The Oracle at Delphi Gave Deliberately Ambiguous Answers
An oracle is a source of prophecy or wisdom. Delphi's most famous replies could be read either way, which was the point.
An oracle is a source of prophecy, or the prophecy itself. Delphi's reputation rested on ambiguity: told that if he attacked Persia he would destroy a great empire, Croesus attacked and destroyed his own. The oracle was never wrong because the answer could be read either way, which made it both unfalsifiable and genuinely useful as a prompt for deliberation.
- A source of prophecy. *The oracle at Delphi.*
- A prophecy. *An ambiguous oracle.*
- An authority. *The oracle on tax law.*
- Oracular — cryptic or prophetic. *An oracular remark.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | oracle | A famous oracle. |
| Plural | oracles | Greek oracles. |
| Adjective | oracular | An oracular reply. |
| Related | orator | A fine orator. |
| Related | oral | An oral exam. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Croesus destroyed a great empire.His own.
- Know thyself was inscribed at Delphi.One of the maxims there.
- He is the oracle on procedure.The recognised authority.
About Delphi
- Pythia — the priestess who delivered the prophecies
- Apollo — the god whose sanctuary it was
- Omphalos — a stone marking what Greeks called the navel of the world
- Ambiguity — answers were often open to opposite readings
- Consulted — by cities and kings for centuries on major decisions
From Latin *oraculum*, a divine announcement, from *orare*, to speak or pray — the same root as *orator* and *oration*.
Was the oracle ever wrong?
Its most famous answers were phrased so that either outcome confirmed them. That ambiguity was part of the institution's authority.
Are oracle and orator related?
Yes. Both come from Latin *orare*, to speak. An oracle is a speaking, and an orator one who speaks.