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Why "The Oracle of Bacon at Virginia?"

Derived from the Latin verb orare meaning "to speak" or "to pray", the word oracle refers both to a person through whom a deity is believed to speak and to the shrine in which such a person reveals hidden knowledge or divine prophecy. The most famous ancient oracle was The Oracle of Apollo at Delphi, a shrine to the Greek god of the 1 where pilgrims sought Apollo's advice or sanction. The city of Delphi was located on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus near the gulf of Corinth and was considered by the ancient Greeks to be the center of the world. The Oracle of Apollo at Delphi is featured prominently in Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey and also in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. These works illustrate how the Delphic oracle was consulted not only on private matters but also on affairs of state with its utterances often swaying national policy. The Oracle of Bacon at Virginia is inspired by actor Kevin Bacon and is located at the University of Virginia.