CLARUS
CLARUS (
Κλάρος: Eth.
Κλάριος), a place in Ionia, near Colophon, where there was a temple of Apollo, and an oracle of high antiquity. (
Paus. 7.3.1.) Claros is mentioned in the so-called Homeric hymns (1.40, 8.5), and by the Latin poets. (Ovid.
Met. 1.515;
Verg. A. 3.359.)
There was an old story that Calchas, on his return from Troy, came to Clarus, and died of vexation on finding that Mopsus, the grandson of Tiresias, was a better seer than himself. (Strab. p. 642.) When Germanicus was on his way to the East, he consulted the Clarian oracle, which foretold his speedy death.
The priest was selected from certain families, and generally brought from Miletus.
It was only necessary to tell him the number and names of those who consulted the oracle, on which he went into a cave, drank of the water of the secret fountain, and then delivered in verse an answer to what each had in his thoughts: his answers, as usual with oracles, were ambiguous. (
Tac. Ann. 2.54;
Plin. Nat. 2.103.)
Chandler (
Asia Minor, 100.31) supposes that he discovered the site of Clarus at a place called
Zillé, where he found a spring of water, with marble steps that led down to it; and he considers that this is the sacred fountain.
Aiasaluck, the site of Ephesus, may be seen from this spot, with the plain of Ephesus and the town of
Scala Nova. He saw also a confused mass of ruins of a large temple, and remains mains of Christian churches. Pausanias, who wrote in the second century of the Christian aera, speaks of an unfinished temple of Apollo at Clarus. The French editors of Chandler suggest that the ruins at
Zillé may be those of Notium. On the coins of Clarus from the time of Domitian to Gallienus, there is Apollo Clarius and Diana Claria.
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G.L]
