Ancient Greek Divination

John Opsopaus, PhD

 Invocation
Pythian Apollo, Lord of Delphi, hear!
Thou who knows the mind of Father Zeus,
hastening to bring true oracles,
hither come to me, proclaim pure words!
Teach to us the divination arts,
those Thou taught to Hermes, skilled in words,
learned from bee-nymphs in Kôrúkion.
Pray, accept this gift in thanks to Thee.
The Oracles of Apollo
• Background & history
• Rituals & techniques
• The Alphabet Oracle
• The Oracle of the Seven
Sages
• Coming in July 2017
• Website: opsopaus.com
 Outline
l Background
l The Alphabet Oracle
l The Oracle of the Seven Sages
l Some Other Ancient Oracles
 Background
l Personal notes
l Mythology
l Varieties of Ancient Divination
l Neoplatonic Theory of Divination
l Enigmas
“Only sacred divination united with
the gods truly gives a share in the
divine life, participating in
foreknowledge and divine thoughts,
and truly makes us divine.”

— Iamblichus (c.250–c.330 CE)

 Mythology
l The Bee Nymphs of Mount Parnassus
l The Birth of Apollo and Occupation of Delphi
l Hermes and the Thriai
The Corycian
Cave
Bee Nymphs and Pebble Divination
• Three Parnassus Bee Nymphs practice
pebble divination
• Thriai = divinatory pebbles and
nymphs who were the first prophets
• Athena practiced thriai divination for a time
• The Bee Nymph Daphnis was the first prophetess of
Gaia at Delphi
• Pythia was called “the Delphic Bee”
 The Birth of Apollo

William Henry Rinehart, Latona and her Children Apollo and Diana
Defeat of Puthôn
The Pythia or Delphic Bee
The Birth of Hermes
 Apollo gives Hermes the divinatory
art of the Bee Nymphs
For there are certain Holy Ones, as sisters
born,
and maidens, who are glorified with rapid
wings;
they’re three, besprinkled on their heads
with barley meal,
and dwell in houses down below Parnassos’
folds;
they’re teachers of a strange divining,
which in youth
I practiced, tending herds; my father heeds
it not.
Then hither thither flying all about from
there
and eating honeycomb, they bring all things
to pass.
When they have eaten yellow honey,
they’re inspired,
and readily are willing to declare the truth;
but if they be deprived the sweet food of the
Gods,
then shaking all together they indeed tell
lies.
I give you these; and if precisely you
inquire,
delight your heart; and if You teach a mortal
man,
he’ll often hear Thy voice, if he be
fortunate.
— Homeric Hymn IV, To Hermes, 552-566 (my
transl.)
 Varieties of Ancient Greek
Divination
• Natural vs. artificial • Flight & cry of Birds
• Inspired prophesy • Chance utterances
• Dream interpretation • Numerology
• Omens accompanying • Pendulums & sieves
sacrifice
• Icons
• Divination at sacred springs
• Astrology
• Scrying
• Palmistry
• Each of four elements
• Cleromancy (lots)
Cleromancy
 Kinds of Cleromancy
• Pebbles, stones, dice,
astragaloi cast into • Bibliomancy
sacred springs, bowls of
• Homer Oracle
liquids, or dice trays
ü 216 throws of 3 dice
• Stones, clay balls, beans,
inscribed objects drawn • Lots of Astrampsychos
from bowls, jars, etc. or • Praenestine Lots
shaken out
• Astragalos oracles
• Practiced at many
shrines including Delphi • Alphabet oracles
 Astragalos Oracle
• Oracle verse for each
of 56 throws of 5
astragaloi
ü same as number of
Minor Arcana
ü on 4 sides like suits

(Nollé, 2007, f. 11a)

