Words concerned with critical concepts gain clarity when the panorama is expanded by exposing clusters of complementary words.
The core cluster "lip, lick, kiss, slick, spit"; amplified by the clusters "os, stomach, abdomen"; "buccal, oral, chew"; "drink, eat"; "swallow, deglut, glutton"; "tongue, glossary, glottis"; "throat, throttle, faucet, pharynx"; and "lip, vermillion, philtrum" have already been explored in other illustrated overviews. This overview expands the panorama by exploring the relationships of SIBYL, SIBILANT, HISS, WHISPER, WHISTLE, inSUFFLATION for "to BLOW", SUFFOCATE, SOUFFLE and STIFLE.
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Apollo granting longevity to the Cumaean Sibyl |
Among the most celebrated Sibyls was the prodigious Sybil of Cumae. Loved by Apollo, she was granted as many years of life as the number of grains of sand would fit in her hand but she forgot to ask for enduring youth. With passing centuries, she aged and became a well known augur who SIBILATED or WHISPERed the will of gods. When Aeneas met her she was 700 hundred years old, quite senile and shrivled. She survived in a bottle hanging from the ceiling of the cavern in Cumae near the entrance of Hades or Hell. Virgil asserts that the Sybil guided Aeneas to the underworld in search of his beloved Dido.
The WHISPERed prophecies of the cumaen Sibyl were recorded in leaflets and compiled by the ancient Romans into twelve Sibylline books. The books were preserved in the temple of Jupiter until the temple burned down in 83 BC. The extant Sibylline books known today are different. They represent a medley of prophecies dating to the early Christian era composed by Alexandrine Jews and Christians, in the interest of their respective religions.
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Sibilant Erythraean Sibyl |
Sibyl and SIBILARE in Latin, point to HISS, WHISPER and WHISTLE which are expanded in Spanish by SILBAR or CHIFLAR and CHIFLADO for whistling and for those with diminished "mental sense". Perhaps these meanings underscore that senility not only reduces many of us to "whispering" but also to insanity. SIBILARE or WHISPER in Latin also point to SUFFOCATIO for STIFFLE or SUFFOCATE.
Provocatively, Sibyl in Latin is also VOLAE implying that they spoke about the will of gods. Their prophecies aimed to impact the WILL and VOLITION of VILE and VOLATILE men.
Furthermore, Sibyl has roots in ideas concerned with SUFFLATIO (blow or emanate) as in STIFLE, INSUFFLATE and SUFFOCATE. Perhaps these elements also reflect the fact that the cavern of Cumae was located on the volcanic fields surrounding Mt. Vesuvius. The area is called FLEGREAN for FLAME as in conFLAgration and is permeated with emanations of mephitic volcanic vapors.
Biologists also perpetuate the story about the love of Apollo for the Cumaean Sibyl by naming after her, organisms such as the sibyllina sibyllonautilus.
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Whistling makes lips pucker or pout |
Clinicians know that puckered or pursed lips are characteristic of whistling. Whistling-like lips may be a sign of a serious dystrophy of facial muscles and their contrature. However, this clinical sign characteristic of the "Whistling Face Syndrome", as illustrated below, has neither been linked with the Latin word SIBILARE for whistling nor with Sibyl.
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Pouting or pursed lips caused by facial muscle contractions |
To close on a lighter note, SUFFLATIO and SIBYL and their relation to blow, breath and whisper lead us to SOUFFLE. A SOUFFLE arises by inSUFFLation or blowing air into what otherwise would be a vulgar heavy omelette. To make a light, fluffy SOUFFLE is an art that delights gourmands and is a sure way to STIFLE and SUFFOCATE any negative WHISPERS about a chef. Perhaps the art of SOUFFLE making should be a complement to other artistic achievements inspired by the Sibyl such as are the magnificent frescos by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Systine chapel or the poems by Virgil in the AENEID.
" ... the mad prophetic Sibyl,
your shall find,
dark in a cave ...
she sings the fates, and
in her frantic fits,
the notes and names,
inscribed to leafs commits ...
what she commits to leafs,
in order laid,
before the cavern's entrance are displayed ..."
(The Aeneid by Virgil, translated by John Dryden)