Editing Pythia (section)

===Other officiants===
Several other [[officiant]]s served the oracle in addition to the Pythia.<ref>On the temple personnel, see Roux 1976, pp. 54–63.</ref> After 200 BC, at any given time, there were two priests of Apollo, who were in charge of the entire sanctuary; Plutarch, who served as a priest during the late first century and early second century CE, gives us the most information about the organization of the oracle at that time. Before 200 BC, while the temple was dedicated to Apollo, there was probably only one priest of Apollo. Priests were chosen from among the main citizens of Delphi, and were appointed for life. In addition to overseeing the oracle, priests would also conduct sacrifices at other festivals of Apollo, and had charge of the [[Pythian Games]]. Earlier arrangements, before the temple became dedicated to Apollo, are not documented.

The other officiants associated with the oracle are less well known. These are the '''{{Lang|grc-latn|hosioi}}''' ({{Lang|grc|ὅσιοι}}, 'holy ones') and the '''{{Lang|grc|prophētai}}''' ({{Lang|grc|προφῆται}}, singular {{Lang|grc-latn|prophētēs}}). {{Lang|grc-latn|Prophētēs}} is the origin of the English word ''prophet'', with the meaning 'one who forespeaks, one who foretells'. The {{Lang|grc-latn|prophetai}} are referred to in literary sources, but their function is unclear; it has been suggested that they interpreted the Pythia's prophecies, or even reformatted her utterances into verse, but it has also been argued that the term ''{{Lang|grc-latn|prophētēs}}'' is a generic reference to any cult officials of the sanctuary, including the Pythia.<ref>Bowden 2005, pp. 15–16; see also [[Herodotus]] 8.36, [[Euripides]] ''Ion'' 413–416.</ref> There were five {{Lang|grc-latn|hosioi}}, whose responsibilities are unknown, but may have been involved in some manner with the operation of the oracle.