 Neoplatonic Theory of Divination
• Inspired divination uses symbolic correspondences & vertical sympathies to
attune soul to the god’s energy
• Attunement of nous: the image in individual microcosm of Cosmic Mind
(Nous) in macrocosm
• Objects observed or manipulated in artificial divination are symbols
sympathetic to gods
• Gods are present, both to guide the fall of the lots and to guide our
interpretation
• Objective of divination: happiness or well-being (eudaimonia)
• “With gnôsis of the gods, there follows a turning toward ourselves and
gnôsis of ourselves.” — Iamblichus
 Enigmas and Oracles
• Emperor Julian (330–363 CE): the gods make the oracles obscure so that we
learn to use our own wits, to inquire into philosophy, and not to trust blindly
the opinions of others
• Porphyry (c.234 – c.305 CE): oracles are enigmas (ainigmata) to hide their
meaning from the profane and uninitiated
• Must be read allegorically and symbolically to reveal their true meaning
• Plato (c.428–348 BCE): oracles must be solved, like riddles
• Prior to interpretation, the meaning is open, though constrained by the signs
• Once expressed in words and accepted, the potentials begin to collapse into
one possibility
• Once accepted, the oracle and its meaning become talismans
The Alphabet Oracle
Apollo, Lord, and Hermes, lead the way!
And thou, who wanders, this to thee we say:
Be still; enjoy this oracle’s excellence,
for Phoebos Apollo has given it to us,
this art of divination from our ancestors.
 The Alphabet Oracle
l Origin
l Text
l Casting
l Rituals
l Alphabet Lore
l Alphabet Magic
The Wolfe Expeditions to Asia Minor
• Catharine Lorillard Wolfe (1828–1887)
supported archaeological expeditions
• Financed expeditions to Asia Minor by
Dr. J. R. Sitlington Sterrett (1851–1914)
in summers of 1884 &1885
• Located & recorded inscriptions in
unmapped areas of Turkey
• Transcribed the Alphabet Oracle
Final Approach to
the Alphabet
Oracle
• The Alphabet Oracle
copied by Sterrett
above the Sigirlik
Valley, Turkey
• This is how it looked
when archaeologist
Johannes Nollé visited
it in 1986
• Photo from Nollé
(2007, f. 21)
The Alphabet Oracle In Situ

(Nollé, 2007, f. 22a)

Closeup of Inscription

(Nollé, 2007, f. 22b)

The Olympos Alphabet Oracle

(Nollé, 2007, f. 23a)

Beginning of Inscription (𝛢–𝛩)

(Nollé, 2007, f. 23b)

 The Alphabet Tablet
apantapraxeiseustocwsqeoslegei

24 verses, one for

bracuperimeinonkairosougarestisoi

l ghsoiteleionkarponapodwseiponwn
deinwnaposcoupragmatwnmhtiblabhis

each letter of alphabet eraisdikaiwnekgamwnideinsporan

zalhnmegisthnfeugemhtikaiblabhis
hliosoraiselamprosostapanqorai

l Each verse begins qeousarwgouskaiparastataseceis

idrwteseisinplhnapantwnperieshi

with its letter

kumasimacesqaicaleponanameinonbracu
liphspepausoprosdecouloiponcaran
mathnepeighimhtacunousumferei
nuneisapantokairosarmozwnefu

l Ancient Greeks did xanqhssedhouskarposwriosmenei

oukestimhspeirantaqerisaikarpima

not use lowercase pollousagwnasdianusaslhyhistefos

raiondiaxeisetibracunmeinascronon

letters or spaces
saqwsofoibosennepeimeinonxene
twnnunparouswnsumforwnexeislusin
umhnodousosestimhmathnponei

between words futeuedhwpantagarqreyeikalws

cairwnepeigouzeustadautosennepei
yhfondikaianthndeparaqewneceis
wmhnopwranhnlabhisoucrhsimon
 Translated Text of Oracle
A. All these things, he says, you’ll do quite well! N. Now springs forth the fitting time for all.

B. Briefly wait; the time’s not right for thee. Ξ. Xanthic Dêô’s ripened fruit awaits.
Γ. Gaia gives thee ripe fruit from thy work. O. Out of sight are crops that are not sown.

