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Question 12. What was Charila among the Delphians?
Solution. The Delphians solemnized three nonennial
feasts in regular order, of which they call one Stepterium,
another Herois, and the third Charila. The Stepterium
represents by imitation the fight which Apollo had with
Python, and both his flight and pursuit after the fight unto
Tempe. For some say that he fled, as needing purification
by reason of the slaughter; others say that he pursued
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Python wounded, and flying along the highway which
they now call Sacred, he just missed of being present at
his death; for he found him just dead of his wound, and
buried by his son, whose name was Aix, as they say.
Stepterium therefore is the representation of these or some
such things. But as to Herois, it hath for the most part a
mysterious reason which the Thyades are acquainted with;
but by the things that are publicly acted one may conjecture it to be the calling up of Semele from the lower
world. Concerning Charila, they fable some such things
as these. A famine by reason of drought seized the Delphians, who came with their wives and children as suppliants to the king's gate, whereupon he distributed meal
and pulse to the better known among them, for there was
not sufficient for all. A little orphan girl yet coming and
importuning him, he beat her with his shoe, and threw
his shoe in her face. She indeed was a poor wandering
beggar-wench, but was not of an ignoble disposition;
therefore withdrawing herself, she untied her girdle and
hanged herself. The famine hereupon increasing and
many diseases accompanying it, Pythia gives answer to
the king, that the maid Charila who slew herself must be
expiated. They with much ado at last discovering that
this was the maid's name which was smitten with a shoe,
they instituted a certain sacrifice mixed with expiatory
rites, which they yet solemnize to this day every ninth
year. Whereat the king presides, distributing meal and
pulse to all strangers and citizens (for they introduce a
kind of an effigy of the wench Charila); and when all
have received their doles, the king smites the idol with his
shoe. Upon this the governess of the Thyades takes up the
image and carries it away to some rocky place, and there
putting a halter about its neck, they bury it in the place
where they buried Charila when she had strangled herself.
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Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals. Translated from the Greek by several hands. Corrected and revised by. William W. Goodwin, PH. D. Boston. Little, Brown, and Company. Cambridge. Press Of John Wilson and son. 1874. 2.
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