Book 1, Chapter 44

99 “Only recently, during the Marsic War, a dream of Caecilia, daughter of Quintus, led the senate to restore the temple of Juno Sospita, the Savior. Sisenna argues that this dream corresponded wonderfully, down to the very word, with what happened; then, perversely, and I suppose at some Epicurean's prompting, he argues that dreams should not be trusted. Yet he offers no argument against portents. He relates that at the beginning of the Marsic War statues of the gods sweated, blood flowed, the heavens split apart, and voices from unseen sources were heard announcing the dangers of war; at Lanuvium shields were gnawed by mice, which the haruspices considered a most ominous sign.

100 “And what of the account in our annals? During the war with Veii, when Lake Alban rose beyond its usual measure, a certain man of noble birth defected to us from Veii. He said that according to the prophecies the Veientines possessed in writing, Veii could not be captured as long as that lake overflowed; if its waters were released and ran down their natural course to the sea, it would bring ruin to the Roman people; but if they were drawn off in such a way that they could not reach the sea, it would bring salvation to our people. Hence that marvelous drainage channel our ancestors made for the Alban waters. But when the Veientines, exhausted by war, sent envoys to the senate, one of them is said to have declared that the defector had not dared tell the senate everything: the same written prophecies in the possession of Veii said that Rome would soon be taken by the Gauls. And that, as we know, happened six years after the capture of Veii.

99 “Recently, during the Marsic War, the senate restored the temple of Juno Sospita, the Savior because of a dream of Caecilia, daughter of Quintus. Sisenna argued that the dream matched the event word for word in a remarkable way. Then, quite out of keeping with this, he argued that dreams should not be trusted. I suppose some Epicurean had persuaded him. Yet he offers no argument against strange signs. He describes how, at the start of the Marsic War, statues of the gods sweated, blood flowed, the sky split open, and voices from unseen sources announced the dangers of war. At Lanuvium mice gnawed the shields, which the haruspices considered a very grim sign.

100 “Consider also what our annals record about the war against Veii: the water in Lake Alban had risen beyond its usual level. A nobleman from Veii deserted to us and said that, according to prophecies the people of Veii had in writing, Veii could not be captured while that lake overflowed. If the lake were drained so that its waters ran downhill along their course into the sea, it would mean disaster for the Roman people. But if it were drained in such a way that its water could not reach the sea, it would mean safety for our people. That is why our ancestors built that remarkable drainage channel for Lake Alban. Later the people of Veii, worn out by war, sent envoys to the senate. One envoy reportedly said that the deserter had lacked the courage to give the senate the full account. The same written prophecies at Veii also said that Rome would soon be captured by the Gauls. As we know, that happened six years after the capture of Veii.