Δ. Dodge the dreadful deeds, avoiding harm. Π. Passing many tests, you’ll win the crown.
E. Eager art thou for right wedding’s fruits. Ρ. Rest awhile; you’ll go more easily.
Z. Zealously avoid the harmful storm! Σ. “Stay thou, friend,” Apollo plainly says.

H. Helios, all-watcher, watches thee. T. Take release from present circumstance.

Θ. Thou hast gods as comrades and as aides. Υ. Useless toil: this wedding isn’t thine!

I. In all things, thou shalt excel — with sweat! Φ. Forthwith Plant! For Dêô fosters well.
K. Contests with the waves are hard; endure! X. “Happily press on!” says Zeus himself.

Λ. Leave off grief, and then await delight. Ψ. Proper is this judgment from the gods.
M. Make no haste; in vain you press ahead. Ω. Otiose the fruit that’s plucked unripe.
 Example of Interpretive Aids
l Λ (Lambda)
l Leave off grief, and then await delight.
l Make an end of grief {Λύπης}; hereafter expect joy.

l Make an end of: stop, hinder, leave off, cease from. Grief: sorrow,
distress, mental or bodily pain. Hereafter: in the future, for the rest,
finally. Expect: await, accept, receive favorably. Joy: delight.
l You have grieved long enough. Although you have been sad, you will
be happy soon. Stop worrying, and prepare to be pleased. Turn your
attention from your pain to the things that give you joy. Pain will
yield to happiness. You have been through dark times, but the sun will
rise again.
 Methods of Casting the Oracle
l Alphabet stones l Geomantic method
l Astragaloi l Bead methods
l Dice methods l Pebble methods
l Teetotums l Mixed dice method
l Alphabet tablet l Three-out-of-four
l Coin methods method
Alphabet Stones
 Astragalos Faces

Astragalos faces: Huptios/Supinum (3), Pranês/Pronum

(4), Khios/Planum (1), Kôios/Tortuosum (6)
 Ancient and Modern Astragaloi

Clockwise from upper left: two modern natural astragaloi; five modern artificial
astragaloi; three ancient astragaloi (bone, stone, lead).
 Ancient and Modern Dice

Clockwise from upper left: modern gaming dice (4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12-, 20-sided);
8-sided brass teetotum; three modern dice; three ancient dice (stone, bone, lead);
ancient 14-sided die.
 Alphabet Tablet
Table 2. Alphabet Tablet
he gods
now if it was A B G D

but it has E Z H Q
long time.
I K L M
tabula,
N X O P
squares as
refully make R S T U

ut in a pinch
F C Y W
paper or
sult the oracle, close your eyes and place your finger on the
s your oracle. Or you can toss a small stone or coin on the
the Alphabet Tablet (Table 2, p. 000). Based on the cast of
lt the first, second, or third double-row of four. This narrows
u pick one of Three-out-of-four Method
Table 3. Three-out-of-four Method
d die or
um. A B G D E Z
123 124 132 134 142 143

H Q I K L M
nt method for 213 214 231 234 241 243
I don’t know N X O P R S
d in ancient 312 314 321 324 341 342
y four T U F C Y W
y could be 412 413 421 423 431 432
ch as the four
rs. To cast the oracle, you draw the objects at random from a
 The Practice of Divination
l Consecration Ritual
l Divination Rituals
l Miscasts
l Repeating Divinations
l Divination Journal
 Consecration Ritual
Based on Greek Magical 4. Purification
Papyri 5. Invocation of
1. Create sacred space Alphabet Daimons
2. Light incense (optional)
3. Invocation of Apollo 6. Potentiation
(e.g.) with libations 7. Release and final
thanks offerings
 Alphabet Daimons
ABLANAQANALBA NERXIARXIN

