Histories

But the poets who are said to have been earlier than these men were, in my opinion, later. The earlier part of all this is what the priestesses of Dodona [20.8,39.55] (Perseus)Dodona tell; the later, that which concerns Hesiod and Homer, is what I myself say.

But about the oracles in Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas, and that one which is in Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya, the Egyptians give the following account. The priests of Zeus of Thebes [32.666,25.683] (deserted settlement), Qina, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaThebes told me that two priestesses had been carried away from Thebes [32.666,25.683] (deserted settlement), Qina, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaThebes by Phoenicians; one, they said they had heard was taken away and sold in Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya, the other in Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas; these women, they said, were the first founders of places of divination in the aforesaid countries.

When I asked them how it was that they could speak with such certain knowledge, they said in reply that their people had sought diligently for these women, and had never been able to find them, but had learned later the story which they were telling me.

That, then, I heard from the Theban priests; and what follows, the prophetesses of Dodona [20.8,39.55] (Perseus)Dodona say: that two black doves had come flying from Thebes [32.666,25.683] (deserted settlement), Qina, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaThebes in Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, one to Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya and one to Dodona [20.8,39.55] (Perseus)Dodona;

the latter settled on an oak tree, and there uttered human speech, declaring that a place of divination from Zeus must be made there; the people of Dodona [20.8,39.55] (Perseus)Dodona understood that the message was divine, and therefore established the oracular shrine.