Book 2, Chapter 39
Original Latin
81 At omnes reges, populi, nationes utuntur auspiciis. Quasi vero quicquam sit tam valde quam nihil sapere vulgare, aut quasi tibi ipsi in iudicando placeat multitudo! Quotus quisque est, qui voluptatem neget esse bonum? plerique etiam summum bonum dicunt. Num igitur eorum frequentia Stoici de sententia deterrentur? aut num plerisque in rebus sequitur eorum auctoritatem multitudo? Quid mirum igitur, si in auspiciis et in omni divinatione inbecilli animi superstitiosa ista concipiant, verum dispicere non possint?
82 Quae autem est inter augures conveniens et coniuncta constantia? Ad nostri augurii consuetudinem dixit Ennius:
Tum tonuit laevum bene tempestate serena.
At Homericus Aiax apud Achillem querens de ferocitate Troianorum nescio quid hoc modo nuntiat:
Prospera Iuppiter his dextris fulgoribus edit.
Ita nobis sinistra videntur, Graiis et barbaris dextra meliora. Quamquam haud ignoro, quae bona sint, sinistra nos dicere, etiamsi dextra sint; sed certe nostri sinistrum nominaverunt externique dextrum, quia plerumque id melius videbatur.
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.
81 “‘But all kings, peoples, and nations use auspices.’ As though anything were so widespread as foolishness! As though you yourself accepted the multitude’s judgment! How few deny that pleasure is a good! Most even call it the highest good. Do their numbers drive the Stoics from their position? Or does the multitude follow Stoic authority in most matters? What wonder, then, if feeble minds take in these superstitions about auspices and divination of every kind, but cannot discern the truth?
82 “And where is the agreement, the united consistency, among augurs? Ennius, following our own augural practice, wrote:
“‘Then thunder sounded favorably on the left, in a clear sky.’
“But Homer’s Ajax, complaining to Achilles of the Trojans’ ferocity, says something like this:
“‘Jupiter shows them favor with his lightning on the right.’
“So we regard the left as better, the Greeks and foreign peoples the right. I am well aware that we call favorable signs ‘left-hand’ even when they come from the right. Still, our people chose the name ‘left,’ and foreigners ‘right,’ because that side generally seemed the better one.
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.
81 “‘Yet auspices are used by every king, people, and nation.’ Well, nothing is more common than a lack of sense! As if you yourself followed the crowd when forming a judgment! How few people deny that pleasure is a good thing! Most even call it the greatest good. Do their numbers make the Stoics abandon their position? Or does the crowd follow the Stoics' authority on most questions? Then why be surprised if weak minds absorb these superstitions about auspices and every kind of divination, but cannot see the truth?
82 “And where is this shared, consistent agreement among augurs? Ennius followed our practice in augury when he said:
“‘Then, though the sky was clear, thunder on the left gave a good sign.’
“But Homer's Ajax, complaining to Achilles about the Trojans' boldness, reports something like this:
“‘Jupiter gives them good signs with these lightning flashes on the right.’
“So we think the left is better, while Greeks and non-Greeks prefer the right. I know very well that we call favorable signs ‘left’ even when they are on the right. Still, our people chose the word ‘left’ and foreigners chose ‘right’ because that side usually seemed better.
About this section
Book 2, Chapter 39 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 97 of 130 in the work, which is kept in the Roman tradition.
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