§7.140.1πέμψαντες γὰρ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ἐς Δελφοὺς θεοπρόπους χρηστηριάζεσθαι ἦσαν ἕτοιμοι· καί σφι ποιήσασι περὶ τὸ ἱρὸν τὰ νομιζόμενα, ὡς ἐς τὸ μέγαρον ἐσελθόντες ἵζοντο, χρᾷ ἡ Πυθίη, τῇ οὔνομα ἦν Ἀριστονίκη, τάδε. §7.140.2"
ὦ μέλεοι, τί κάθησθε;
For the Athenians, having sent messengers to Delphi, were ready to consult the oracle; and when they had performed the customary rites about the temple, as they entered the inner chamber and sat down, the Pythia, whose name was Aristonice, uttered these words: "O wretched men, why sit you here?
λιπὼν φεῦγʼ ἔσχατα γαίης
δώματα καὶ πόλιος τροχοειδέος ἄκρα κάρηνα.
Leave your homes and the high summits of your wheel-shaped city, and flee to the ends of the earth!
οὔτε γὰρ ἡ κεφαλὴ μένει ἔμπεδον οὔτε τὸ σῶμα,
οὔτε πόδες νέατοι οὔτʼ ὦν χέρες, οὔτε τι μέσσης
λείπεται, ἀλλʼ ἄζηλα πέλει· κατὰ γάρ μιν ἐρείπει
πῦρ τε καὶ ὀξὺς Ἄρης, Συριηγενὲς ἅρμα διώκων. "
For neither the head remains firm, nor the body, nor the feet below, nor indeed the hands, nor is anything left of the middle, but all is brought to ruin; for fire and fierce Ares, driving a Syrian-born chariot, shall bring it down.
§7.140.3"
πολλὰ δὲ κἆλλʼ ἀπολεῖ πυργώματα κοὐ τὸ σὸν οἶον,
πολλοὺς δʼ ἀθανάτων νηοὺς μαλερῷ πυρὶ δώσει,
οἵ που νῦν ἱδρῶτι ῥεούμενοι ἑστήκασι,
δείματι παλλόμενοι, κατὰ δʼ ἀκροτάτοις ὀρόφοισι
αἷμα μέλαν κέχυται, προϊδὸν κακότητος ἀνάγκας.
And many other strongholds shall he destroy, and not yours alone, and many temples of the immortals shall he give to devouring fire, which now stand dripping with sweat, shaking with fear, while from their topmost roofs black blood is poured down, foreseeing the necessity of woe.
ἀλλʼ ἴτον ἐξ ἀδύτοιο, κακοῖς δʼ ἐπικίδνατε θυμόν. "
Go forth, then, from the sanctuary, and steep your souls in sorrow!"