The Cumean Sibyl, from Satyricon, by Titus Petronius Arbiter

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The Cumean Sibyl

From the book: Satyricon
Written 62-65 A.D. by Titus Petronius Arbiter (?-66 A.D. - ordered by Nero to commit suicide)

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For once I saw with my own eyes the Cumean Sibyl hanging in a jar, and when the boys asked taunting the Sibyl, 'what do you want?' she answered 'I want to die'.

[The Sibyl at Cumae was renowned for her enigmatic prophecies delivered on scattered leaves, which the recipient would have to try to organise into some sort of meaningful utterance. According to Ovid (Metamorphoses, 14, 132 ff), when she was young Apollo had offered the Sibyl anything she wanted in order to win her favours, and in return she had asked Apollo for as many years of life as there are grains in a handful of sand, but forgot to ask for lasting youth as well. Hence a jar or bottle sufficed to hold her ancient shrunken body, and only death would release her from an intolerable and seemingly interminable life. Instead of being an awe-inspiring mediator of insights from the world of the gods, she was taunted by children. The book is in Latin but the questions and answers are in Greek. ZG]

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