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The Sibylline OraclesBook Two The Inspiration of the Sibyl When indeed God stopped my most perfectly wise song As I prayed many things, he also again placed in my breast A delightful utterance of wondrous words. I will speak the following with my whole person in ecstasy 5 For I do not know what I say, but God bids me utter each thing. ******** Prophecy of Disasters in the Tenth Generation (The flood took place in the tenth generation from Adam) But when on earth there are raging earthquakes And thunderbolts, thunders, and lightnings…and mildew of the land And frenzy of jackals and wolves, and slaughters And destruction of man and bellowing oxen, 10 Four-footed cattle and laboring mules, And goats and sheep, then much farmland Will be left barren through neglect, And fruits will fail. Selling of free men into slavery Will be practiced among very many people, and robbing of temples. 15 Then indeed the tenth generation of men will also appear After these things, when the earth-shaking lightning-giver (earth-shaker was a traditional epithet of Poseidon) will break the glory of idols and shake the people of seven-hilled Rome. Great wealth will perish, burned in a great fire by the flame of Hephaestus (Hephaestus=the Greek god of fire) 20 Then there will be bloody precipitation from heaven…But the entire world of innumerable men Will kill each other in madness. In the tumult God will impose famines and pestilence and thunderbolts On men who adjudicate without justice. 25 There will be a scarcity of men throughout the whole world So that if one were to see a man’s footprint on the ground, one would wonder. Then further, the great God who lives in the sky Will be a savior of pious men in all respects. Then also there will be deep peace and understanding, 30 And the fruitful earth will again bear more numerous fruits, Being neither divided nor in servitude any longer. Every harbor, every port will be free for men As it was before, and shamelessness will perish. And then again God will perform a great sign, 35 For a star will shine like a resplendent crown, Resplendent, gleaming from the radiant heaven For no small number of days. For then he will show From heaven a crown to men who strive in contest. ******** The Heavenly Contest Then again there will be a great contest for entry 40 To the heavenly city. It will be universal for all Men, holding the glory of immortality. Then every people will strive for the immortal prizes Of most noble victory. For no one there can shamelessly Buy a crown for silver. 45 For holy Christ will make just awards to these And crown the worthy. But to martyrs he will give An immortal treasure, to those who pursue the contest even to death. He will give and imperishable prize from the treasure To virgins who run well and to all men 50 Who perform justice and to diverse nations Who live piously and acknowledge one God, Who love marriage and refrain from adultery. He will give rich gifts and eternal hope to these also. For every soul of mortals is a gracious gift of God 55 And it is not lawful for men to defile it with any grievous things. ******** (Extract form Pseudo-Phocylides) On Justice Do not gain wealth unjustly, but live from legitimate things. Be satisfied with what is available, and refrain from what belongs to others. Do not tell lies, but preserve all truths. Do not revere idols, to no good purpose, but always the imperishable one. 60 First, honor God, then your parents. Dispense all things justly, and do not come to an unjust judgment. Do not unjustly cast down poverty. Do not be partial in judgment. If you judge badly, God will judge you later. Avoid false witness. Adjudicate justly. 65 Guard that which is deposited with you. Preserve love in all things. Give just measures, but an overmeasure to all is good. Do not cheat in measuring, but weigh evenly. Do not commit perjury either in ignorance or willingly. God detests a perjurer, whatever one swears. 70 Never accept in your hand a gift, which derives from unjust deeds. Do not steal seeds. Whoever takes for himself is accursed to generations of generations, to the scattering of life Do not practice homosexuality, do not betray information, do not murder. Give one who has labored his wage. Do not oppress a poor man. 75 Take heed of your speech. Keep a secret matter in your heart. Make provision for orphans and widows and those in need. Do not be willing to act unjustly, and therefore do not give leave to one who is acting unjustly. ******** On Mercy Give to the poor at once and do not tell them to come tomorrow. With perspiring hand give a portion of corn to one who is in need. 80 Whoever gives alms knows that he is lending to God. Mercy saves from death when judgment comes. God wants not sacrifice but mercy instead of sacrifice. Therefore clothe the naked. Give the hungry a share of your bread. Receive the homeless into your house and lead the blind. 