Book 1, Chapter 20

39 “But let us leave oracles and come to dreams. In discussing them, Chrysippus collects a multitude of trivial dreams, doing the same as Antipater, who hunts out instances in which Antiphon’s interpretations certainly show the interpreter’s ingenuity, though he ought to have used weightier examples. Philistus, a learned and painstaking man who lived in those times, records that the mother of Dionysius, the tyrant of Syracuse, dreamed while pregnant with that very Dionysius that she had given birth to a little satyr. The interpreters of portents, then known in Sicily as Galeotae, answered, according to Philistus, that the child she bore would be the most illustrious man in Greece, enjoying a long run of good fortune.

40 “Am I taking you back to the tales of our poets or the Greeks’? That Vestal in Ennius also tells her dream:

“‘When the old woman, startled awake, brought a light with trembling limbs,Then, terrified by her dream, she spoke through tears:“Daughter of Eurydice, whom our father loved,All strength and life are now abandoning my body.For a beautiful man seemed to carry me away through pleasant willow groves,Along riverbanks and places strange to me; and then alone,My own dear sister, I seemed to wander,Slowly tracing your steps and seeking you, unableTo hold you in my heart; no path made my footing sure.

41 “‘“Then our father seemed to call me with these words:‘My daughter, first you must endureGreat sorrows; afterward your fortune will rise from the river.’With that, my sister, our father suddenly withdrew,Nor showed himself again, though my heart longed for him,Though with tears I stretched my hands again and againToward heaven’s blue vaults, calling in a pleading voice.At last sleep scarcely released my troubled heart.”’

39 “But let's leave oracles aside and turn to dreams. In discussing them, Chrysippus collects a great many trivial dreams. Antipater does the same by searching out dreams explained through Antiphon's interpretations. These certainly show the interpreter's cleverness, but he should have used more important examples. Philistus, an educated, careful writer who lived at the time, tells this story about the mother of Dionysius, the tyrant of Syracuse. While she was pregnant with this very Dionysius, she dreamed that she gave birth to a little satyr. The interpreters of portents, who were then called Galeotae in Sicily, answered that the child she bore would be the most famous man in Greece and enjoy lasting good fortune. That is Philistus' account.

40 “Am I taking you back to the stories of our poets or the Greek poets? That Vestal Virgin in Ennius tells a dream too:

“‘When the old woman, hurriedly roused, brought a lamp with trembling limbs,The girl, terrified by her dream, spoke these words through tears:“Daughter of Eurydice, loved by our father,My body's life and strength are all draining away.A handsome man seemed to drag me through pleasant willow groves,Along riverbanks and through unfamiliar places. Then I seemedTo wander alone, my own sister,Slowly to follow your tracks and search for you, yet could notFind my way to you in my heart; no path gave my foot a firm hold.

41 “‘“Then my father seemed to speak to meIn these words: ‘Daughter, you must first endureHardships; afterward your fortune will rise again from the river.’After saying this, sister, my father suddenly withdrew.He did not show himself again, though my heart longed for him,Though in tears I often stretched my hands toward the blue vaultsOf heaven, and called him in a pleading voice.Only with difficulty did sleep leave me, with my heart in pain.”’