BOULOMENTOREB XONOFOHNAX
GENIOMOUQIG ORNEOFAO

DHMOGENHD PUROBARUP
ENKUKLIE REROUTOHR

ZHNOBIWQIZ SESENMENOURES

HSKWQWRH TAUROPOLIT
QWQOUQWQ UPEFENOURU

IAEOUWI FIMEMAMEF
KORKOOUNOWK CENNEOFEOC

LOULOENHL YUCOMPOIAY
MOROQOHPNAM WRIWN
 Divination Ritual
Based on Grk. Mag. Pap. 6. Shuffle the lots
1. Create sacred space, 7. Charge hands before
light incense cast or draw
2. Ground & center 8. At right time (kairos),
cast or draw
3. Make offering;
optionally anoint lips 9. Interpret after prayer for
guidance
4. Invoke Apollo
10. Thank & release the god
5. Silently ask question
 Informal Divination Ritual
Come hither to thy prophet, haste to sing
divine precepts to me, and to proclaim
pure words, and through these lots to bring
true oracles. Thus I invoke thy name:
Akti Kara Abaiôth (Ahk-tih Kah-rah Ah-buy-oath)
 The Esoteric Greek Alphabet
• Correspondences with 24 letters (24 = 12 + 5 + 7):
ü 12 single consonants = Zodiac
ü 5 double consonants = elements
ü 7 vowels = planets
• According to Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) (24 = 7 + 8 + 9):
ü 7 voiced (vowels): Apollo (7 is his number)
ü 8 half-voiced (semivowels): Harmonia (wife of Cadmus, inventor of alphabet)
ü 9 unvoiced (consonant): 9 Muses
• 27 letters of archaic alphabet correspond to days of moon’s visibility (lunar
phases)
• Isopsephy (“Greek gematria”)
 letters rho through sampi for 100 to 900 (see Table 4, Numerical Values of Greek Letters).
Since 27 is the cube of three (that is, three to the third power: 27 = 33 = 3 × 3 × 3), it is an
especially holy number (for some of the meaning of the cubes 8 and 27, see my

Isopsephy
Pythagorean Tarot, pp. 406–11 and 433–8).

Table 4. Numerical Values of Greek Letters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
× 1 Α Β Γ Δ Ε Ϝ Ζ Η Θ
× 10 Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ϙ
× 100 Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω Ϡ

• Therefore, for example, the ancients might write ΧΙΒ¢ for 612 (the prime ¢ indicates a
27 archaic Greek letters used as numbers
• number). This correspondence implies, however, that every Greek word has a numerical
Isopsêphos = equal pebbles
value; for example, ΖΕΥΣ (Zeus) also has the value 612 (ΖΕΥΣ = 7 + 5 + 400 + 200 = 612).
• The study of the numerological significance of Greek words is called isopsephy from iso-
Origin of gematria
• (equal) and psêphos (pebble), since the ancients calculated with pebbles. Sometimes it’s
Establishes occult connections between words
called “Greek gematria,” but the art seems to have originated with the Greek alphabet and
ü “The god Apollo” (Ο ΘΕΟΣ ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ = 1415) ≈ 2 × “The god

Hermes” (Ο ΘΕΟΣ ΕΡΜΗΣ = 707)
Example Alphabet Talisman
The Oracle of the
Seven Sages
 The Oracle of the Seven Sages
l Origin of the Counsels of the Seven
- Helen’s Tripod
- The Delphic Tablet
l Establishing the Text
- Sosiades’ List
- Klearkhos’ Pillar
l Modern Use as an Oracle
Helen’s Tripod and the Seven Sages
 Sosiades’ Text
• Johannes Stobaeus (5th
cent. CE), a Macedonian
scholar
• Records “Sosiades’
Counsels of the Seven
Sages”
• 147 short maxims
probably copied from
tablet at Delphi
 Klearkhos’ Pillar

• The dedication is on the left

• The five overflow lines are on the right
 The Tablet of the Seven Sages
EPOUQEWI GNOUSPRATTE PONEIMETEUKLEIAS
NOMWIPEIQOU FONOUAPECOU PRATTEAMETANOHTWS
EUCOUDUNATA AMARTANWNMETANOEI
QEOUSSEBOU

