Histories of Visions Apparitions Prophecies Spirits Divinations, Part 1 · Section 5
5. Of Paganiſh Oracles, founded upon the ſtarres, founding divinatory Magicke, and Aſtrologie, confounded by Divinity, and Chriſtianity.
A Certaine big bellied woman enquiring of Apollo, whether it was a male child, or a female, that ſhe went withall, and ſhould bring forth? he anſwered a female; declaring that he had perceived ſo much from the time of her conception, ſaying, thou mayſt not hope for a male-child, ſeeing the Moone is darkned by the rayes of Ʋenus. To another, enquiring as concerning his health, it was anſwered (by the courſe of the Starres predicting ſickneſſes) that his lungs were vexed with ill humours; becauſe Saturne was preſſed with unevenneſſe or roughneſſe, either in leaping, or ſpeaking. In anſwer to another, Thy fatall day (quoth he) is at hand: becauſe Saturne and Mars have both agreed together to determine it.
Apollo himſelfe being interrogated by a certain Souldier, why he laboured ſo hazzardous a thing as the fatation of a mans free will? anſwered, becauſe genethliacall Mars ſo ſtirred him up: or elſe thus, why he laboured under ſuch hazzard or perill himſelfe? becauſe fatiduall Mars had ſtirred up ſuch a thing againſt his fatiduall Oracle. For thus tamely they took their own fatations; and confeſſed they were not able to defend their own Temples from firing.
Pythius Apollo contended, that fates might be diſſolved by maleſicall arts. For when one enquired, why he was judged of Apollo as unapt for any thing? and what was to be done, whereby he might be received as fit for ſomething? It was anſwered by the Oracle, that the force of the Fates did hinder him, and yet he might avoyd that by Magicall arts.
Porphyrius confeſſeth, that the gods will lye, ſaying, that an exquiſite knowledge of things future, is not onelyonly incomprehenſible to men, but to many of the gods. Nevertheleſſe did they not alwaies lie of their own accord; but were wont to predict, that they themſelves could not anſwer truly; and yet men out of their madneſſe, would obſtinately compell them to anſwer. Therefore Delphick Apollo, when the affection, or diſpoſition of the Heavens, and the continent was ſo, that he could not foreſee the truth: forbeare (ſaid he by his diviner) this forcible urging, and utter not thoſe powerfull words; for I ſhall tell falſe, if thou thus compelleſt. And in another anſwer, the way of the Starres (ſaith he) afford me to ſay nothing to day.
Where is the Delphian Oracle, that men did ſo religiouſly adore? where is Apollo Pythius, or Clarius? where is Iupiter Dodonaeus? The Delphicke Oracle truly is related to have been thrice burnt by the Thracians; yet was not that calamity once foreſeen or foretold by Apollo himſelfe. We have heard the ſame of Jupiter Capitoline, in the time of Ptolomy, when the Temple of Ʋeſta was alſo burnt. That great Image of Jupiter, which they ſay was the glory as it were of all Greece, in the time of Julius Caeſar burned, being from above ſtricken with thunder and lightning in the Olympick bickerings. And in more ancient times, they ſay the Capitoline Temple was burnt: and Pantheus is ſaid to be caſt down and deſtroyed with thunder and lightning: and we are not ignorant, how the Sacrary of Serapis in Alexandria was burnt in like manner.
Auguſtus Caeſar conſulting the Oracle of Apollo Pythius, about the ſucceſſion in the Empire, it gave no anſwer thereunto: and being importuned to give a reaſon of its ſilence, anſwered to this effect: That an Hebrew child, a Ruler of the Gods themſelves, had commanded him to depart that place, and get him down to Hell.
Aemilianus the Rethorician was heard to report, that his Father ſailing towards Italy, about the Iſles which they call the Echinades, the wind lying ſtill, towards night they came neere to Paxas; and they that ſailed being more attently vigilant, on a ſudden was heard a great voyce from the Iſle Paxas, calling on one Thraemnus (now this Thraemnus was an Aegyptian, and Governour of that ſhip) they all wondred, but he anſwered not till the third call, and then it cryed louder thus: When thou commeſt neer the Fenne, proclaime, that great Pan is dead. Which being heard, all of them were ſtricken with great feare, and doubted whether they ſhould obey that voyce or not; at length they approved this counſell of Thraemnus the Governour, that if the winds blew faire and proſperous, they would ſay nothing; but if the Sea were calme, and the winds ceaſed when they came in that very place, then there was no concealing of what they had heard. Now when they were neer the fenne, & no wind ſtirring, Thraemnus looking into the Sea, pronounced with a loud voyce, as he had heard, Great Pan is dead. Which being proclaimed, there was preſently heard many and great and ſtrange groanes. As ſoon as they came to Rome, the rumour hereof filled the whole City, ſo that Tiberius ſent for Thraemnus to confirme the truth thereof. — Then Demetrius told his ſtory, Beyond Britaine there are many deſolate Iſlands, ſome of which are dedicated to Daemons and Heroes: and I ſailed (ſaid he) towards an Iſle neere to Britaine; where there are few inhabitants, but all accounted hallowed by the Brittaines: As I was there, a great tempeſt aroſe in the ayre, with ſtormes and lightnings that made us all afraid: which thing the Iſlanders ſaid, fell out, becauſe ſome of the Daemons, and Heroes were dead. The grave Author gives this note upon them, that theſe things were ſaid, and done in the time of Tiberius; in which time our Saviour was converſant upon earth, and then both ſilenced and expelled Devils.