Trophonius
mythological figure · 6 works · 6 mentions · 7 anchored passages
in the texts
Clouds
A mythological hero-oracle whose cave was a place of frightening descent, invoked by Strepsiades as a comparison for entering the thinking-shop.
for I am afraid of descending within, as if into the cave of Trophonius.
On the Nature of the Gods
Legendary Boeotian oracular hero whose divinity is questioned alongside Amphiaraus
Or shall Amphiaraus be a god, and Trophonius?
Tusculan Disputations
Builder of Apollo's temple at Delphi, found dead after asking for the best reward.
With a like prayer Trophonius and Agamedes are said to have prayed;
Ion
Oracular hero whose cavern-oracle Xuthus visits before consulting Apollo, hoping for the same answer about offspring.
Tell me what response thou bringest from Trophonius, touching our future hopes of mutual offspring.
’Tis his wish to hear the self-same answer from Trophonius and Phoebus too.
But he is now visiting the cavern of Trophonius.
The Histories
The hero of the oracular cave at Lebadea consulted during Mys's tour.
This man Mys is known to have gone to Lebadea and to have bribed a man of the country to go down into the cave of Trophonius and to have gone to the place of divination at Abae in Phocis.
Apologeticum
Legendary/heroic figure credited with founding initiations in Boeotia, associated with an oracular cave.
To meet the Greeks — Orpheus at Pieria, Musaeus at Athens, Melampus at Argos, Trophonius in Boeotia bound men by their initiations.