85 Pity the shipwrecked, for the voyage is uncertain. Give a hand to one who has fallen. Save a solitary man. All have a common lot, the wheel of life, unstable prosperity. If you have wealth, stretch out your hand to the poor. The things which God gave you, give of them to one in need. 90 Every life of men is common, but falls out unequally. When you see a poor man, never mock him with words And do not verbally abuse a person who is at fault. Life is assessed in death. Whether one acted Lawlessly or righteously will be distinguished when one comes to judgment. ******** On Moderation 95 Do not damage your mind with wine or drink to excess. Do not eat bleed. Abstain from what is sacrificed to idols. Gird on the sword, not for killing but for defense. May you not use it either lawlessly or righteously. For even if you kill an enemy, you defile your own hand. 100 Keep off a neighboring field. Do not trespass. Every boundary is just; but trespass is grievous. The acquisition of legitimate things is profitable, but that of unjust things is bad. Do not damage any fruit of the soil when it is growing. Let strangers have equal honor among citizens, 105 For all will experience exile of many hardships As guests of each other. But no one will be a stranger among you Since you are mortals of one blood, And a country has no secure place for men. ******** On Money Neither wish to be wealthy nor pray for it. But pray for this: 110 To live on a little, having nothing unjust. The love of money is mother of all evil. Have no desire for gold or silver. Also in these There will be double-edged iron which destroys the spirit. Gold and silver are always a deception for men. 115 Life-destroying gold, originator of evils, crushing all things, Would that you were not a desired affliction for men, For because of you are battles, plunderings, murders, Children hostile to their parents and brothers to their kindred. ******** On Honesty and Moderation Do not weave plots, and do not arm your heart against a friend. 120 Do not hide one thought in your heart while you say another. Do not change in your place like a many-footed creature which clings to rock. Be straightforward with all. Speak what comes from your soul. Whoever deliberately does injustice is and evil man. As for one who acts under compulsion, I will not pronounce his end. But let the counsel of each man be straight. 125 Do not boast of wisdom or strength or wealth. There is One, God, at once wise, powerful, and rich. Do not wear out your heart with passing evils For that which has happened can no longer be undone. Be not precipitous to the hand. Bridle wild anger, 130 For often one who struck a blow nintentionally committed murder. Let your passions be normal, neither great nor excessive. Abundant profit is not a good thing for mortals. Much luxury draws toward inordinate desired. Great wealth is proud, and it fosters arrogance. 135 Ire, when it takes the initiative, fashions a destructive frenzy. Anger is a propensity, but wrath goes to excess. The zeal of the good is noble, but that of the bad is bad. The daring of the wicked is destructive, but that of the good brings glory. Love of virtue is revered, but that of Aphrodite augments disgrace. 140 A man who is too simple is called a fool among the citizens. Eat, drink, and discourse in moderation Of all things, moderation is best, but excess is grievous. Be not envious or faithless or a slanderer Or of evil mind, or an inordinate deceiver. 145 Practice temperance. Refrain from base deeds. Do not imitate evil but leave vengeance to justice. For persuasion is a profit, but strife engenders strife in turn. Do not trust quickly, before you see the end with certainty. [End of passage from Ps-Phoc] ******** Conclusion of the Contest This is the contest, these are the prizes, these the awards. 150 This is the gate of life and entry to immortality Which the heavenly God appointed as reward of victory For most righteous men. But they, when they receive The crown, will pass through this in glory. ******** Sign so the End But whenever this sign appears throughout the world, 155 Children born with gray temples from birth, Afflictions of men, famines, pestilence, and wars, Change of times, lamentations, many tears; Alas, how many people’s children in the countries will feed On their parents, with piteous lamentations. They will place 160 Their flesh in cloaks and bury them in the ground, mother of peoples, Defiled with blood and dust. O very wretched Dread evildoers of the last generation, Infantile, who do not understand that when the species of females Does not give birth, the harvest of articulate men has come. 165 The gathering together is near when some deceivers, In place of prophets, approach, speaking on earth. Beliar also will come and will do many signs For men. Then indeed there will be