Jest and song Apollo owns,
Let Hades keep his woes and groans.
Sophocles again,[[83]] in his actual assignment of instruments to each, is quite clear, thus:
Nor harp nor lyre to wailing strains is dear,
for it was quite late, indeed only the other day, that the flute |C| ventured to let itself speak “on themes of joy”; in early times it trailed along in mourning, nor was its service therein much esteemed or very cheerful; then there came a general confusion. It was specially by mingling things which were of Gods with those which were of daemons that the distinction of the instruments was lost. Anyhow, the phrase “KNOW THYSELF” seems to stand in a sort of antithesis to the letter “E”, and yet, again, to accord with it. The letter is an appeal, a cry raised in awe and worship to the God, as being throughout all eternity; the phrase is a reminder to mortal man of his own nature and of his weakness.’
II
WHY THE PYTHIA DOES NOT NOW GIVE ORACLES IN VERSE
THE SPEAKERS
A. Introductory
Basilocles, a citizen of Delphi.
Philinus, a friend (perhaps also of Delphi).