Book 1, Chapter 7
Original Latin
12 Quae est autem gens aut quae civitas, quae non aut extispicum aut monstra aut fulgora interpretantium aut augurum aut astrologorum aut sortium (ea enim fere artis sunt) aut somniorum aut vaticinationum (haec enim duo naturalia putantur) praedictione moveatur? Quarum quidem rerum eventa magis arbitror quam causas quaeri oportere. Est enim vis et natura quaedam, quae tum observatis longo tempore significationibus, tum aliquo instinctu inflatuque divino futura praenuntiat. Quare omittat urguere Carneades, quod faciebat etiam Panaetius requirens, Iuppiterne cornicem a laeva, corvum ab dextera canere iussisset. Observata sunt haec tempore inmenso et [in significatione] eventis animadversa et notata. Nihil est autem, quod non longinquitas temporum excipiente memoria prodendisque monumentis efficere atque adsequi possit.
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.
12 “For what nation or city is unmoved by the predictions of interpreters of entrails, prodigies, and lightning, of augurs, astrologers, and those who cast lots—these are, broadly speaking, matters of art—or by dreams and prophecies, the two forms considered natural? In these matters I think we should look more to results than to causes. There is a certain power inherent in nature that foretells the future, sometimes through signs observed over a long period, sometimes through a divine impulse and inspiration. So let Carneades stop pressing the question that Panaetius also asked: whether Jupiter ordered the crow to call on the left and the raven on the right. These things have been observed over immeasurable time; their significance has been recognized in events and recorded. There is nothing the long passage of time cannot achieve and attain, when memory receives its findings and records hand them on.
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.
12 “What nation or community is not influenced by predictions from people who examine sacrificial organs, interpret wonders or lightning, take auspices, study the stars, or draw lots? These methods mostly depend on learned skill. Or by predictions from dreams and inspired prophecy? Those two are regarded as natural. I think we should ask about the results of these things rather than their causes. A natural power lets us foresee events, at times from signs studied across many years, at times from a divine prompting and inspiration. So Carneades should stop pressing his question, as Panaetius also did: was it Jupiter who told the crow to make its cry to our left, and the raven to our right? These signs have been observed for an immense time. People have noticed and recorded the results. There is nothing that long ages cannot achieve and work out, when memory preserves the findings and records pass them on.
About this section
Book 1, Chapter 7 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 7 of 130 in the work, which is kept in the Roman tradition.
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