Divination and Prophecy in the Ancient Greek World

Demonstrates the relevance of comparativism, ethnography, cognitive function, orality, and intertextuality to the elucidation of Greek prophetic practices.

Roger D. Woodard (Edited by)

9781009221610, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 5 January 2023

350 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 2.5 cm, 0.64 kg

This volume examines the phenomena of ancient Greek prophecy and divination. With contributions from a distinguished, international cast of scholars, it offers fresh perspectives and interpretations of key aspects of these practices. Considering issues such as comparativism, ethnography, cognitive function, orality, and intertextuality, the volume demonstrates their relevance to the elucidation of Greek prophetic practices. The volume also shows how multi- and inter-disciplinary approaches can be applied to a range of topics, from an examination of the very inception of Greek divination, explored within the frame of more archaic cult ideas, through emic elaboration of divinatory practice in Archaic and Classical periods, to consideration of intentional manipulation of prophecy, as depicted in Hellenistic and Imperial Roman sources. Collectively, the essays deepen our understanding of ancient Greek prophecy by offering insights into divinition astéhkn?, the centrality or marginality of Delphi and the Pythic priestess, prophetic ambiguity, and cognition, including cognitive dissonance.

General Introduction John J. Peradotto
1. Greek divination as the transformation of an Indo-European process Roger D. Woodard
2. On divinatory practices and La Raison Des Signes in Archaic Greece Claude Calame
3. Oracle and client Robert Parker
4. Disappointment, dissonance, and reconfiguration: Oracular failure in ancient Greek culture Esther Eidinow
5. The dynamism of mouvance in the pronouncements of the delphic oracle Gregory Nagy
6. Decentralising delphi: Predictive oracles, local knowledge, and social memory Maurizio Giangiulio
7. Oracular tales before historiography Nino Luragi
8. Omens and portents foretelling victory and defeat: Ontological, literary, and cognitive perspectives Michael A. Flower
9. The use of divination by Macedonian kings Fred S. Naiden
10. False prophets and fake prophecies in Lucian Dana Fields
11. Afterword Roger D. Woodard
Abbreviations
Bibliography.

Subject Areas: Ancient religions & mythologies [HRKP], History of religion [HRAX], Comparative religion [HRAC], Classical history / classical civilisation [HBLA1], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]