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What instructions does Sibyl give to Aeneas in order to open the doors?

User Jamomani
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Final answer:

Sibyl's instructions to Aeneas include a ritual cry that keeps the uninitiated away, reflecting Orphic traditions and the Hellenistic-Jewish apocalyptic tradition used by Virgil in the Aeneid.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Virgil's epic poem, the Aeneid, the Sibyl of Cumae acts as a guide for the hero Aeneas in his journey to the underworld.

The Sibyl's instructions to Aeneas before entering the underworld include the ritual cry 'procul, o procul este, profani,' which translates to 'be gone, be gone all ye profane,' emphasizing the sacredness of their undertaking and reflecting a cry not attested for the Mysteries in Greece but reminiscent of Orphic traditions.

This cry is an indication that only those properly initiated or prepared should proceed on this spiritual journey.

Furthermore, the Sibyl acts as a mystagogue, a role exemplified when addressing Aeneas with responses filled with demonstrative pronouns such as 'these are those who...,' a common feature in the Hellenistic-Jewish apocalyptic tradition which Virgil seems to have employed in shaping his narrative.

User Murad Hasan
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