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One thing which the Thebans declare to have happened at this time is
to me very surprising. Mys, the European, they say, after he had
gone about to all the oracles, came at last to the sacred precinct of
Apollo Ptous. The place itself bears the name of Ptoum; it is in
the country of the Thebans, and is situated on the mountain side
overlooking Lake Copais, only a very little way from the town called
Acraephia. Here Mys arrived, and entered the temple, followed by
three Theban citizens - picked men whom the state had appointed to
take down whatever answer the god might give. No sooner was he entered
than the prophet delivered him an oracle, but in a foreign tongue; so
that his Theban attendants were astonished, hearing a strange language
when they expected Greek, and did not know what to do. Mys,
however, the European, snatched from their hands the tablet which
they had brought with them, and wrote down what the prophet uttered.
The reply, he told them, was in the Carian dialect. After this,
Mys departed and returned to Thessaly.
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