Book 1, Chapter 40

87 “I have spoken of Pythagoras, Democritus, and Socrates; among the ancients I excepted no one but Xenophanes, and I added the Old Academy, the Peripatetics, and the Stoics. Epicurus alone dissents. Yet what could be more disgraceful than his further belief that no virtue is practiced for its own sake?

“Who could fail to be moved by antiquity, attested and recorded in the most illustrious memorials? Homer writes that Calchas was by far the best augur, and that he guided the fleets to Troy—through his knowledge of auspices, I suppose, not of geography.

88 “Amphilochus and Mopsus were kings of the Argives, but also augurs, and they founded Greek cities on the coast of Cilicia. Earlier still, Amphiaraus and Tiresias were not lowly, obscure men, nor like those who, in Ennius' words,

‘For their own profit conjure up invented revelations,’

“but distinguished and eminent men who, warned by birds and signs, foretold the future. Of one of them Homer says that even among the dead ‘he alone has understanding, while the others flit about like shadows.’ As for Amphiaraus, Greek tradition has so honored him that he is regarded as a god, and oracles are sought from the ground in which he lies buried.

89 “And did not Priam, king of Asia, have both a son, Helenus, and a daughter, Cassandra, who practiced divination—the one through augury, the other through a divine stirring and agitation of the mind? We read that among our ancestors there were certain brothers of the Marcius family, men of noble birth, who belonged to this latter class. And does not Homer relate that Polyidus of Corinth made many predictions to others, and foretold death to his son as he left for Troy? In general, among the ancients, the men who held power also understood augury: they considered divination, like wisdom, a royal accomplishment. Our own state bears witness: here the kings were augurs, and afterward private citizens, invested with that same priesthood, guided the state through the authority of religion.

87 “I have spoken of Pythagoras, Democritus, and Socrates. Among the early thinkers, Xenophanes was the only exception I made. The Old Academy, along with the Peripatetics and Stoics, also figures in my account. Only Epicurus takes the other side. And isn't it utterly shameful that he also denies virtue can be pursued without a reward?

“Who could fail to be moved by the distant past, attested and recorded in the most famous accounts? Homer writes that Calchas was by far the best augur and guided the fleets to Troy. I suppose this was through his knowledge of auspices, not geography.

88 “The Argive kings Amphilochus and Mopsus also practiced augury. They founded Greek cities on the coast of Cilicia. Even before them there were Amphiaraus and Tiresias, not lowly, obscure men, not like those people in Ennius

“‘Who stir up invented prophecies for their own profit,’

“but famous, outstanding men. Guided by birds and signs, they foretold the future. Homer says of one of them that even in the underworld ‘he alone has understanding; the others wander like shadows.’ As for Amphiaraus, Greek tradition honored him so highly that he was considered a god, and people sought oracles from the ground where he lay buried.

89 “And didn't Priam, king of Asia, have two children who practiced divination: his son Helenus through augury, and his daughter Cassandra through divine excitement and disturbance of the mind? We read that in our ancestors' day there were brothers called Marcius, men of noble birth, who practiced the same kind. And doesn't Homer mention that Polyidus of Corinth made many predictions for other people, and foretold his son's death as the boy was leaving for Troy? In general, among the ancients the same men held political power and understood augury. They thought divination, like wisdom, belonged to a king. Our own state is evidence: our kings were augurs, and later private citizens who held the same priesthood guided the state through the authority of religion.