In a short story I'm reading a woman is referred ot as "an ancient sybil, senior to God". What does sybil mean

Question

The story says that in a picture taken the woman had a balkding head, eyes opalescent with the film of age, and the fixed stance of an ancient sybil, senior to God. What's a sybil?

Answer 1

A sybil is a female prophetess, seer, or oracle. The most famous sybil in ancient Greece was the sybil of the oracle at Delphi.