confusion of holy Chosen and faithful men, and there will be a plundering 170 Of these and of the Hebrews. A terrible wrath will come upon them When a people of ten tribes will come from the east To seek the people, which the shoot of Assyria destroyed, Of their fellow Hebrews. Nations will perish after these things. ******** Eschatological Rule of the Hebrews Later the faithful chosen Hebrews will rule over 175 Exceedingly mighty men, having subjected them As of old, since power will never fail. The Most High, who oversees all, living in the sky, Will spread sleep ever men, having closed their eyes. O blessed servants, as many as the master, when he comes, 180 Finds awake; for they have all stayed awake All the time looking expectantly with sleepless eyes. For he will come, at dawn, or evening, of midday. He will certainly come, and it will be as I say. It will come to pass for future generations, when from the starry heaven 185 All the stars appear in midday to all With the two luminaries, as time presses on. ******** Coming O Elijah and Other Signs Then the Thesbite, driving a heavenly chariot at full stretch from Heaven, will come on earth and then display three signs To the whole world, as life perishes. 190 Alas, for as many as are found bearing in the womb On that day, for as many as suckle Infant children, for as many as dwell upon the wave; Alas, for as many as will see that day. For a dark mist will cover the boundless world 195 East and west and south and north, ******** Destruction by Fire And then a great river of blazing fire Will flow from heaven, and will consume every place, Land and great ocean and gleaming sea, Lakes and rivers, springs and implacable Hades 200 And the heavenly vault. But the heavenly luminaries Will crash together, also into an utterly desolate form. For all the stars will fall together from heaven on the sea. All the souls of men will gnash their teeth, Burning in a river, and brimstone and a rush of fire 205 In a fiery plain, and ashes will cover all. And then all the elements of the world will be bereft- Air, land, sea, light, vault of heaven, days, nights. No longer will innumerable birds fly in the air. Swimming creatures will no longer swim the sea at all. 210 No laden ship will voyage on the waves. No guiding oxen will plow the soil. No sound of trees under the winds. But at once all Will melt into one and separate into clear air ********. The Judgment Then the imperishable angels of immortal God, 215Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel, Who know what evils anyone did previously, Lead all the souls of men from the murky dark To judgment to the tribunal of the great Immortal God. For one alone is imperishable, 220The universal ruler, himself, who will be judge of mortals. Resurrection of the Dead Then the heavenly one will give souls and breath and Voice to the dead and bones fastened With all kinds of joinings…flesh and sinews And veins and skin about the flesh, and the former hairs. 225Bodies of humans, made solid in heavenly manner, Breathing and set in motion, will be raised on a single day. Then Uriel, the great angel, will break the gigantic bolts, Of unyielding and unbreakable steel, of the gates Of Hades, not forged of metal; he will throe them wide open 230and will lead all the mournful forms to judgement Especially those of ancient phantoms, Titans And the Giants and such as the Flood destroyed. Also those whom the wave of the sea destroyed in the oceans, And as many as wild beasts and serpents and birds 235Devoured; all these he will call to the tribunal. Again, those whom the flesh-devouring fire destroyed by flame, These also he will gather and set at the tribunal of God. When Saboath Adonai, who thunders on high, dissolves fate And raises the dead, and takes his seat 240On a heavenly throne, and establishes a great pillar, Christ imperisable himself, will come in glory on a cloud. Toward the imperishable one with the blameless angels. He will sit on the right of the Great One, judging at the tribunal The life of pious men and the way of impious men. 245Moses, the great friend of the Most High, also will come, Having put on flesh. Great Abraham himself will come, Isaac and Jacob, Joshua , Daniel,and Elijah, Habbakuk and Jonah, and those whom the Hebrews killed. He will destroy all the Hebrews after Jeremiah, 250Judged on the tribunal, so that they may receive and make appropriate retribution for as much as anyone did in mortal life. Distinction of Righteous and Wicked And then all will pass through the blazing river And the unquenchable flame. All the righteous Will be saved, but the impious will then be destroyed 255For all ages, as many as formerly did evil Or committed murders, and as many as are accomplices, Liars, and crafty thieves, and dread destroyers of houses, Parasites, and adulterers, who pour ort slander, Terrible violent men, and lawless