TROPHONIUS'S CAVE, or Oracle, a cave near Lebada in Bœotia, between Helicon and Cæronea (Strabo); so called from Trophonius, an enthusiastic diviner, who, descending into this cave, pretended to give answers and pronounce oracles, and was hence called Jupiter Trophonius. Such as entered this cave never afterwards smiled; and hence the proverbial saying of a man who has lost his mirth, that
he is come out of Trophonius's cave. Dr Clarke found the cave choked up with stones.