Book 1, Chapter 45

101 “Often, too, Fauns are said to have been heard in battle, and in troubled times truthful voices to have sounded from unseen sources. Of the many examples, let me give two, and those among the greatest. Not long before the capture of the city, a voice was heard from Vesta's grove, which slopes down from the foot of the Palatine to the New Street. It said that the walls and gates must be repaired; unless precautions were taken, Rome would be captured. Neglected when the danger could still have been averted, this warning was atoned for after that overwhelming disaster: an altar to Aius Loquens—the enclosed altar we can still see—was consecrated opposite the spot. Many writers also record that after an earthquake a voice came from Juno's temple on the citadel, ordering an expiatory sacrifice of a pregnant sow. For this reason that Juno was called Moneta, the Warner. Are we, then, to despise these signs, given by the gods and recognized by our ancestors?

102 “The Pythagoreans attended not only to the voices of gods, but also to those of human beings, which they call omens. Because our ancestors thought these had force, they prefaced every undertaking with the words ‘May this be good, auspicious, happy, and fortunate.’ At public religious rites people were commanded to ‘speak only favorable words,’ and when holidays were proclaimed, to ‘refrain from lawsuits and quarrels.’ Likewise, when the founder of a colony purified it, or a commander purified his army, or a censor the people, men with auspicious names were chosen to lead the sacrificial victims. The consuls observe the same rule in the levy, making sure that the first soldier enrolled has an auspicious name.

101 “Fauns are also said to have been heard often in battles, and truthful voices to have come from unseen sources in troubled times. Out of many examples, I will give two very important ones. Not long before Rome was captured, people heard a voice from Vesta's grove. The grove runs downhill from the Palatine's base to the New Street. The voice ordered repairs to the walls and gates. Without precautions, Rome would be captured. This warning was ignored when the danger could still have been prevented. After that terrible disaster, amends were made: an altar was dedicated to Aius Loquens, the Speaker opposite that spot. We can still see its enclosure. According to many written accounts, an earthquake was followed by a voice from the citadel's temple of Juno: it ordered a ritual offering of a pregnant sow to atone for the earthquake. That Juno therefore received the name Moneta, the Warner. Should we dismiss these signs sent by the gods and accepted as such by our ancestors?

102 “The Pythagoreans paid close attention not only to the gods' voices, but also to human utterances, which they call omens. Our ancestors thought these had force. So before any undertaking they said, ‘May it be good, favorable, happy, and fortunate.’ At public religious ceremonies people were ordered to ‘speak only favorable words.’ When holidays were proclaimed, they were told to ‘keep clear of lawsuits and quarrels.’ When the founder of a colony performed its purification, or a commander purified his army, or a censor purified the people, men with lucky names were chosen to lead the sacrificial animals. The consuls observe the same rule when enrolling troops: the first soldier enrolled must have a lucky name.