vates

Examples

• All

• Legends tell of a wandering vates whose poems inspired entire generations.

• The king consulted the vates before making important decisions about the kingdom.

• The ancient vates spoke of great events to come.

• Many consider Homer a great vates of his time.

• In ancient Rome, a vates was regarded as a messenger of the gods, sharing prophetic visions through poetry.

• The wise vates recited verses that foretold the rise and fall of empires.

• Many consider Virgil a celebrated vates, whose works echoed the cultural ideals of his era.

Synonyms

B

bard

vsvates

• Literature

27 9.8

A poet who sings or tells long stories and songs

is an archaic term that can mean either a poet or an inspired seer

P

prophet

vsvates

12 5.1

A person who predicts the future and warns others

is an archaic term that covers inspired seers and poetic figures broadly

V

versifier

vsvates

• Offensive

1 9.7

A person who writes poems and is often not highly respected as a poet

is an old word that does not imply low skill and includes seers

How Prophetic

oracle

• Literature

47 8.9

seer

22 8.0

prophet

12 5.1

vates

• Archaic

1 9.9

poet

388 2.2

Surface Forms

Etymology