Showing posts with label Pausanias. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pausanias. Show all posts

Monday, 5 December 2011

The Delphic Sibyl (est1200-800B.C.)

The Delphic Sibyl made her prophecies at Delphi (Greece), there are many various stories about this Sibyl but not all of them agree. For example, one source lists her as a daughter of Queen Lamia which would make her a sister or half-sister of The Libyan Sibyl. However, it is said that she came from Troad before the Trojan War (1200B.C.) with her brother (Apollo) to Delphi, then later stopped at Samos (Greek island) Claros (Greek city) and Delos (Greek island where Apollo was born) before eventually dying in Troad (Turkey) after living nine generations(which is about 300-400years).

The Sibyl is mentioned by various sources, most noticeably by Pausanias in his description of Greece, and later she was also one of the Sibyls that was painted by Michelangelo. There are claims that she gave a prophecy about the coming of Christ.

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.