The sibyls were women that the ancient Greeks believed were oracles. There were many Sibyls, however the Sybil of Cumae is best known. Her cave, where she lived, was located near the town of Cumae, on the western coast of Italy. According to tradition the Sybil was the woman who sold the Sibylline books to the last king of Rome, Tarquinius Priscus. The famous story is in the Roman Antiquities, by Dionysius of Halicarnassus. It starts when an old woman arrives in Rome in disguise. She brings with her nine books that she claims contain sibylline prophecies. She tries to sell the books but the king does not accept because of what he thinks is an unreasonable price. So, the woman burns three of the books and returns. She offers the remaining six
