The temple of Apollo at Delphi

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Dating back to 1400 BC, the Oracle of Delphi was the most important shrine in all Greece, and in theory all Greeks respected its independence. Built around a sacred spring, Delphi was considered to be the omphalos - the center (literally navel) of the world. People came from all over Greece and beyond to have their questions about the future answered by the Pythia, the priestess of Apollo. And her answers, usually cryptic, could determine the course of everything from when a farmer planted his seedlings, to when an empire declared war

This temple having been accidentally destroyed by fire in B.C. 548, the Amphictyons undertook to build another for the sum of three hundred talents, of which the Delphians were to pay one fourth. The remainder of the amount is said to have been obtained by contributions from the different cities and nations

In 480 BC a miraculous landslide halted a Persian raid on the sanctuary. In 373 the temple of Apollo was destroyed by earthquake and again rebuilt with international donations. The 4th century became a 2nd period of architectural enhancement and prosperity for the sanctuary. In 279 BC the sanctuary was again miraculously saved from a barbarian ... pillage ... The general Sulla plundered the site in 86 BC and Nero carried off over 500 bronze statues in 51 AD

As for Sulla, he at once received deputations and invitations from the other cities, but Athens was compelled by the tyrant Aristion to side with Mithridates. Against this city, therefore, Sulla led up all his forces ... He wrote also to the Amphictyons at Delphi that it was better to have the treasures of the god sent to him; for he would either keep them more safely, or, if he spent them, would restore as much. And he sent Caphis, the Phocian, one of his friends, with the letter, bidding him receive each article by weight. Caphis came to Delphi, but was loth to touch the sacred objects, and shed many tears, in the presence of the Amphictyons, over the necessity of it. And when some of them declared they heard the sound of the god's lyre in the inner sanctuary, Caphis, either because he believed them, or because he wished to strike Sulla with superstitious fear, sent word to him about it. But Sulla wrote back jocosely, expressing his amazement that Caphis did not understand that singing was done in joy, not anger; his orders were therefore to take boldly, assured that the god was willing and glad to give. Accordingly, the rest of the treasures were sent away without the knowledge of the most, certainly, of the Greeks; but the silver jar, the only one ofthe royal gifts which still remained, was too large and heavy for any beast of burden to carry, and the Amphictyons were compelled to cut it into pieces

[Cartoonist]

1. The Moon Missions

I'm glad they named them after Apollo rather than some Biblical figure like Moses or Nimrod.

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3. Destination Moon

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5. Whitey On the Moon

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6. Generation

... Aquarius is shining and the sun is one of us
And me I don’t wanna go to the moon
I’m gonna leave that moon alone
I just want to dance with the Rosebud Sioux this summer ...

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7. Song About The Moon

[Hoppy]

2. My wife calls me a nimrod and I thought it was an insult. Now, I'm proud.

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4. Elgar - Enigma Variations -- Variation IX: Nimrod