Book 1, Chapter 2

3 What colony did Greece ever send to Aeolis, Ionia, Asia, Sicily, or Italy without consulting the oracle at Delphi, Dodona, or Ammon? What war did it undertake without the gods’ advice? Nor was only one kind of divination honored in public and private life. To pass over other peoples, how many kinds our own embraced! First, Romulus, the father of this city, is said not only to have founded it under the auspices but to have been himself a consummate augur. The other kings also employed augurs; and after the kings were expelled, no public business was conducted without auspices, whether at home or on campaign. The discipline of the haruspices seemed to possess great power both in seeking favorable signs and consulting the gods, and in interpreting prodigies and performing rites to avert their consequences. Accordingly, our ancestors brought this entire body of knowledge from Etruria into use, lest any branch of divination should seem neglected.

4 They also recognized two ways in which the mind, without reasoning or acquired knowledge, is stirred by its own unrestrained and liberated motion: frenzy and dreaming. Believing that divination through frenzy was chiefly contained in the Sibylline verses, they ordained that ten citizens should be chosen to interpret them. In this same category, they often thought the frenzied predictions of soothsayers and prophets deserved a hearing—for example, those of Cornelius Culleolus during the war with Octavius. Nor did the Senate neglect any particularly weighty dreams that seemed to concern the state. Indeed, within our own memory Lucius Julius, who was consul with Publius Rutilius, restored the temple of Juno Sospita by decree of the Senate, in response to a dream of Caecilia, the daughter of Balearicus.

3 Whenever Greece sent colonists to Aeolis, Ionia, Asia, Sicily, or Italy, did it not consult an oracle—at Delphi or Dodona, or that of Ammon? What war did it start without asking the gods for advice? And there was not just one kind of divination practiced in public and private. To leave other peoples aside, how many kinds our own people adopted! The first example is Romulus, who founded this city: tradition credits him both with consulting the auspices for its foundation and with being an excellent augur himself. The other kings then used augurs too. Once the kings had been driven out, no public business, at home or in war, was done without taking the auspices. The methods of the haruspices also seemed very effective in obtaining and consulting signs, and in interpreting and dealing with supernatural warnings. So the Romans brought in this whole body of knowledge from Etruria. They did not want to seem to have neglected any kind of divination.

4 There are also two ways in which the mind, released from restraint and moving freely on its own, is stirred without reasoning or learned knowledge: madness and dreams. The Romans believed that divination through madness was found above all in the Sibylline verses. They therefore decided to choose ten citizens to interpret them. They often thought the frenzied predictions of fortune-tellers and inspired prophets deserved a hearing too. Cornelius Culleolus' predictions in the war with Octavius were one such example. The senate likewise took serious dreams into account if these seemed relevant to public affairs. Indeed, within living memory the senate ordered Juno Sospita's temple restored after a dream of Balearicus' daughter Caecilia. The work was done by Lucius Julius, whose fellow consul was Publius Rutilius.