OF SERPENTS. 77 



grapher obferves. So GeJ'ner from Paufatiias. The Prieftefs 

 oi Apollo, that deUvered the Sacred Oracles, was called Py//^/^ 

 and Pytbonijfa. This Vythonick Spirit among the Gentiles, was 

 efteemed as a God, and by Juvenal is llyled Vates, a Prophet. 



The Prieftefs that deUvered the Sacred Oracles, was called 

 Pythia, from Apollo Pythias, and muft be a pure Virgin. Moft 

 of the Fathers of the Church were of opinion, that it was the De- 

 vil gave the Anfwers, which were generally dubious, a Sign of his 

 Ignorance about Futurity. 



One Ocenomaus, a certain Pagan Philofopher, highly refenting 

 it, that he had been fo often befooled by the Oracles, fpeaks to 

 Apollo thus---" When we come to confult thee, either thou know- 

 " eft Things to come or not. If thou knoweft them, why dofl: 

 " not thou fpeak fo as to be underftood ? If thou knoweft not, 

 " why doft thou pretend to it ? If Things necefTarily come to 

 " pafs, why doft thou amufe us with Ambiguities ? * " 



F. BAL'THUS, a learned Jefuit, and F. Boitchet, fay there were 

 real Oracles, and fuch that can never be attributed to Priefls and 

 PrieftefTes ; and that the Devil ftill gives Oracles in the Indies, and 

 that not by Idols, which would be liable to Impoflure, but by the 

 Mouths of Priefts, and By-Standers; and that the Devil becomes 

 mute, in proportion as the Gofpel prevails. 



" It is generally believed among the moreLearned, that the Pa- 

 " gan Oracles were mere Frauds and Impoftures, and calcu- 

 " lated to ferve the political Views of Princes, and covetous 

 " Ends of Pagan Priefts." According to the learned Bayle, 

 they were meer human Artifices ; and he is feconded by Van- 

 dale and Fontenelle. But to return to the Oracle at Delphos, which 

 was very antient and much in vogue before the Trojan War : The 

 Situation of the Place, where People were made to believe God 

 fpoke, was at the Mouth of a certain Cavern, whence they received 

 their Intelligence. The Prophetefs fat upon a Tripodium, a three- 

 footed Stool, afhfted in her Fundion by divers Priefts. 



Unde R her Seat, 'tis faid, that fome time there appeared a 

 Dragon, through whofe Throat Refponfes were audibly deliver'd, 

 with a loud and ftrong Voice : According to Eufebius, a Serpent 

 rolled itfelf about the Tripod, on which the Prieft fat. 



Of 



/ 



* Eufebius. 



