陣短暫的討論之後， 他們的領導者點點頭。

He endorses Aristonike as the new Oracle—

他宣布亞莉絲托妮姬 成為新的神諭祭司，

and the Pythia offers Apollo’s blessing on their verdict.

而皮媞亞也對他們的決定 獻上阿波羅的祝福。

Approaching Aristonike beside the sacred hearth,

在神聖的爐火旁， 她找亞莉絲托妮姬談話，

the Pythia finally unveils the secrets of her trade.

皮媞亞終於吐露她這行的秘密。

Passed directly from one Oracle to the next,

秘密從這一任的神諭祭司 直接傳授給下一任，

no history book will ever record these details.

沒有史書能記載這些細節。

But the Pythia’s insights will guide all of Aristonike’s future prophecies—

但是皮媞亞的洞見將會引導 亞莉絲托妮姬未來的所有預言──

shaping wars, politics, and relationships for years to come,

引導未來幾年的戰爭、 政局和外交關係，

and making Aristonike one of the most powerful women in the ancient world.

使亞莉絲托妮姬成為古代世界裡 其中一名最有影響力的女性。

As the Pythia concludes her final lesson,

當皮媞亞結束她最後一次的指導後，

she points to two inscriptions on the temple walls:

她指著神廟牆上的兩則銘文：

“know yourself” and “nothing in excess.”

「了解自己」與「凡事不過度」。

Left alone to ponder these ideas,

新任神諭祭司獨自一人思索這些想法，

Aristonike feels the first touch of Apollo’s inspiration—

亞莉絲托妮姬第一次感受到 阿波羅的啟示──

the insight that keeping an open mind may be more important

這洞見即是，保持開放的心胸 或許比找到唯一的解答

than finding a single answer.

來得更加重要。