How they might have

SOFOISCRW OFQALMOUKRATEI
GONEISAIDOU BOULEUOUCRONWIΙ
HTTWUPODIKAIOU HQOSDOKIMAZE
PRATTESUNTOMWS
l GNWQIMAQWN
AKOUSASNOEI
LABWNAPODOS
UFORWMHDENA FILIANFULATTE

EUGNWMWNGINOU

looked, engraved in
SAUTONISQI TECNHICRW
OMELLEISDOS OMONOIANDIWKE
GAMEINMELLE ARRHTONKRUPTE
KAIRONGNWQI EUERGESIASTIMA
FQONEIMHDENI TOKRATOUNFOBOU
FRONEIQNHTA TOSUMFERONQHRW
FULAKHIPROSECE
XENOSWNISQI KAIRONPROSDECOU

three columns and

ELPIDAAINEI
ESTIANTIMA ECQRASDIALUE
DIABOLHNMISEI
ARCESEAUTOU
DIKAIWSKTW GHRASPROSDECOU
FILOISBOHQEI EPIRWMHIMHKAUCW
AGAQOUSTIMA
QUMOUKRATEI EUFHMIANASKEI
KRITHNGNWQI

grouped in heptads
FRONHSINASKEI APECQEIANFEUGE
GAMOUSKRATEI
PRONOIANTIMA PLOUTEIDIKAIWS
TUCHNNOMIZE
ORKWIMHCRW DOXANMHLEIPE
EGGUHNFEUGE
FILIANAGAPA
PAIDEIASANTECOU
APLWSDIALEGOU KAKIANMISEI

DOXANDIWKE OMOIOISCRW KINDUNEUEFRONIMWS

DAPANWNARCOU MANQANWNMHKAMNE
SOFIANZHLOU KTWMENOSHDOU FEIDOMENOSMHLEIPE
KALONEULEGE AISCUNHNSEBOU CRHSMOUSQAUMAZE
YEGEMHDENA CARINEKTELEI OUSTREFEISAGAPA
EPAINEIARETHN EUTUCIANEUCOU APONTIMHMACOU
PRATTEDIKAIA TUCHNSTERGE PRESBUTERONAIDOU
FILOISEUNOEI
AKOUWNORA NEWTERONDIDASKE
ECQROUSAMUNOU ERGAZOUKTHTA PLOUTWIAPISTEI
EUGENEIANASKEI SEAUTONAIDOU
KAKIASAPECOU ERINMISEI
KOINOSGINOU ONEIDOSECQAIRE MHARCEUBRIZEIN
GLWTTANISCE PROGONOUSSTEFANOU
IDIAFULATTE QNHISKEUPERPATRIDOS
ALLOTRIWNAPECOU UBRINAMUNOU
AKOUEPANTA KRINEDIKAIA TWIBIWIMHACQOU

