Sibyls : Prophecy and Power in the Ancient World

by: Guillermo, J.

The first of its kind, Jorge Guillermo?s Sibyls explores the history and remarkable influence of the oracles. With fascinating depth, it takes a look at the divinatory females of classical antiquity, their status as spokeswomen for the gods, and addresses the significance of a society willing to bow to female authority. Along with accounts of the Erythraean, Cumaean, Delphic and Tiburtine Sibyls, Guillermo considers the unusual respect with which Christians have traditionally treated the pagan figures.

Sibyls charts the enduring importance given to human prophecy, the allure of premonition demonstrated even today in monthly horoscopes. It provides an absorbing discussion of the powerful female advisor, particularly poignant when placed against contemporary religious arguments.

Reviews
'Readers with a taste for divination or spirituality will not need reminding that the world of the ancient Greeks and Romans was richly endowed with prophets and mediums promising access to the divine sphere and maybe even to the human future too. Jorge Guillermo proves a most learned and engaging guide to the lore and legend that surrounded them then and surround them still today. It is an easy prediction that his beautifully modulated book will soon find an honoured place on many a cultivated bookshelf' Paul Cartledge, AG Leventis Professor of Greek Culture, University of Cambridge, and author of The Spartans and Thermopylae

'In the past, as now women are perceived to have a unique understanding of life's mysteries. In this fascinating book, Jorge Guillermo eloquently explores those whose rare gifts made them superstars of ancient history, the Sibyls' Shelley von Strunckel, astrologer and internationally-syndicated columnist

About Jorge Guillermo
Jorge Guillermo left his native Havana during the Cuban revolution and has lived in many countries since. He holds several degrees in theology and architectural history from prestigious North American and European universities. He is the author of Cuba: Five Hundred Years of Images

Sibyls : Prophecy and Power in the Ancient World

by: Guillermo, J.

• ISBN-13: 9780715643044 / 978-0-7156-4304-4
• ISBN-03: 0715643045 / 0-7156-4304-5
• Overook Duckworth, New York, 2013