Euxenippos at Oropos
September 26, 2019 Hugh Bowden 2 citations
In mid-fourth-century Athens, the democracy used dream incubation as a form of divination to inform political decision-making. A delegation including Euxenippos consulted the hero Amphiaraos, as recorded in a speech by Isaios. The chapter draws on modern dream studies to examine practical aspects of incubation, such as recording dreams upon waking and training to improve recall. It argues that men like Euxenippos served as 'expert dreamers' expected to produce dreams on demand, supported by assistants and witnesses. Dream divination was taken seriously, giving expert dreamers potentially great influence on policy and making them participants in the political process.