Le Thriaí, i sassi profetici e la divinazione: qualche nota sulla cleromanzia e l’aritmomanzia

Giulia Freni

Abstract:

In the Callimachean Hymn to Apollo, among the prerogatives and abilities of the god, we find those in the art of divination. In particular, the prophetic nymphs Θριαί are mentioned. Although more marginal than other similar creatures, they played an important role in the invention of cleromancy: indeed, the prophetic stones (θριαί) took their name from these nymphs. Starting from the Callimachean passage, this paper aims to shed light on the divination attributed to the Θριαί, as well as the link between cleromancy and arithmancy.