EUFHMOSISQI CRWCRHMASIN EPINEKRWIMHGELA

ADWRODOKHTOSDIKAZE ATUCOUNTISUNACQOU
FILWICARIZOU
̓
AITIWPARONTA CARIZOUABLABWS
MHDENAGAN
LEGEEIDWS MHEPIPANTILUPOU
CRONOUFEIDOU
BIASMHECOU EXEUGENWNGENNA
ORATOMELLON EPAGGELLOUMHDENI
UBRINMISEI ALUPWSBIOU
FQIMENOUSMHADIKEI
IKETASAIDOU OMILEIPRAIWS
EUPASCEWSQNHTOS
PERASEPITELEIMH
PASINARMOZOU APODEILIWN TUCHIΙMHPISTEUE
UIOUSPAIDEUE FILOFRONEIPASIN PAISWNKOSMIOSISQI
ECWNCARIZOU UIOISMHKATARW HBWNEGKRATHS
DOLONFOBOU GUNAIKOSARCE MESOSDIKAIOS
EULOGEIPANTAS SEAUTONEUPOIEI PRESBUTHSEULOGOS
FILOSOFOSGINOU EUPROSHGOROSGINOU
TELEUTWNALUPOS
APOKRINOUENKAIRWIΙ
OSIAKRINE
 Casting the Oracle of the
Seven Sages
l The oracles are organized in
- three columns, each with
- seven henads, each with
- seven oracles
l The divination methods produce three numbers:
1–3, 1–7, and 1–7
l For example, count beads or pebbles by threes,
sevens, and sevens
 Example Oracle
l 3. [1-1-3] Worship the gods. Θεοὺς σέβου.
Cole deos.
l Worship: honor, respect, feel religious awe for,
fear, do homage to.
l Continue or increase your devotion to the gods.
Worship the gods and make offerings to them.
Don’t forget that the gods govern everything in
the universe. Don’t neglect the gods. Beware of
divine retribution.
Methods for Consulting
the Seven Sages
l Bead and pebble methods
l Coin methods
l Dominoes method
l Dice and teetotum methods
 Other Ancient Oracles
l The Astragalomanteion (Astragalos Oracle)
l The Homeromanteion (Homer Oracle)
l Not in my Oracles of Apollo book!
(but might be in a future book)
 The Astragalomanteion
• Five astragaloi are cast
• 56 possible throws
(ignoring order)
• For convenience, the
oracles are ordered by
the sum of the
astragaloi
• Each oracle has a
ministering deity
 Example Oracle
1-1-1-1-3 (7) Athêna Areia
Four Chians altogether and one Three, he says:
Both hatred, evil fleeing, you’ll have prizes soon,
and then Athena grey-eyed goddess thee shall save.
The act, which you pursue, will be as in your mind.
Hatred: enmity, hostility. Evil: badness; base character, weakness, cowardice; evil conditions,
distress, misery. Fleeing: avoiding, escaping. Prizes: rewards, prizes of a contest; struggles, contests.
Save: keep alive, preserve; rescue, bring to safety; keep in mind, remember. Act: action, deed, doing,
transaction, business; result of action or business; repayment, retribution. Pursue: lay on; put upon
yourself, take on. As in your mind: according to your heart or mind, as in your thoughts or wishes,
satisfactory, acceptable.
You will have success if you evade hatred and evil. This could refer to the hostility or evil of
others. Alternately, it could be saying that you should set aside your own hostility, fear, and
distress. If you follow this advice, the goddess Athena will protect you through your endeavors.
Don’t forget her! The business or project that you’re engaged in will turn out as you desire, or at
least in a way acceptable to you.
 Homeromanteion (Homer Oracle)
• Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey were treated as divinely
inspired texts and subject to symbolic interpretation
• A kind of bibliomancy
• Survives in London Magical Papyrus (PGM VII) and
several other sources
• Three dice are cast to select one of 216 verses from the
Iliad or the Odyssey
• The order of the dice matters (216 = 6×6×6)
 Example Oracle
1-1-1
To ward away a man, whoever first is wroth
Strength is required to protect yourself from someone (perhaps a superior) who is
angry and might be violent. Trust in a stronger protector for aid.
Ward away: repel. First: formerly, in front, superior. Wroth: violent.

This line occurs in both of Homer’s poems. In the Iliad, Priam and his chariot driver are
coming to the Greeks by night to ransom the body of Hector. Zeus sends Hermes,
disguised as a sympathetic Greek soldier, to guide and protect them. Hermes observes that
they need protection:
Thou art not young, accompanied by one too old
to ward away a man, whoever first is wroth. [Il. 24.369]
Hermes proceeds to guide them safely to their destination. …
 Accept this gift, Apollo, Lord of Light,
intended to be accurate and right;
and if my speaking hath appealed to Thee,
I pray that kindly wouldst Thou look on me.