[99] Herodot. vii, 145.
[100] Plutarch, Themistokl. c. 10. About Cheileos, Herodot. ix, 9.
[101] Herodot. vii, 203. οὐ γὰρ θεὸν εἶναι τὸν ἐπιόντα ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα, ἀλλ’ ἄνθρωπον, etc.: compare also vii, 56.
[102] Herodot. vii, 140.
Ἀλλ’ ἴτον ἐξ ἀδύτοιο, κακοῖς δ’ ἐπικίδνατε θυμόν.
The general sense and scope of the oracle appears to me clear, in this case. It is a sentence of nothing but desolation and sadness; though Bähr and Schweighäuser, with other commentators, try to infuse into it some thing of encouragement by construing θυμόν, fortitude. The translation of Valla and Schultz is nearer to the truth. But even when the general sense of an oracle is plain (which it hardly ever is), the particular phrases are always wild and vague.
[103] Herodot. vii, 141.
Οὐ δύναται Παλλὰς Δί’ Ὀλύμπιον ἐξιλάσασθαι
Λισσομένη πολλοῖσι λόγοις καὶ μήτιδι πυκνῇ.
Compare with this the declaration of Apollo to Crœsus of Lydia (i, 91).