Gower, Conf

Amant., viii. sibsib (sib's ib), n. [Imitative; cf. sicsac , etc.] A kind of ground-squirrel which occurs in the southern provinces of Morocco. Encyc. Brit., XVI. 833. Sibthorpia (sib-thôr'pi-ä), n. [NL. (Linnæus, 1737), named after John Sibthorp , an English botanist (1758-96).] A genus of gamopetalous plants of the order Scrophularineæ and tribe eæ , type of the subtribe Sibthor pieæ . The flowers have a bell-shaped calyx, a corolla with very short tube and five to eight nearly equal spreading lobes, and four to seven stamens with sagittate thers. The fruit is a membranous compre ed loculicidal capsule, the valves bearing the partitions on their middle. There are 6 species, natives of western Europe, Africa, and mountains in Nepal and South America. They are prostrate, rough-hairy herbs, often rooting at the joints, alternate or clustered roundish scalloped or cleft leaves, and red or yellowish axillary flowers. S. Europæa , from its round leaves, is known as pennywort , penny - pies , and Cornish moneywort. sibyl (sib'il), n. [Formerly also sibyll ; often mi pelled sybil , sybill ; also used as L., sibylla ; = D. sibille = G. sibylle = Sw. sibylla = Dan. sibylle = F. sibylle = Pr. sibilla = Sp. sibila = Pg. sibilla , sibylla = It. sibilla , L. sibylla , also sibulla , ML. also sibilla , σίβυλλα , a sibyl, prophete ; formerly explained as 'she who tells the will of Zeus,' Διὸς βουλή, the will of Zeus ( Διός , gen. of Ζεύς , Zeus, Jove; βουλή, will); or 'the will of God,' θεός (Doric σιός), god, + βουλή , will; but such explanation is untenable. The root is appar. σιβ- , which is perhaps = L. sib- in per - sib us , acute, wise, and related to Gr. σοφός , wise (see sophist ), and L. sapere , be wise, perceive: see sapient , sage1 .] 1. In anc . myth ., one of certain women reputed to po e special powers of prophecy or divination and interce ion with the gods in behalf of those who resorted to them. Different writers mention from one to twelve sibyls, but the number com monly reckoned is ten, enumerated as the Persian or Babylonian, Libyan, Delphian, Cimmerian, Erythrean, Samian, Cumæan, Hellespontine or Trojan, Phrygian, and Tibur tine. Of these the most celebrated was the Cumæan sibyl (of Cumæ in Italy), who, according to the story, appeared before Tarquin the Proud and offered him nine books for sale. He refused to buy them, whereupon she burned three, and offered the remaining six at the original price. On being again refused, she destroyed three more, and offered the remaining three at the price she had asked for the nine. Tarquin, astonished at this conduct, bought the books, which were found to contain directions as to the worship of the gods and the policy of the Romans. These sibylline books, or books profe ing to have this origin, written in Greek hexameters, were kept with great care at Rome, and consulted from time to time by oracle-keepers under the direction of the senate. They were destroyed at the burning of the temple of Jupiter in 83 B. C. Fresh collections were made, which were finally destroyed soon after A. D. 400. The Sibylline Oracles re ferred to by the Christian fathers belong to early ecclesi astical literature, and are a curious mixture of Jewish and Christian material, with probably here and there a snatch from the older pagan source. In composition they seem to be of various dates, from the second century before to the third century after Christ. Sibylle [F.],. Sybill, one of the tenne Sybillæ ,... a Prophet e e. Cotgrave. Hence-2. An old woman profe ing to be a prophete or fortune-teller; a sorcere . A sibyl , that had number'd in the world The sun to course two hundred compa es. Shak ., Othello, iii. 4. 70. A sibyl old, bow-bent with crooked age, That far events full wisely could presage. Milton , Vac. Ex., 1. 69. I know a maiden aunt of a great family who is one of these antiquated Sibyls , that forebodes and prophesies from one end of the year to the other. of V., i. 2.