Greece -- History -- To 146 B.C.; History, Ancient
37. When the Barbarians had come near and could see the temple, then the
prophet, whose name was Akeratos, saw before the cell 23 arms lying
laid out, having been brought forth out of the sanctuary, 24 which were
sacred and on which it was not permitted to any man to lay hands. He
then was going to announce the portent to those of the Delphians who
were still there, but when the Barbarians pressing onwards came opposite
the temple of Athene Pronaia, there happened to them in addition
portents yet greater than that which had come to pass before: for though
that too was a marvel, that arms of war should appear of themselves laid
forth outside the cell, yet this, which happened straightway after that,
is worthy of marvel even beyond all other prodigies. When the Barbarians
in their approach were opposite the temple of Athene Pronaia, at this
point of time from the heaven there fell thunderbolts upon them, and
from Parnassos two crags were broken away and rushed down upon them with
a great crashing noise falling upon many of them, while from the temple
of Pronaia there was heard a shout, and a battle-cry was raised.
38. All these things having come together, there fell fear upon the
Barbarians; and the Delphians having perceived that they were flying,
came down after them and slew a great number of them; and those who
survived fled straight to Boeotia. These who returned of the Barbarians
reported, as I am informed, that in addition to this which we have said
they saw also other miraculous things; for two men (they said) in
full armour and of stature more than human followed them slaying and
pursuing.
39. These two the Delphians say were the native heroes Phylacos and
Autonoös, whose sacred enclosures are about the temple, that of Phylacos
being close by the side of the road above the temple of Pronaia and that
of Autonoös near Castalia under the peak called Hyampeia. Moreover the
rocks which fell from Parnassos were still preserved even to my time,
lying in the sacred enclosure of Athene Pronaia, into which they fell
when they rushed through the ranks of the Barbarians. Such departure had
these men from the temple.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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