oraculum

ōrācŭlum (sync. oraclum: ex oraclo, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 21, 42, or Trag. v. 65 Vahl.; plur, oracla, Att. ap. Non. 488, 2, or Trag. Rel. p. 185 Rib.; Ov. M. 1, 321), i, n. [oro], a divine announcement, an oracle (class.).

I.

Lit.:

oracula ex eo ipso appellata sunt, quod inest in his deorum oratio,

Cic. Top. 20, 77:

quid est enim oraculum? nempe voluntas divina hominis ore enuntiata,

Sen. Contr. 1 praef.:

edere,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 48, 116:

petere a Dodonā,

id. Div. 1, 43, 95:

quaerere,

Verg. G. 4, 449:

poscere,

id. A. 3, 456:

consulere,

Ov. M. 3, 8:

Delphis oracula cessant,

Juv. 6, 555.—

II.

Transf.

A.

In gen., a prophetic declaration, a prophecy:

exposui somnii et furoris oracula,

Cic. Div. 1, 32, 70; 1, 50, 115.—

B.

A place where oracular responses were given, an oracle:

illud oraculum Delphis tam celebre,

Cic. Div. 1, 19, 37:

Hammonis,

Plin. 12, 23, 49, § 107:

Delphicum,

Macr. S. 1, 18, 4.—

2.

Esp. (eccl. Lat.), the mercy-seat, the place in the tabernacle in which the presence of God was manifest, Vulg. Exod. 25, 18; 40, 18:

oraculum templi, sanctum sanctorum,

id. 3 Reg. 8, 6.—

C.

An oracular saying, oracle pronounced by a man:

haec ego nunc physicorum oracula fundo,

Cic. N. D. 1, 24, 66:

inde illa reliqua oracula: nequam agricolam esse, etc.,

Plin. 18, 6, 8, § 40.—

D.

An imperial rescript, Just. Inst. 1, 11, 11.