Book I · Lines 1–3
How to Consult the Sortes Virgilianae
This site provides an online experience for those looking to try out the ancient divination practice of the Sortes Virgilianae.
Hold a question in your mind. A decision you face, a situation unresolved, something you seek guidance on. When the question is clear, press Cast Your Lot. The oracle will return a passage from Virgil's Aeneid: a few lines in Latin with an English translation beneath.
Read the passage slowly. The oracle does not answer directly... it offers an image, a scene, a voice from the epic. The meaning is yours to draw out. Cast again as often as you like; each lot is drawn at random from the full twelve books of the Aeneid, roughly 9,900 lines in all.
Any passage can be shared: after casting, the page URL updates to preserve your exact lot. Copy the link or use the Share button to send it to someone else.
Sortes Virgilianae
An Oracle Open Since Antiquity
Long before search engines or horoscope apps, Romans facing an uncertain decision turned to a physical book. They opened Virgil's Aeneid at random and read whatever line appeared under their thumb as an answer. The practice endured for centuries: emperors are said to have consulted it before taking the throne, medieval scribes copied the poem out of equal parts devotion and superstition, and Charles I reportedly drew a passage foretelling his own downfall.
This site keeps the practice intact. Nothing here is filtered or curated for you: a single passage is drawn at random from all twelve books of the Aeneid, presented in the original Latin with an English translation alongside it.
Read the full history of the sortes →Interpretatio
How to Read What You're Given
The oracle doesn't answer yes or no. It offers a scene: a warning, a lament, a battle, a homecoming, and leaves the application to you. Read the passage twice before deciding what it means; note who is speaking and what they face, since the voice matters as much as the words.
If a line feels flat on the first read, sit with it. Unfamiliar names, Dido, Turnus, Anchises, are underlined in the result; tap one for a short gloss, or browse the full glossary for context on the poem's major figures and places.
Quaestiones
Questions
What exactly is the Sortes Virgilianae?
A form of bibliomancy, divination by book, in which a reader opens the Aeneid at random and treats the resulting line as a message. Romans, and later medieval and early modern readers, used it to weigh decisions, wars, and marriages. See the history page for the full account.
Is casting a lot free?
Yes. There's no account, no paywall, and no limit on how many times you cast. The site is supported by a small amount of advertising so it can stay free.
How many different passages can I draw?
The Aeneid runs to roughly 9,900 lines across twelve books. Each cast draws a short passage at random from the full text, avoiding recent repeats so consecutive casts won't feel identical.
Can I return to a specific passage later?
Yes. After you cast, the page URL updates to record that exact passage. Bookmark it, copy it, or use the Share button, and anyone who opens that link will see the same lines you drew.
Why Latin first, with English underneath?
Because the source material was written in Latin. Dividing lines by an English translation instead would change the statistics of what falls where and disturb the fundamentals of the divination. Read more on the about page.