ones, and idol worshippers; 260As many as abandoned the great immortal God And became blasphemers and ravagers of the pious, Breakers of faith and murderers of the righteous men, And as many elders and reverend deacons As, by crafty and shameless duplicity regard… 265Judge with respect, dealing unjustly with others, Trusting in deceitful statements… More destructive than leopards and wolves, and most wicked; Or as many as are very arrogant or are usurers, Who gather interest upon interest in their homes 270And harm in each case orphans and widows, Or as many as give to widows and orphans What derives from unjust deeds, and as many as make reproach When they give from the fruit of their own labors; as many as Abandoned their parents in old age, not making return at all, not providing 275Nourishment to their parents in turn. Also as many as disobeyed Or answered back an unruly word to their parents, Or as many as denied pledges they had taken, and such servants as turned against their masters. Again, those who defiled the flesh by licentiousness, 280Or as many as undid the girdle of virginity By secret intercourse, as many as aborted What they carried in the womb, as many as cast forth their offspring unlawfully. Punishment of the Wicked These and the sorceres and sorceresses in addition to them Will the anget of the heavenly imperishable God 285Also bring near to the pillar, around which an undying Fiery river flows in a circle. All these at once The angels of the immortal, everlasting God will Punish terribly from above with whips of flame. Having bound then around with fiery chains 290And unbreakable bonds. Then, in the dead of night, They will be thrown under many terrible infernal beasts In Gehenna, where there is immeasurable darkness. But when they have inflicted many punishments On all whose heart was evil, then later 295A fiery wheel from the great river will press them hard All around, because they were concerned with wicked deeds. Then they will wail here and there at a distance In most piteous fate. Fathers, and infant children, Mothers and weeping children at the breast. 300They will not have their fill of tears, nor will their voice Be heard as they lament piteously here and there, But in distress they will shout at length Below dark, dank Tartarus. In places unholy They will repay threefold what evil deed they committed, 305Burning in much fire. They will all gnash their teeth, Wasting away with thirst and raging violence They will call death fair, and it will evade them. No longer will death or night give them rest. Often they will request God, who rules on high in vain, 110And then he will manifestly turn away his face from them. For he gave seven days of ages to erring men For repentance through the intercession of the holy virgin. Rewards of the Righteous But as for the others, as many as were concerned with justice and noble deeds, And piety and most righteous thoughts, 315Angels will lift then through the blazing river And bring them to light and to life without care, In which is the immortal path of the great God And three springs of wine, honey, and milk. The earth will belong equally to all, undivided by walls 320Or fences. It will then bear more abundant fruits Spontaneously. Lives will be in common and wealth will have no division. For there will be no poor man there, no rich, and no tyrant, No slave. Further, no one will be either great or small anymore. No kings, no leaders. All will be on a par together. 325No longer will anyone say at all “night has come” or “tomorrow” Or “it happened yesterday,” or worry about many days. No spring, no summer, no winter, no autumn, No marriage, no death, no sales, no purchases, No sunset, No sunrise. For he will make a long day. 330To these pious ones imperishable God, the universal ruler, will also give Another thing. Whenever they ask the imperishable God To save men from the raging fire and deathless gnashing He will grant it, and he will do this. For he will pick them out again from the undying fire 335And set them elsewhere and send them on account of his own people to another eternal life with the immortals In the Elysian plain where he has the long waves (Elysian fields or Isles of the Blest is from The Odyssey by Homer) of the deep perennial Acherusian lake. Confession of the Sibyl Alas for me, wretched one. What will become of me on that day 340In return for what I sinned, ill-minded one. Busying myself about everything but caring neither for marriage nor for reasons? But also in my dwelling, which was that of a very wealthy man, I shut out those in need; and formerly I committed lawless deeds Knowingly. But you, savior, rescue me, a brazen one, 345From my scourges, though I have done shameless deeds. I beseech you to give me a little rest from the refrain, Holy giver of manna, king of a great kingdom. | |||
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