Book 1, Chapter 41
Original Latin
90 Eaque divinationum ratio ne in barbaris quidem gentibus neglecta est, siquidem et in Gallia Druidae sunt, e quibus ipse Divitiacum Haeduum, hospitem tuum laudatoremque, cognovi, qui et naturae rationem, quam φυσιολογίαν Graeci appellant, notam esse sibi profitebatur et partim auguriis, partim coniectura, quae essent futura, dicebat, et in Persis augurantur et divinant magi, qui congregantur in fano commentandi causa atque inter se conloquendi, quod etiam idem vos quondam facere Nonis solebatis;
91 nec quisquam rex Persarum potest esse, qui non ante magorum disciplinam scientiamque perceperit. Licet autem videre et genera quaedam et nationes huic scientiae deditas. Telmessus in Caria est, qua in urbe excellit haruspicum disciplina; itemque Elis in Peloponneso familias duas certas habet, Iamidarum unam, alteram Clutidarum, haruspicinae nobilitate praestantes. In Syria Chaldaei cognitione astrorum sollertiaque ingeniorum antecellunt.
92 Etruria autem de caelo tacta scientissume animadvertit eademque interpretatur, quid quibusque ostendatur monstris atque portentis. Quocirca bene apud maiores nostros senatus tum, cum florebat imperium, decrevit, ut de principum filiis x ex singulis Etruriae populis in disciplinam traderentur, ne ars tanta propter tenuitatem hominum a religionis auctoritate abduceretur ad mercedem atque quaestum. Phryges autem et Pisidae et Cilices et Arabum natio avium significationibus plurimum obtemperant, quod idem factitatum in Umbria accepimus.
Musean translation
Complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Latin in separate source-only tasks and reviewed throughout against it. Both books, all 130 chapters and 282 numbered sections; no historical English translation used. Latin transcription credited to the Perseus Project under CC BY-SA 4.0, Müller’s 1915 Teubner edition.
90 “Nor has this practice of divination been neglected even among foreign peoples. In Gaul there are Druids, and I myself knew one of them, Divitiacus the Aeduan, your guest-friend and admirer. He professed a knowledge of nature's workings, what the Greeks call φυσιολογίαν, the study of nature, and foretold the future partly through augury and partly through interpretation. Among the Persians, too, the Magi practice augury and divination. They gather in a shrine to study and confer with one another, as you augurs yourselves once used to do on the Nones;
91 “and no one can become king of Persia without first mastering the teaching and knowledge of the Magi. We can also see particular families and nations devoted to this science. There is Telmessus in Caria, a city where the discipline of the haruspices excels. Elis in the Peloponnese likewise has two particular families, the Iamidae and the Clutidae, preeminent for their renown in haruspicy. In Syria the Chaldeans excel in knowledge of the stars and keenness of intellect.
92 “Etruria observes lightning strikes with consummate expertise, and also interprets what each marvel and portent signifies. Our ancestors' senate therefore acted wisely when, at the height of our power, it decreed that ten sons of leading families from each of the peoples of Etruria should be handed over for instruction. So great an art should not, through the poverty of its practitioners, be diverted from religious authority to paid employment and profit. The Phrygians, Pisidians, Cilicians, and the Arab people pay the closest heed to signs from birds; we have learned that the same practice was customary in Umbria.
Plain English translation
Complete machine-assisted Plain English translation, made independently and directly from the Latin, never from the Musean edition. Both books and every numbered section; a separate Latin-source model review covered the entire text. No human specialist review is claimed.
90 “Even non-Greek nations have not neglected this method of divination. There are Druids in Gaul. I personally knew one of them, Divitiacus of the Aedui, your guest-friend and admirer. He professed to understand the workings of nature, what the Greeks call φυσιολογίαν, and predicted the future partly through augury and partly through interpretation. In Persia too, the Magi practice augury and divination. They meet in a shrine to discuss and compare ideas, just as you yourselves once used to do on the Nones.
91 “No one can become king of Persia without first learning the Magi's teaching and knowledge. Some families, and even whole nations, visibly devote themselves to this field of knowledge. In the Carian city of Telmessus, the art of the haruspices is especially well developed. Elis in the Peloponnese also has two particular families, the Iamidae and the Clutidae, famous for their outstanding skill in inspecting entrails. In Syria the Chaldeans excel in their knowledge of the stars and the keenness of their minds.
92 “Etruria studies lightning strikes with great expertise, and also interprets what each strange occurrence and unnatural sign means. So our ancestors' senate made a good decision, when our power was at its height. Ten sons of leading families from each Etruscan people were to be handed over for instruction. That would prevent so important an art from being turned, through the poverty of its practitioners, from an authoritative religious practice into a paid, money-making trade. The Phrygians, Pisidians, Cilicians, and the Arab nation pay very close attention to signs from birds. We are told that this was also a regular practice in Umbria.
About this section
Book 1, Chapter 41 is part of On Divination by Marcus Tullius Cicero. This page sets the Latin original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is chapter 41 of 130 in the work, which is kept in the Roman tradition.
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