Sibyl of Cumae
Publié le 22/02/2012
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Roman A prophetess who lived
in a cave below a temple to Apollo in Cumae, a port in
the Bay of Naples on Italy's western coast on the shores
of Lake Averna.
Some historians believe the Sibyl of Cumae was
first known as the Sibyl of Erythrae, a city in Greece.
This Sibyl, which was the woman's name and came to
identify a female prophet, is said to have left Greece
and settled in Italy after the god Apollo promised her
as many years of life as the grains of sand she could
hold in her hand if she left her homeland and never
returned.
In Italy, the Sibyl of Cumae is said to have offered
to sell nine prophetic books to one of the last kings of
Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, but, not recognizing her
or her power, he refused to pay the price. The Sibyl
left, burned three of the books and returned to offer
Tarquinius six for the same price as nine. He refused.
She burned three more and returned again to offer
him three books for the price of nine. Having learned
who she was, Tarquinius bought the three, and then
and there the sibyl vanished.
Her written words of prophecy, which came to
be known as the Sybilline Books, gained a powerful
influence over the development of Roman religion,
particularly as it was influenced by Greek religion.
Liens utiles
- Sibyl of Cumae Roman A prophetess who lived in a cave below a temple to Apollo in Cumae, a port in the Bay of Naples on Italy's western coast on the shores of Lake Averna.
- Sibyl (Sibylla) Greek Originally, a young girl, the daughter of a Trojan, who had the gift of prophecy.
- Sibyl