Sibyl

myminifactory

The sibyls were women whom the ancient Greeks believed to be oracles of immense power. According to legend, these earliest sibyls prophesied at revered sites where the divine and mortal worlds converged. Their prophecies were infused with the divine inspiration of a higher power; originally at Delphi and Pessinos, the deities involved were chthonic deities with deep roots in the earth. In later antiquity, numerous writers testified to the existence of sibyls throughout Greece, Italy, the Levant, and Asia Minor. The English word "sibyl" (/ˈsɪbəl/ or /ˈsɪbɪl/) originates from ancient Greek roots, specifically from the síbylla. Varro derived the name from "theobule" (divine counsel), but modern scholars generally propose an alternative etymology rooted in Old Italic languages, while others suggest a Semitic origin may also be possible.