In this article, I present an interpretation in religious terms of what Athenians were doing when they went to Delphi as representatives of their city. I begin by briefly outlining the key moments of Athenian involvement with Delphi in the classical period, which is roughly from 479 to 338 BCE, and the general relationship between city and sanctuary. I then look at the activities of the Athenian delegates to the Delphic Amphiktyony, whose responsibilities included representing the city of Athens at the festival of the Pylaia at Anthela and offering sacrifice at Delphi. I then turn to sacred ambassadors coming to consult the oracle, and show that occasions of consultation were festival occasions and that the experience of the theōroi was profoundly religious. I demonstrate that more than any immediate political concerns, maintaining a good relationship with Apollo was central to these activities. Evidence will be drawn largely from inscriptions from Delphi and literary sources from Athens, dating to the period under investigation.

在这篇文章中，我以宗教的方式对雅典人去德尔斐作为其城市代表的所作所为进行了解释。首先，我简要概述了雅典在古典时期（大约在公元前479年至338年）参与德尔菲的关键时刻，以及城市与圣所之间的一般关系。然后，我看一下参加Delphic Amphiktyony的雅典代表的活动，他们的职责包括代表雅典市参加Anthela的Pylaia节，并在Delphi献祭。然后，我转向神圣的大使前来咨询甲骨文，并表明咨询的场合是节日的场合，而theōroi的经历具有深厚的宗教信仰。我证明，与任何直接的政治关切相比，与阿波罗保持良好关系对这些活动至关重要。证据将主要从德尔菲的题词和雅典的文学文献中抽取，这些文献可追溯到本报告所涉时期。