Ancient Wisdom Atlas

Motif

oracle-guided city foundation by ambiguous sign

oracle_guided_city_foundation_by_ambiguous_sign

A motif of the Prophecy and Systematic Divination family, within the sub-family Civic, Marriage, and Communal Signs. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.

1 occurrences

1 traditions


roman

  • The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / BOOK THE FIFTEENTH. / EXPLANATION.; lines 12144-12220 confidence: high

    Myscelus consults the oracle about a colony and is told to settle where he meets rain in a clear sky; he trusts the oracle, sails, faces dangers, and lands in Italy.

    Myscelus receives an oracular sign of rain in a clear sky and interprets Aithrias's tears as that sign for the city site.

    read in the book