Rizal crafted a gamebook, not only novels, poetry

Rerunning my column of 30 Dec. 2011, for its revealing facet of our national hero.

Published recently by descendants is an unknown work of José Rizal. Haec Est Sibylla Cumana is not a novel or a collection of poems and essays. It’s a game.

Inspired by the prophecies of Sibyl of Cumae, as depicted by Roman historian Livy and poets Ovid and Virgil, Sibylla Cumana consists of 52 questions about the future, with eight possible answers. It doesn’t matter how many players join or repeat turns. What’s important is to read aloud the questions and predictive answers.

Sample questions: Will I marry whom I please? Will I be lucky in business? Which shall I choose, the big one or the small one? Should I be hurt by what has happened to me? Is the lack of news deliberate?

For the answer to the question, the player must spin an octagonal top, the sides Roman-numbered I to VIII. When the top falls on its side, the answer corresponding to the number is opened.

Questions and answers can be eerie or hilarious. At the book launching, the publishers demonstrated how to play Sibylla Cumana.

An innocent lass was assigned to handle the top. A guest was requested to pose as the bachelor President to ask Question 34: “Does my family want me to marry?” Spun, the top landed on Number VI. The hall burst into guffaws when the lass read the corresponding answer: “It will be a long wait.”

Another attendee was asked to pose Question 11 in behalf of a wise octogenarian ex-Senate President: “Will I live long?” More laughter when the top pointed to the divination: “Not as much as you deserve.”

A poseur for a detained ex-President with a transactional tenure picked Question 14: “What do they say about me?” In their silence, everyone could hear the top spin and drop on Side III: “Yes, because these days everything is business, even politics.”

Rizal was well read in many European tongues. He knew that Roman senators consulted the oracle Sibyl to divine the best options, or why the gods were sending calamities. He patterned his game after it.

He was then in Dapitan exile, 1895, having incensed Spanish authorities with his novels. He kept busy teaching planting to the local lads, arts and crafts to the