Rhapsodomancy
Encyclopedia
Rhapsodomancy is an ancient form of divination
performed by choosing through some method a specific passage or poem from which to ascertain information.
There were various methods for practicing rhapsodomancy. Sometimes, individuals would write several verses or sentences from a poet on multiple pieces of wood
, paper
, or similar material, shake them together in an urn
, and draw one out. Sometimes, they cast dice
on a table that was covered with verses; the one on which the die landed was said to contain the prediction.
In ancient Rome
, the method of sortes
involved opening a book and choosing some verse at first sight. This method was particularly called the sortes Praenestinae; and afterwards, according to the poet who was used, sortes Homerica
, sortes Virgilianae
, etc.
Divination
Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual...
performed by choosing through some method a specific passage or poem from which to ascertain information.
There were various methods for practicing rhapsodomancy. Sometimes, individuals would write several verses or sentences from a poet on multiple pieces of wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
, paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
, or similar material, shake them together in an urn
Urn
An urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal. "Knife urns" placed on pedestals flanking a dining-room sideboard were an English innovation for high-style dining rooms of the late 1760s...
, and draw one out. Sometimes, they cast dice
Dice
A die is a small throwable object with multiple resting positions, used for generating random numbers...
on a table that was covered with verses; the one on which the die landed was said to contain the prediction.
In ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, the method of sortes
Sortes (ancient Rome)
Sortes were a frequent method of divination among the ancient Romans. The method involved the drawing of lots to obtain knowledge of future events: in many of the ancient Italian temples the will of the gods was consulted in this way, as at Praeneste and Caere.These sortes or lots were usually...
involved opening a book and choosing some verse at first sight. This method was particularly called the sortes Praenestinae; and afterwards, according to the poet who was used, sortes Homerica
Sortes Homerica
The Sortes Homericae was the practice of drawing a random sentence or line from the works of Homer to answer a question or predict the future. Socrates is recorded as doing so in prison to determine the day of his execution, and the practice even occurred in the Renaissance era...
, sortes Virgilianae
Sortes virgilianae
The Sortes Virgilianae or Sortes Vergilianae is a form of divination by bibliomancy in which advice or predictions of the future are sought by randomly selecting a passage from Virgil's Aeneid. It was most widely practiced in the later Roman Empire and in medieval times...
, etc.