The Oracle of Apollo
People from far and wide would flock to temples of Apollo to seek their fortunes. This was because Apollo had the gift to see into the future. Apollo like the attention because it made more people worship him and they built more temples in his honor. After hundreds of years of this Apollo grew weary of constantly having to answer people's questions about the future, but still wanted them to adore him. His solution was to create an oracle.
Along with being able to read the future himself, Apollo could also bestow the same gift onto and mortal. Oracles had already been around, but were notoriously vague and mysterious. They didn't posses the level of sight that Apollo could give. Apollo chose a young priestess from one of his temples to become the oracle. Word soon spread far and wide that this oracle actually was sent by Apollo and was bound by his laws.
The laws of Apollo were that the oracle could not tell any lies, must answer any question asked, but could answer it in any way she chose. The oracle spent her days answer the people's questions until she too got bored. Then, to entertain herself, the oracle began answering the questions with more ambiguity that led to misunderstandings. Many people, knowing that she couldn't lie, took these predictions literally and were surprised when the real truth emerged.
This soon lead to the common distrust that people have for people that read the future today.
Along with being able to read the future himself, Apollo could also bestow the same gift onto and mortal. Oracles had already been around, but were notoriously vague and mysterious. They didn't posses the level of sight that Apollo could give. Apollo chose a young priestess from one of his temples to become the oracle. Word soon spread far and wide that this oracle actually was sent by Apollo and was bound by his laws.
The laws of Apollo were that the oracle could not tell any lies, must answer any question asked, but could answer it in any way she chose. The oracle spent her days answer the people's questions until she too got bored. Then, to entertain herself, the oracle began answering the questions with more ambiguity that led to misunderstandings. Many people, knowing that she couldn't lie, took these predictions literally and were surprised when the real truth emerged.
This soon lead to the common distrust that people have for people that read the future today.