Herodotus: Controversy in Religious Customs
The most discussed religious aspect in Herodotus’ work is the various divine oracles throughout the world. An oracle in all cases is a human or nonhuman medium through which people could communicate with the gods. Leaders faced with difficult decisions about war, politics, and any other important life issueswould often go to consult these oracles. The controversy can be seen as Herodotus provides examples in which certain oracles were proven to be false or found to have fabricated prophesies. In book 1.78, Croesus is in Sardis planning an alliance in order to defeat the Persians, when a swarm of snakes appear at the city gates and all the horses begin to eat them. Croesus is disturbed by this, believing it to be some kind of omen, and sends delegates to consult the oracle. The given interpretation suggests “a foreign army should be expected to arrive in Croesus’ country and to conquer the native inhabitants, since the snake is an offspring of the earth and the horse is a warlike immigrant from a foreign land” (Herodotus, 1.78). However, when the delegates were presented with this message, Croesus had already been captured and Sardis already attacked by Persians, unknowingly to the Telmessians. This suggests an incident in which the divine prophecy was systematically fabricated, as symbolic meanings possessed by each animal were combined to produce a vague message. Also, since the predicted invasion of Sardis had already occurred when the message was given, it proves that the all-knowing oracle “knew nothing of what was going on at Sardis or of what was happening to Croesus” (Herodotus, 1.78). If the oracle is not aware of this, how can there be a divine influence on this prophecy? Herodotus also describes incidents in which the oracles were bribed to give false prophecies to enemies. In book 5.63, he explains how the Alkmeonids bribe the Pythiato tell any Spartan who seeks information at Delphi to liberate Athens...