Description of Greece

​The land of Oropus, between Attica and Tanagra, which was originally Boeotian, the Athenians hold in our time, having fought for it during the whole time, but having acquired it securely not before Philip took Thebes and gave it to them. Now the city is on the sea, presenting nothing great for description; and the sanctuary of Amphiaraus is distant from the city about twelve stades.

​It is said that when Amphiaraus was fleeing from Thebes, the earth cleft open for him and received him together with his chariot; except they say that it did not happen here, but for those going from Thebes to Chalcis there is a place called Harma . It was first established among the Oropians to regard Amphiaraus as a god, and later all the Greeks also came to believe so. I am able to list also others who, having been men at that time, have honors of gods among the Greeks, and to some of whom cities are dedicated: Eleus in the Chersonese to Protesilaus, and Lebadeia of the Boeotians to Trophonius. And the Oropians have both a temple of Amphiaraus and an image of white stone.

​The altar presents parts: one is of Heracles, Zeus, and Apollo the Healer; another is dedicated to heroes and wives of heroes; the third is of Hestia, Hermes, Amphiaraus, and of his children, Amphilochus. But Alcmaeon, because of his deed against Eriphyle, has no honor either in the part of Amphiaraus, nor indeed by Amphilochus. The fourth portion of the altar is of Aphrodite and Panacea, and also of Iaso, Hygeia, and Athena the Healer; the fifth is made for the nymphs, Pan, and the rivers Achelous and Cephisus. And for Amphilochus there is an altar also among the Athenians in the city, and an oracle in Mallus of Cilicia, the most truthful of those in my time.

​The Oropians have a spring near the temple, which they call that of Amphiaraus, neither sacrificing anything into it nor being accustomed to use it for purifications or lustral water; but when a man has been cured of a disease through an oracle, it is established to cast silver and coined gold into the spring, for they say that Amphiaraus rose up here, being already a god. And Iophon of Knossos, one of the guides, produced oracles in hexameter, claiming that Amphiaraus delivered them to those of the Argives who were sent against Thebes. These verses had a power extremely attractive to the multitude. But apart from those whom they say were driven mad by Apollo in ancient times, none of the seers was an oracle-monger, but they were good at interpreting dreams and distinguishing the flights of birds and the entrails of victims.

​And I think that Amphiaraus devoted himself especially to the interpretation of dreams; and it is clear that, when he was regarded as a god, he established divination through dreams. And first indeed they hold it a custom that whoever comes to consult Amphiaraus must purify himself; and the purification is to sacrifice to the god, and they sacrifice both to him and to all those whose names are on the altar. When these things have been performed beforehand, they sacrifice a ram, and having spread its skin beneath them, they sleep, waiting for a revelation in a dream.