Δοκοῦμεν εἶναι δαιμόνων σοφώτεροι (Supplices, 211).
It will be observed that this constant outpouring of special revelations, through prophets, omens, etc., was (in the view of these Sokratic thinkers) an essential part of the divine government; indispensable to satisfy their ideas of the benevolence of the gods; since rational and scientific prediction was so habitually at fault and unable to fathom the phenomena of the future.
[219] Xen. Anab. v. 6, 29.
[220] Though Xenophon accounted sacrifice to be an essential preliminary to any action of dubious result, and placed great faith in the indications which the victims offered, as signs of the future purposes of the gods,—he nevertheless had very little confidence in the professional prophets. He thought them quite capable of gross deceit (See Xen. Cyrop. i, 6, 2, 3; compare Sophokles, Antigone, 1035, 1060; and Œdip. Tyrann. 387).
[221] Xen. Anab. v, 6, 19-26.
[222] Xen. Anab. v, 6, 30-33.
[223] Xen. Anab. v, 6, 34; vi, 4, 13.
[224] Xen. Anab. v, 6, 36.
I may here note that this Phasis in the Euxine means the town of that name, not the river.
[225] Xen. Anab. v, 7, 1-3.