AnagedprophetessatDelphi,themostsacredoracleinancientGreece,looksbackoverherstrangelifeasthePythia,theFirstLadyandvoiceofthegodApollo.Asayoungvirginwithdisturbingpsychicpowers,Ariekawashandedovertotheserviceoftheshrinebyherparents.Shehasnowspentsixtyyearsastheverymedium,thetornmouthpiece,ofequivocalmanticutterancesfromthebronzetripodinthesanctuarybeneaththetemple.OveralifetimeatthemercyofgodandpriestandpeopleshehaswatchedthedecayofDelphi'sfortunesanditsinfluenceintheworld.Herreflectionsonthemysteriesoftheoracle,whichherownweirdgiftshaveembodied,arematchedbyherfeminineinsightintothehumanfrailtiesoftheHighPriesthimself,atrueAthenian,whoseintriguingagainsttheRomansbringsabouthumiliationanddisaster.ThisextraordinaryshortnovelwasleftindraftatGolding'ssuddendeathin1993butitisapsychologicalandhistoricaltriumph.