Castalian

Castalian is an adjective relating to Castalia, the legendary spring at Delphi in ancient Greece. The name Castalia derives from Greek Kastalia, and by association with the Castalian spring that in myth was sacred to the Muses and a source of poetic inspiration.

In classical antiquity, Castalia was considered a fountain of the Muses and a place where poets sought inspiration. The term “Castalian” is used in literary contexts to describe things connected with poetry, Delphi, or the Muses.

The adjective has been used to evoke a classical or august poetic style. Poets and scholars sometimes describe poetic or stylistic qualities as Castalian when they aspire to and imitate ancient Greek poetry inspired by the Muses.

Beyond literature, Castalian may appear in modern names for institutions, journals, or cultural projects that draw on the Delphi myth. The term is generally used as a thematic or allusive label rather than a formal technical term.