希臘 漫步在歷史與現實之間
在古代希臘人心目中，古都特爾斐是宇宙的“肚臍”、世界的中心、生命的起源地。而事實上，西方的現代文明，如戲劇、藝術、哲學以及科學，都是起源於希臘。漫步在希臘保留至今的殘垣斷壁之間，你仿佛還能聽到柏拉圖的雄辯、荷馬的吟唱，或者是阿伽門農的沖鋒令……
暮色中的衛城莊嚴而祥和。古代偉人和那些神話人物使古希臘遺留下來的一磚一瓦都散發著一種神秘的魅力，吸引你，震撼你，也安撫著你。
衛城
在雅典，無論從哪個方向你都可以看到海拔156米的衛城，而位於衛城最高處的巴特農神廟則是衛城最耀眼的明珠，也是舉世聞名的古代七大奇觀之一。巴特農神廟建於公元前４４７年，是著名建築師和雕刻家菲迪亞斯的傑作。在經歷了兩千多年的風風雨雨之後，神廟已經只剩下一個大體的輪廓了。在這長７０米、寬３０米的碩大空間裡，雅典守護神雅典娜高達12米的巨大金像早已不知所蹤，只剩下46根高達10.43米的那多立斯式圓柱堅守在那裡。不過，你仍可從這氣勢磅礴的柱子感受它當年的輝煌。
建於132年的哈德良拱門是衛城的另一標志性建築。拱門的柱子雕工精美，柱頭有多重葉子，基座飾以線形花紋。拱門朝衛城西北方向刻有“這裡是雅典，即提修斯古城”字樣，而朝奧林匹亞宙斯神廟方向則刻有“這裡是哈德良城，而非提修斯城”的字樣。除了巴特農神廟和哈德良拱門，衛城還有很多讓你眼花缭亂的歷史遺跡。巴特農神廟附近的衛城博物館有助於你掀開衛城的神秘面紗。
奧林匹亞
古代奧運會起源於宗教活動，而奧林匹亞是當時宗教祭祀的中心之一。公元前776年，古希臘人在奧林匹亞舉行了第一屆運動會。時至今日，這條最古老的奧運村還存有古代體育場遺址。它位於神殿區東面，四周是土坡修成的看台，可容納4萬多名觀眾。而納姆菲翁神壇更因為是歷屆現代奧運會火炬點燃的地方而舉世聞名。除了運動設施遺址，奧林匹亞還有宙斯神廟、赫拉神廟等遺跡。其中以宙斯神廟最為壯觀，其石柱的直徑達兩米多。
邁錫尼城
約在公元前1150的時候，發生了著名的特洛伊戰爭。根據《荷馬史詩》記載，戰爭因斯巴達王後海倫被特洛伊人搶走而引發。10年之後，斯巴達軍隊憑借“木馬計”攻陷特洛伊戰爭才得以結束。而邁錫尼城就是當年斯巴達軍隊的大本營。穿過著名的“獅門”，就是邁錫尼城古宮殿的遺址。不過也有考古學家認為，那是當時的希臘統帥阿伽門農的府邸。宮殿並沒有塗抹灰泥，內部結構復雜，還有如蜂巢般構造的神秘墓室。
得洛斯島
位於愛琴海的得洛斯島，傳說是太陽神阿波羅和月神阿爾特彌斯的出生地。由於這個原因，在公元前4世紀的時候，這裡是禁止出生和殡葬的。盡管如此，這個神的小島還是逐漸由凡人建立出一個盛世。在公元前4世紀到公元前1世紀，得洛斯成為重要的貿易中心，當然也是基克拉迪文化的重要構成部分。可惜的是，在公元前80年的時候，得洛斯曾遭遇入侵者的洗劫，當地居民也遭到大屠殺。從此，這裡就成為一個被遺忘的角落。直到19世紀的時候，它才被重新記起。
如今，得洛斯又因旅游業重新繁榮起來。游人們無一不被島上一所所造工精致的廟宇所傾倒。當年，虔誠的信徒們運用了他們的智慧和汗水，懷著恭敬的心為阿波羅或其他古希臘神建造了這些“行宮”。在阿波羅神廟不遠處，就是他出生所在的聖湖。聖湖由一排大理石獅子守護著，莊嚴而神聖。酒神狄厄尼索斯的行宮還保留著精美的鑲嵌圖案，而克利奧帕特拉神廟裡就只剩下一個無頭的女神像了。
令人心動的美酒佳肴
希臘食品別具一格，常用特別的調味品，也正因為如此，有人“一吃鐘情”，也有人剛好相反。總的來說，羔羊、魚和橄榄油都是最常用的材料，而且很多時候它們都是和面包一起吃的，但風味絕對跟你平常吃的“三明治”不一樣。
希臘的飯店風格各異，形式多樣，從高檔食品到大眾化小吃應有盡有。當地最常見的就是小酒館，在裡面用餐比在高級酒店隨意得多。而在眾多“家庭式”飯館中，烤肉店、海鮮館都是不錯的選擇。
飯店之外，各式希臘小吃的香味也會隨時隨地向游人襲來，引得你食指大動。濃香的有蒜香乳酪，比較清淡的有菠菜餡餅，還有嫩口的蒜香羊肉串、簡單的干酪餡餅、甜絲絲的果仁蜜餅等等。其中果仁蜜餅可是遠近馳名。
有佳肴自然少不了美酒。希臘的葡萄酒和餐後酒品種多樣，美名遠揚。例如奧蘇酒（Ouzo），這種通常和水摻著喝的餐後茴香酒就是希臘的著名特產之一。而說到白蘭地，就要嘗試一下邁塔克瑟白蘭地（Metaxa）。至於松香葡萄酒（Retsina）則因為吸收了松木酒桶的清香而變得與眾不同。相對松樹的清香，馬弗羅達夫尼酒(Mavrodaphne)則是甜甜的。總之，每一種美酒都值得你細細品嘗。在沒有嘗試過另一種酒之前別輕易認定某一種，因為你很容易“移情別戀”。
Delphi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the city of Delphi. See for the programming language by the same name
Delphi programming language. For the forecasting method by the same name see Delphi method.
Temple of Apollo at Delphi.
(large version)
Delphi is a city of ancIEnt Greece, home to the Delphic Oracle, dedicated to the god Apollo and inhabited by the nymph Cassotis, which was revered throughout the ancient world. The ancIEnt Greeks considered Delphi the centre of the universe.
Delphi was located in a plateau on the side of Mt. Parnassus. This semicircular spur is known as Phaedriades; it overlooks the Pleistos Valley. Southwest of Delphi, about 15 km away, is the harbor-city of Kirrha in the Corinthian Gulf.
