"For when the god told him that, if he attacked the Persians, he would destroy a mighty empire, he ought, if he had been wise, to have sent again and inquired which empire was meant, that of Cyrus or his own."
— Herodotus, The Histories
"Prophecies are tricky creatures. They don't tell you everything."
—The Master, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Take the incident you're scrying, interpret it in as many poetic, allegorical, symbolic ways as you can, put each of those into a stained-glass window, put all those windows in front of each other and shine a stablight through them. Now, stand in front of that array and look at all the pictures at once, try to untangle them and arrive at a meaning.
— Astropath Thujik, Warhammer 40,000
Jen: The prophecy didn't say anything about this.
Kira: Well, prophets don't know everything.
JOHN: do you think that instead of telling me exactly why that is with a clear explanation, you can give me a series of really coy riddles about it and then sort of giggle?
NANNASPRITE: John, you are a very fresh young man!
NANNASPRITE: Your father has done such a wonderful job raising you. I am So Proud of You both.
JOHN: ha ha, i guess.
NANNASPRITE: When you pass through the first gate, everything will change. You will find the place where the constellations dance beneath the clouds. And then your true work may begin.
NANNASPRITE: Hoo hoo hoo!
JOHN: i suddenly understand everything!
NANNASPRITE: John, you are a very fresh young man!
NANNASPRITE: Your father has done such a wonderful job raising you. I am So Proud of You both.
JOHN: ha ha, i guess.
NANNASPRITE: When you pass through the first gate, everything will change. You will find the place where the constellations dance beneath the clouds. And then your true work may begin.
NANNASPRITE: Hoo hoo hoo!
JOHN: i suddenly understand everything!
"People keep assuming that precogs see everything and just dole out little teasing hints because they're asshats or something. Precogs are not like that (well, hardly ever). They see dozens or hundreds or thousands of freaky possibility things which may not even make any sense and may not be interpretable in any way... The trouble with precogs is that usually you get the 'mystical mumbo-jumbo' prophecy. 'The false friend is neither good nor kind.' Whah? How's that going to be helpful except perhaps after the fact?"
"Gorghan of Old Ghis once wrote that a prophecy is like a treacherous woman. She takes your member in her mouth, and you moan with the pleasure of it and think, how sweet, how fine, how good this is... and then her teeth snap shut and your moans turn to screams. That is the nature of prophecy, said Gorghan. Prophecy will bite your prick off every time."
"Clever loophole. We could use some of those Nyazian Scroll writers in Contracts and Negotiations."
Fan: Was Mirri Maz Duur telling the truth when she told Daenerys Targaryen that the latter could never have children again?
Martin: I am sure Dany would like to know. Prophecy can be a tricky business.
"Prophecy is like a half-trained mule. It looks as though it might be useful, but the moment you trust in it, it kicks you in the head."
— Tyrion Lannister, A Song of Ice and Fire
Octavian: This says "Go to Alaska. Find Thanatos and free him. Come back by sun-down of June twenty-fourth or die."
Mars: Yes. Is that not clear?
Ocatavian: Well, my lord...usually prophecies are unclear.
Mars: Yes. Is that not clear?
Ocatavian: Well, my lord...usually prophecies are unclear.
—The Heroes of Olympus : The Son of Neptune
Joseph: Hey, shopkeep! Gimme a tea!
(Joseph winks at the disguised Oingo.)
Captain Tennille Imposter!Oingo: IT'S TIME!
Boingo: Big bro! Hey, big bro!
Captain Tennille Imposter!Oingo: IT'S TIME! Here's your tea!
(Captain Tennille Imposter!Oingo hands the Stardust Crusaders the poisoned tea. Joseph takes a sip.)
Captain Tennille Imposter!Oingo: They drank it!
Midler: Yeeek! What's this dog doing here?!
(Iggy is taking a bath in Midler's soup. Joseph spits out the poisoned tea in surprise. Iggy jumps out of the bowl and Jotaro chases him.)
Jotaro: Wait, Iggy!
(Oingo changes out of his disguise.)
Oingo: B-b-b-b-b-BOINGO!
Boingo: M-m-m-m-my Thoth can only predict the near future!
Thoth: A NEW PAGE HAS APPEARED.
Oingo: Woah, that scared me!
Boingo: Brother...
Oingo: Your Thoth just talked!
Thoth: You're welcome, dickhead.
(Oingo reads the comic book.)
Thoth Narration: Because of that dog's interference, the Joestars spat out the poison. Who could've guessed?
(Joseph winks at the disguised Oingo.)
Captain Tennille Imposter!Oingo: IT'S TIME!
Boingo: Big bro! Hey, big bro!
Captain Tennille Imposter!Oingo: IT'S TIME! Here's your tea!
