Book 2, Chapter 27

58 “The Senate was told that it had rained blood, that even the River Atratus had run with blood, and that statues of the gods had sweated. Do you think Thales, Anaxagoras, or any natural philosopher would have believed those reports? Neither blood nor sweat can come from anything but a body. But some discoloration caused by a substance from the earth can closely resemble blood; and moisture settling from outside, as we see on plaster walls when the south wind blows, appears to imitate sweat. In wartime frightened people see these things more often and on a greater scale; in peace the same things attract less notice. There is this further point: amid fear and danger, such stories are both more readily believed and more safely invented.

59 “Are we so frivolous and thoughtless that if mice gnaw something—the one occupation of their lives—we think it a prodigy? You said that before the Marsic War mice had gnawed shields at Lanuvium, and the haruspices pronounced it an immense portent. As though it mattered whether mice, gnawing something day and night, chewed shields or sieves! If we follow that reasoning, when mice recently gnawed Plato's Republic in my house, I should have trembled for the republic. Or if they had gnawed Epicurus's book On Pleasure, I should have thought food prices at the market were going to rise.

58 “Reports reached the senate of a rain of blood, of blood flowing down the River Atratus, and of divine statues sweating. Would Thales have accepted this? Would Anaxagoras, or any other investigator of nature? Blood and sweat can only come from a body. But discoloration caused by some mixture from the earth can look very much like blood. Moisture that comes from outside can also resemble sweat: look at plastered walls in a south wind. During war, frightened people see more of these things and think them more important. In peace they pay less attention to the same things. Besides, in times of fear and danger people believe them more easily, and invent them with less risk of being challenged.

59 “Are we so thoughtless and careless that we think it a monstrous sign if mice gnaw something, when that is their one occupation? As you said, before the Marsic War mice gnawed shields at Lanuvium, and the haruspices declared it a very great portent. As if it mattered whether mice, gnawing something day and night, had chewed shields or sieves! If we follow this reasoning, I should have been terrified for the state because mice recently gnawed my copy of Plato’s Republic. Or if they had gnawed Epicurus’ book On Pleasure, I should have thought food prices would rise in the market.