The name "Delphi" probably stems from DelphiniOS, an epithet for Apollo stemming from his connection to dolphins. Apollo allegedly came to Delphi with Cretan prIEsts on the backs of dolphins. According to another legend, Apollo walked to Delphi from the north and stopped at Tempe, a city in Thessaly to pick laurel, a plant sacred to him. In commemoration of this legend, the winners at the Pythian Games received a laurel wreath picked in Tempe.
Delphi was the site of a major temple to Phoebus Apollo, as well as the Pythian Games and a famous Oracle.
As a young man, Apollo killed the vicious dragon Python, which lived in Delphi beside the Castalian Spring, according to some because Python had attempted to rape Leto while she was pregnant with Apollo and Artemis. This was the spring which emitted vapors that caused the Oracle at Delphi to give her prophesIEs. Apollo killed Python but had to be punished for it, since Python was a child of Gaia. The shrine dedicated to Apollo was probably originally dedicated to Gaia and then Poseidon. The Oracle at that time predicted the future based on the lapping water and leaves rustling in the trees.
The first Oracle at Delphi was commonly known as Sibyl, though her name was Herophile. She sang her predictions, which she received from Gaia. Later, "Sibyl" became a title given to whichever prIEstess manned the Oracle at the time. The Sibyl sat on the Sibylline Rock, breathing in vapors from the ground and gaining her often puzzling predictions from that. Pausanias claimed that the Sibyl was "born between man and goddess, daughter of sea monsters and an immortal nymph". Others said she was sister or daughter to Apollo. Still others claimed the Sibyll received her powers from Gaia originally, who passed the Oracle to Thetis, who passed it to Phoebe.
This Oracle exerted considerable influence across the country, and was consulted before all major undertakings -- wars, the founding of colonies, and so forth. She also was respected by the semi-Hellenic countrIEs around the Greek world, such as Macedonia, Lydia, Caria, and even Egypt. Croesus of Lydia consulted Delphi before attacking Persia, and according to Herodotus received the answer "if you do, you will destroy a great empire." Croesus found the response favorable and attacked, and was utterly overthrown (resulting, of course, in the destruction of his own empire).
The Oracle is also said to have proclaimed Socrates the wisest man in Greece, to which Socrates said that if so, this was because he alone was aware of his own ignorance. In the 3rd century A.D., the Oracle (perhaps bribed) declared that the god would no longer speak there.
The temple to Apollo at Delphi was built by Trophonius and Agamedes.
