autophone

Updated: May 10, 2025

These oracles were called autophones, and were not vouchsafed casually to any one, but reserved for officials, the rich, and the lavish. It was an autophone which was given to Severian regarding the invasion of Armenia. He encouraged him with these lines: Armenia, Parthia, cowed by thy fierce spear, To Rome, and Tiber's shining waves, thou com'st, Thy brow with leaves and radiant gold encircled.

of Samosata Lucian - Works of Lucian of Samosata — Volume 02

Another of Rutilianus's questions was, Whose soul he had succeeded to, and the answer: First thou wast Peleus' son, and next Menander; Then thine own self; next, a sunbeam shalt be; And nine score annual rounds thy life shall measure. At seventy, he died of melancholy, not waiting for the God to pay in full. That was an autophone too.

of Samosata Lucian - Works of Lucian of Samosata — Volume 02

Sacred envoys were sent all over the Roman Empire, warning the various cities to be on their guard against pestilence and conflagrations, with the prophet's offers of security against them. One oracle in particular, an autophone again, he distributed broadcast at a time of pestilence. It was a single line: Phoebus long-tressed the plague-cloud shall dispel.

of Samosata Lucian - Works of Lucian of Samosata — Volume 02