[Thriai]: divinatory pebbles, likewise certain beings; for indeed three nymphs, daughters of Zeus, having discovered three divinatory pebbles, presented them to Athena, who, after being charged with meddling in a matter that was not her own (for this belongs to Apollo), threw them into what is called the Thriasian Plain. From ‘three’ derives ‘thria’ and ‘Thriasian’; for since Athena threw the divinatory pebbles, which are called ‘thriai’, from this the term ‘to divine’ is called ‘thriasthai’. And they are three in number. Or else the name comes from ‘to triple’; or from some man called Thrasios. — Et. Gen. p. 160 Mi. = Et. Magnum p. 455.34
[Lots of pebble-tossers, but few prophetic men]: Philochoros says that Parnassos was occupied by nymphs, the nurses of Apollo, three in number, called the Thriai, after whom divinatory pebbles are called thriai and 'to divine' thriasthai. But others say that Athena discovered the art of divining through pebbles; and since this was held in higher regard than the Delphic oracles, Zeus, to do Apollo a favour, rendered divination by pebbles untrue. So, when people again turned to the Delphic oracles, the Pythia said ‘Lots of pebble-tossers, but few prophetic men’. —Zenobios Proverbs 5.75 = Steph Byz. s.v. Θρία
[Thriasian Plain]: the name of a place. It was named after the thriai that were thrown into it by Athena. Now, thriai are divinatory pebbles, and certain nymphs, called the Thriai, discovered this sort of divination. They were the nurses of Apollo, from whom also comes the term thriasthai, 'to divine'. — Anecdota Graeca 1. 265. 11 (Bekker)
