Oracle of Apollo
- noun
- Literature
:
Oráculo de Apolo
- Many ancient Greeks sought guidance from the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi, where the priestess delivered cryptic prophecies.
Examples
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And the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi was the most famous place that was putting forward the idea of moderation.
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Travelers visited the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi, hoping to understand their futures through the prophecies given by the priestess.
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The Oracle of Apollo was revered for its mysterious insights, shaping the decisions of leaders and commoners alike.
Synonyms
A shrine in ancient Greece where a priestess gave mysterious messages from the god Apollo
A woman at Delphi in ancient Greece who gives mysterious advice from the god Apollo to people who ask
A Greek temple at Delphi where a priestess gives predictions from the god Apollo
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines 'oracle' (a shrine consulted for prophecy) with 'Apollo' (the god associated with prophecy), so the meaning — the prophetic shrine or seerhood connected to Apollo (the Delphic oracle) — is directly derivable from its parts. The 'of' possessive construction is literal and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would understand it.
Etymology
Oracle of Apollo comes from ancient Greece, where a woman called an oracle at Delphi spoke words people believed were from the god Apollo. Kings and travelers went to her for help, and because her answers were often strange or hard to understand, the name now means a mysterious or wise source of 'advice'.
