John Owen, Biblical Theology - extract: Romans and the King of kings

Speaking of natural theology and how knowledge of Jesus can only come from special, revealed revelation, here is an interesting passage where Owen quotes Cicero on the Sibylline oracle, or Sibylline Books:

Cicero, accusing a politician of using the Sibylline oracle for political purposes by claiming a real king needs to appear for the safety of the Roman state to be truly achieved puts it this way:

"There are certain verses of the Sibyl which they claim were composed in her sacred frenzy, and not so long ago it is believed that an interpreter of these verses plotted to pass some lies upon the Senate, to the effect that our leaders are but "de-facto" kings; but if we wish our state to remain in safety we must find one who is the king of kings. But if this is really in the Sibylline Books, to whom and to when can it apply?"

Owen then goes on to remark that there was this vague folk belief among the Romans that a great Ruler, or king of kings was going to appear, and he quotes Seutonius (who called it "an old and constantly held belief") and Tacitus (who called it "a belief handed down from the oldest priestly books").

Extract from page 225 of Owen's Biblical Theology.