Monday, 5 December 2011

The Libyan Sibyl (est350B.C.)

The Libyan Sibyl, also named as Phemonoe, was a prophetic priestess at the Siwa Oasis in the Libyan dessert. Her mother is said to have been Queen Lamia who originated from the Chaldeans from Babylonia. There are many myths about her mother, been seeing as evil and close to that of a vampire (may even be there origin of vampire stories as mothers used to threaten their kids with the story of Lamia).

However, Phemonoe managed to gain a lot of attention herself, she was talked about by Pausanias, Serapion, and Euripides and was even depicted in a painting by Michelangelo. The most interesting story of her however is by Plutarch as he tells the story of Alexander the Great marching to the Oasis, and the sibyl confirming him as the legitimate Pharoah of Egypt, this would place her as living around the year 350 B.C.

No comments:

Post a Comment