(Captain Tennille Imposter!Oingo hands the Stardust Crusaders the poisoned tea. Joseph takes a sip.)
Captain Tennille Imposter!Oingo: They drank it!
Midler: Yeeek! What's this dog doing here?!
(Iggy is taking a bath in Midler's soup. Joseph spits out the poisoned tea in surprise. Iggy jumps out of the bowl and Jotaro chases him.)
Jotaro: Wait, Iggy!
(Oingo changes out of his disguise.)
Oingo: B-b-b-b-b-BOINGO!
Boingo: M-m-m-m-my Thoth can only predict the near future!
Thoth: A NEW PAGE HAS APPEARED.
Oingo: Woah, that scared me!
Boingo: Brother...
Oingo: Your Thoth just talked!
Thoth: You're welcome, dickhead.
(Oingo reads the comic book.)
Thoth Narration: Because of that dog's interference, the Joestars spat out the poison. Who could've guessed?
(Doppio uses Epitaph to see a vision of the future, in which Risotto cuts his foot off)
Doppio: Okay I didn't understand that first part but apparently my foot's getting chopped off!
The Boss: WHAT
(two scenes later, Doppio is fighting Risotto, who cuts his foot off)
Risotto: Argh, it was my foot actually!
The Boss: GOOD JOB, YOU FOOLED THE CONCEPT OF DESTINY
Doppio: Okay I didn't understand that first part but apparently my foot's getting chopped off!
The Boss: WHAT
(two scenes later, Doppio is fighting Risotto, who cuts his foot off)
Risotto: Argh, it was my foot actually!
The Boss: GOOD JOB, YOU FOOLED THE CONCEPT OF DESTINY
When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation, so the Earth Kingdom can be free again.
—Iroh, Avatar: The Last Airbender
That didn't narrow it down much. Well, it was a prophecy. It would come true one way or another, and probably not in any way I expected.
—Percy Jackson, Son of the Western Sea
"As always, the Gods are generous with hints, but cheap on specifics."
— Amphiaraus the Prophet, Hercules (2014)
Current text [which will cease existing at the predicted date]: "Hostilities between the nations of Africa."
Predicted date: [DATA EXPUNGED]
Notes: As SCP-1032 has often predicted violent or disturbing events using apparently harmless phrases, this inscription is considered equally likely to predict peace in Africa or the destruction of the continent.
Predicted date: [DATA EXPUNGED]
Notes: As SCP-1032 has often predicted violent or disturbing events using apparently harmless phrases, this inscription is considered equally likely to predict peace in Africa or the destruction of the continent.
Orpheus: I don't have a life unless I get [Eurydice] back...Look, just tell me whatever it is I need to do.
Oracle: Okay. You might get what you want, but it won't be what you expect.
Oracle: Okay. You might get what you want, but it won't be what you expect.
Mimir: Brother, about the Oracles of your lands... would you say they manipulated events? Did they have an agenda?
Kratos: I do not doubt they held their own interests first. But in my experience, they could be easily fooled by their own prophecies.
Mimir: Would that be a specific experience, brother?
Kratos: Mm. Once, I sought the Oracle, for a means to break my bondage to Ares. One priestess had visions that showed her Olympus would be brought to ruin by the God of War. Therefore she helped me, intending to undermine Ares and protect her realm. She did not foresee that I would kill him and take his office. In the end, I proved her vision of doom correct.
Mimir: So the Oracle herself brought about the very future she hoped to avoid. I suppose we're in fine company, at that...
Kratos: I do not doubt they held their own interests first. But in my experience, they could be easily fooled by their own prophecies.
Mimir: Would that be a specific experience, brother?
Kratos: Mm. Once, I sought the Oracle, for a means to break my bondage to Ares. One priestess had visions that showed her Olympus would be brought to ruin by the God of War. Therefore she helped me, intending to undermine Ares and protect her realm. She did not foresee that I would kill him and take his office. In the end, I proved her vision of doom correct.
Mimir: So the Oracle herself brought about the very future she hoped to avoid. I suppose we're in fine company, at that...
Argel Tal lifted his head, speaking through clenched teeth. ‘I die,’ he breathed, ‘in the shadow of great wings. Not here. Not here.’
Erebus stepped aside. Behind him, the fortress tower was marked by the Imperial aquila, streaked with blood from the hellish storm. The two-headed eagle stared into the rain, its wings wide and proud.
‘So you do,’ Erebus agreed, and the Chaplain turned away. ‘Goodbye, my son.’
Erebus stepped aside. Behind him, the fortress tower was marked by the Imperial aquila, streaked with blood from the hellish storm. The two-headed eagle stared into the rain, its wings wide and proud.
‘So you do,’ Erebus agreed, and the Chaplain turned away. ‘Goodbye, my son.’
— Horus Heresy: Betrayer
