Branch us

, a youth of Miletus, son of Smicrus, beloved by Apollo, who gave him the power of prophecy. He gave oracles at Didyme, which became inferior to none of the Grecian oracles except Delphi, and which exchanged the name of Didymean for that of Branchidæ. The temple, according to Strabo, was set on fire by Xerxes, who took po e ion of the riches it contained, and transported the people into Sogdiana, where they built a city, which was afterwards destroyed by Alexander. Strabo , bk. 15 .— Statius , Thebiad , bk. 3 , li. 479 .— Lucian , de Domo .