How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
(Prophetess): "With first place among the gods in this prayer I give special honour to Earth, the first prophet; and after her, to Themis, for she was the second to sit at her mother's oracle here, as one story has it. The third to have this office assigned—it was at Themis' wish and with no violence to anyone—was another of Earth's daughters by Titan, Phoebe. She it was who gave the office as a birthday gift to Phoebus, who has his name from hers. He left Delos with its lake and spine of rock; he beached on Pallas' shore where the ships put in and came to this land and his seat at Parnassus. The sons of Hephaestus escorted him here with great reverence and made a road for him, taming an untamed land. After his arrival the people magnify him in honour, as does Delphos, this land's lord and helmsman. Zeus inspired his mind with skill, setting him as the fourth prophet on the throne here; so Loxias is his father Zeus' spokesman." (1-19)
These are the opening words of The Eumenides. The Prophetess of Apollo gives a detailed account of how the oracle at Delphi passed through the hands of various gods until it finally fell to Apollo. ("Loxias" is another name for Apollo.) Why do you think Aeschylus would have chosen this as an opening? What is significant about emphasizing Apollo's role as an oracle, and why would the Prophetess want to emphasize the close connection between Apollo and Zeus?
Quote #2
(Prophetess): "These gods are the prelude to my prayers, and I give special honour in my words to Pallas Before the Temple; and I do reverence to the nymphs of Corycus' rocky cave, welcoming to the birds, the haunt of gods. Bromios has promised this place—and I do not omit his mention—since the time he led his Bacchants in an army as their god, scheming a death for Pentheus like a hare's. Next, with invocations to Pleistus' waters, to mighty Poseidon and to Zeus most high, the fulfiller, I go to take my seat on the throne as prophetess." (20-29)
You know the old schoolyard rhyme, "First is the worst, second is the best"? In these words of the Prophetess, we learn that the first gods to be mentioned weren't the ones she considers most effective, but rather that they served as the "prelude" before she could get to the gods who really matter: Pallas (a.k.a. Athena), the nymphs of Corycus, and Bromios (a.k.a. Dionysus), followed by Poseidon and Zeus. This mixture of gods both high and low suggests that the Prophetess doesn't just take inspiration from Apollo, but gets help from a wide range of divinities.
Quote #3
(Orestes): "Lord Apollo, you know how not to do injustice; and since you have knowledge, learn also how not to be neglectful." (85-86)
This provides an example of a theme you'll find throughout the plays of the Oresteia. What we see here is the basically "contractual" nature of Ancient Greek (and Roman) religion—where "contractual" is just a fancy name for "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." When Orestes tells Apollo "not to be neglectful," he is basically saying, "Hey. I offered you lots of sacrifices and stuff, but I'm not seeing anything in return. What gives?"