Classical Greek Era Delphi Oracle's Role In The War

Delphic oracle usually refers to either obscure or difficult to understand spoken language or enlightenment, which the Apollo god taking advantage of the priestess Phythia's mouth to issue. Surveying the ancient Greek history, from the important issue, such as the war between states, the overseas colonizes, the political reform, to the slight affair, such as individual marriage, the mourning, marring, married, all the ancient Greece must go to the Delphic temple to ask the oracle, and according to the oracle to adjust or plan own behavior,then make use of favorable conditions and avoid unfavorable conditions. Especially during the period of war. Before the war, the people inquire the oracle to seek justice; In the war, the people ask the oracle to strive for the final victory; After the war, the victory thank the oracle for celebrating the victory, the defeated seek the oracle to ask the way of restoring strength. Based on this, with reading the classical literature and the modern monograph, with making use of the archaeology excavating material and some historical inscription, I will analyse what effection do the Delphic oracle execute in the classical warring period as comprehensivly and carefully.The full text divides into three parts, the introduction,the main text and the concluding remark.The first part is the introduction.Firstly, I briefly discussed the researching significance of this article from the academic and the practical aspects. Afterwards, I will from three aspects, the classical literature, the overseas and the domestic, to make clear the present researching situation of the Delphic oracle.Finally, I will briefly summarized the researching method of this article.The second part is the main text,which divides into four chapters.First chapter, through reading the ancient Greek classical literature, translating the modern scholar's works, refering to the related archaeology material, I will research the origin and the successional variation process of the Delphic oracle and the Delphic temple from the longitudinal aspect; at the same time, I will also horizontally compare and analyse what is relating with the Delphic oracle. Thus providing an essential historical background to further research the influence which the Delphic oracle have in the war. The second chapter, I will make focus on the role of the Delphic oracle which plays before the outbreak of war and during the warring period and point out that the Delphic oracle's role in the war with the distinctive nature of antinomy, not only has a positive function, but also has a negative function.Before the war, the impact which the Delphic oracle execute on the war mainly have three kinds:one plays the role of boostering war; other plays the role of fire extinguishers; another plays the role of delaying war. The Delphic oracle which is releasing during the war could delay the course of the war, could speed up the process of the war,even could end the war. Although we can not say the Delphic oracle is the most important factor to decide the outbreak of war and the outcome of war, but undoubtedly which is also an important frame of reference number.The third chapter, firstly I point out during the period of war, the Delphic oracle could affect the military officer's decision-making, thus could affect the course and result of the war. Secondly, I analyze the relation between the Delphic oracle and the marale, and point out the Delphic oracle could delay the war, could advance the war, but also could advance the peace. Finally, I will from two aspects to analyze the influence which the Delphic oracle exert on the military alliance.The fourth chapter, I will focus on with what reasons the ancient Greeks believed the Delphic oracle during the war, and point out which is closely linked with its own characteristics, the ancient Greek religion, and the special social environment during the war.The conclusion part, firstly I will point out in fact all sorts of complex relations between the Delphic oracle and the war is the special product of Greek classical period. Then I point out the Delphic oracle not only is the medium of communicating the Greek's sentimental, but also is the spirital link to join the various Greek nations.