21. To sum up: Soul is the instrument of the God, body of soul; the
result must partake in the infirmity of body. The cases of reflecting
mirrors, and of the moon. Thus there are two separate emotions in the
prophetess—inspiration and Nature.
22. Homeric instances of the choice of human instruments—Story of
Battus.
23. Of the ancient oracles (1) many were delivered in prose, (2) the
fashion of the times was for verse (cp. c. 18).
24. It is better that oracles should be given in current coin, not in
the depreciated coin of verse. History of poetical usage.
25. In old times obscurity was thought dignified, now it provokes
impatience; and it has become vulgarized through charlatans.
26. When cities and statesmen used to consult the oracle on questions of
high policy, circumlocution was necessary.
27. Again, verse was a great help to memory, when intricate advice was
given, as to Battus.
28. In these days of general rest, only homely questions are asked, and
are best answered in homely prose.
29. Yet we fear lest the credit acquired in three thousand years by the
straight concise answers of the oracle should be lost! We gush out with
wealth, as the mythical Galaesus with milk. I am proud to have had some
hand in this.
30. People who regret the old obscurity and bombast are like children
who admire a rainbow more than the sun which makes it.
In Theon’s long concluding speech (c. 19, p. 403 A to the end) he is
no doubt expressing Plutarch’s own views. But the literary
references and the touch of levity are quite in Theon’s style; ‘my
young friend’, in c. 20, recalls the same phrase in c. 3. Later on,
Plutarch is, as Wyttenbach has observed, indicated by τὸν καθηγεμόνα
ταύτης τῆς πολιτείας. Professor Hartman (see Preface, p. xx) states
his conviction that Theon was an older friend of Plutarch and his
predecessor in the priesthood (pp. 166 and 617). In a Dialogue in
which the Epicureans are attacked (_Non posse suaviter_, p. 1088 D)
a long speech clearly belonging to Theon is introduced by the words
‘I (Plutarch) said’. This slip is probably due to the author. (See,
on the general subject, Mr. John Oakesmith’s note on p. 149 of The
Religion of Plutarch.)