Dionysos and his followers came to Delphi to visit the Oracle, and to pay honor to the Great Mother who once officiated there. As the pilgrims made their way up the hill that led to the temple of Apollo, decked out in crowns of laurel and white robes to honor the God, carrying a tripod of gold and other costly gifts for the temple, they saw that the temple attendants had all gathered outside the sanctuary and were in fact awaiting the procession. At the head of the temple attendants was an old woman in costly robes with a fillet of gold in her hair. She leaned heavily on a staff, and trembled as she stood there. Flanking the old woman were a number of young girls dressed in robes and crowns like the followers of Dionysos, though theirs were gilded with gold-thread. Further back were a number of men in white, the Hosioi or attending priests, and beyond them was an assortment of men and women in everyday attire. Silenus, the aged companion and once the tutor of the God, noticed that a number of these people were armed, and that everyone wore a grim expression on their face, which he pointed out to Dionysos. The God nodded but did not speak.
When the pilgrims had reached the top of the hill, Dionysos greeted the temple attendants, saying, "We are indeed blessed to recieve such a warm welcome from you good priests, though I wonder if you greet all humble pilgrims in this way."
The Pythia did not respond to the God's slight jest. Instead she steadied herself and said, "I am sorry, but the temple has been closed today. It is an ill-fated day for prophecy."
"That will not deter us," Dionysos replied with a smile, "For we have not come here to prophecy or to hear prophecy. Rather, we have come to use your chapel, and to make sacrifices at the great altar of Delphi."
"It is an ill-fated day for sacrifices, too. We cannot let you make use of the altar either."
"How very strange, I had not realized that this was such an ill-omened day Perhaps we should not be traveling today."
"No, you may travel. In fact, I think that it would be a good idea if you did just that."
"That is hardly very hospitable of you. One might get the impression that you don't want us around here, such a cold reception you've given us."
"You would be right if you thought that, stranger." And as the Pythia spoke, she stood taller and no longer leaned on her staff. It was like she was filled with a God, and she drew on his strength. Her eyes glowed with the light of Apollo, and when she spoke it was not with her voice, but with his. "Delphi is a place that worships the light, that ennobles the spirit, that brings goodness and purity into the heart of man. We are concerned with that which brings man up, which makes him better and wiser, and at peace with the Gods. It has nothing to do with you - villain, scoundrel, defilier of women. You make men mad, and bring them down to the level of animals. You fill them with illusions, and confuse them into thinking that they are divine, when in fact they are nothing but mortals. You hide in the darkness, in the shadows, and creep forth only to cause trouble and disrupt order. Your world is the flesh, ours the spirit. Yours the realm of emotion, ours the intellect. Yours the earth, ours heaven. Yours the dark, ours the light. What do you want with us, Mad God? We want nothing to do with you."
Copyright Sannion, 06/25/02
All Rights Reserved
Posted with permission
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