The vertical and horizontal lines in the Third Sibyl

The Sibyl’s imagined world can be described in terms of two lines, a vertical and a horizontal line. The two-way movement, the giving of the law on part of God and adhering to it on part of the people, can be described in terms of a vertical line with God on top, the law (and the temple) as mediator, and the people at the bottom. The vertical line is reciprocal inasmuch as God punishes or redeems those who are either faithful or led astray. The tower of Babel, that was built by men because they wanted to go up into heaven, is a violation of the fixed border between human and divine and an assault against God. Therefore the tower is destroyed and men are dispersed. However, God also forgives those who turn back to him wherefore condemnation is not an absolute. The interaction and reciprocity between men and God is expressed via ‘the vertical heaven to earth, earth to heaven imagery’²⁵⁰. The verticality of the temple and the law are repeatedly expressed. They are what put men in relation to God.

The Tower of Babel, on the other hand, is offensive to God and alienates men from God.

Access to heaven is only available to those who have a special relation to God via the law and the temple.²⁵¹ The temple is the only authorised place of worship to which all people will make pilgrimage in the eschaton and accept God’s sovereignty. The temple itself is a metaphor for God’s sovereignty. Curiously enough the mediation of a priest is not required in order to sacrifice in the temple. The temple in the Third Sibyl is not that of the so-called priestly writings, the priestly code (Lev 1-16; 27) and the holiness code (Lev 17-26) of the Hebrew Bible, where only priests are eligible to enter the sanctuary and sacrifice on behalf of the people. The way the Sibyl describes the temple resembles that of prophets such as Zachariah or where the temple is described in utopian terms. In Ezekiel’s second temple vision (Ezek 40-48) a detailed description of a new temple can be found. Ezekiel’s detailed description of the future temple can be and has been understood as a blueprint for a temple to be built. However, Ezekiel’s vision does not match the actual Second Temple. The core of Ezek 40-48 can be dated to the exilic period while the overall composition dates to the post-exilic period.²⁵² By the time the Second Temple was built, Ezekiel’s prophecy was at risk of being considered false²⁵³ because his vision did not match the actual temple. Thus, Ezek 38-39 (Gog and Magog) was inserted before the second vision giving it an eschatological outlook so that it could be read as a critique of the Second Temple and its cult. In light of Ezek 38-39

250 Camp, 2002, 76.

251 There is no description of ascension into heaven. However, when God establishes his basilêion the Gates of the Blessed (i.e. the gates of heaven) will be opened up for the pious. See my comments on lines 767ff.

252 Konkel, 2002, 174.

253 Cf. Deut 18:21f.

the vision no longer describes the temple that was to be built after the return from the exile but rather an ideal or utopian temple that was to be established at the end of days.²⁵⁴

According to Liss, on the other hand, Ezekiel’s temple was never meant to be built to begin with.²⁵⁵ God tells Ezekiel to describe the temple rather than to build it (Ezek 43:10).

Thus the authors of Ezek 40-43* describe a temple that was never built and was never supposed to be built.²⁵⁶ The temple is a utopia both on the factual and on the literary level.²⁵⁷ The priestly authors of Ezek 40-43 prototypically acquire their new task in the figure of Ezekiel, namely the instruction of Tora.²⁵⁸

The Sibyl’s temple is not constructed with ‘horizontal language’²⁵⁹ – there is no blueprint or map of the temple’s location or interior. However, its function is horizontal as it is a symbol for the right cult and God’s sovereignty accordingly.

Geographical-historical space can accordingly be described in terms of a horizontal line that is aligned from east to west much like the diaphragm in ancient geographical accounts²⁶⁰ and moves for the most part in chronological order in terms of narration²⁶¹. The horizontal line is not reciprocal. It is the factual line of real geographical space and the history that constitutes it. It is the realm in which humans interact, the realm of transitory kingdoms and war. However, it is constantly met with the vertical line inasmuch God intervenes in history.

The building of the Tower of Babel in the beginning of the book causes God to intervene and disperse mankind. This marks the beginning of divided kingdoms. Through the Titan War the claim to world dominion and war were brought into the world. The two lines are joined when God establishes his basilêion on earth, all war is put to an end and the world is transformed into an ideal, utopian place. This basilêion is perpetual in contrast to the transitory kingdoms of men. The basilêion is a metaphor for God’s everlasting presence and uncontested dominion on earth. Control and dominion of space are restricted to God. The horizontal line is often met with divine actions. God can put kingdoms to an end or cause natural disasters. To the Sibyl, the uncontested dominion of God is the primary mechanism of control.

Collins claims that there is no vertical [line] in the Sib. Or. According to Collins ‘the supporting framework is all on the horizontal [line]: the authority of the Sibyl, the allusions to

254 Konkel, 2002, 175.

255 Liss, 2006, 141-143.

256 Liss, 2006, 142.

257 Liss, 2006, 143.

258 Liss, 2006, 143.

259 Camp, 2002, 77.

260 See: Ancient Geography.

261 Cf. Camp, 2002, 72 who applies the “horizontal line” to Sirach.

historical events, and the expectation of a kingdom’²⁶² (basilêion). While it is indeed true that there is no reference to demons and no judgement of the dead, it cannot be held that there is no vertical line. The “mythical dimension of the apocalypses” is absent from the Sibylline Oracles because they are no apocalypses. However, if we understand vertical as the acts of God in heaven with regard to earth then it is clearly there. The vertical line is fulfilled via the establishment of the divine basilêion on earth and God’s dwelling in it.

While the horizontal and vertical lines structure space in the Third Sibyl, space is also demarcated. There is a strong segregation between divine and human space. Although the vertical line allows men to enter into relations with God it has borders which are not to be violated. The tower of Babel is a transgression of that fixed border. In ancient near eastern and Greek cosmology vertical and horizontal are polarised.²⁶³ While heaven is on high, the underworld is in the depth. The middle of these two poles is earth. Height and depth are equally important to maintain equilibrium. In the Sibyl, there is no particular concept of underworld. However, in the Sibyl there is an equilibrium between bottom (earth) and top (heaven) that can be upset through the hubris of men (the building of the tower of Babel). The border between the human and the divine is ultimately nullified when God manifests his dominion on earth.

Another term that can and should be applied to concepts found in the Third Sibyl is Utopia or utopian. The world as she describes it towards the end of the book is utopian. It is the ideal, utopian version of this world that at the end of days will be governed by God alone. It is the positive version of the Sibyl’s reality, a world without war in which everyone will observe the divine law. The Sibyl’s rendition of the ideal future world is full of images borrowed from the biblical scriptures and classical utopias. At the end of the book, space is redefined in utopian terms and the horizontal demarcation of space is nullified. A detailed analysis of relevant passages shall be provided.

262 Collins, 1998, 125.

263 Jooß, 2005, 181.

1.6 Utopias in classical and biblical texts