OMEN. 
none converted the bad omen which his foldiers drew, 
Lacedemonians, it muft portend death to them, and not to 
the Thebans. 
Greeks were particularly careful not to marry, 
was efteemed the 
marriage was expected to be 
mott fortunate, 1f it were ibid t the time of ful 
moon. . Other thi.gs were alfo regar 
ing their marriages 5 if a pair of ailes appeared during the 
celebration, it was deemed lucky, anda prefage of domeftic 
concord. row appearing denoted long life to the 
married pair, if it appeared with its mate; but if it was feen 
fingle, feparation ind w were tended, whence it 
was cuftomary at nuptials for the , that none 
was efficacious; but if neglected, or not taken 
Julius Cefar never was de- 
undertakin : Auguitus, on the 
or to kill it outright, if it 
means, the evil which it poncied was fuppofed to fall 
upon its own head: if it was an unlucky f{peech, it was 
cuftomary to retort it upon the {peaker. At the fight of a 
madman, cr one troubled with epilepfy, it was cuitomary 
to {pit three times into their bofoms, to exprefs that they 
held the omen in contempt and averfion. Frequently, how- 
ever, when the Greeks met an unlucky omen, they defilted 
from what they were doing, and beganit anew. Euripides 
defcribes a perfon, on hearing an ominous word, throwing 
out of which he was about to drink upon the 
of the Greeks, we fhall only notice fuch as were peculiar to 
them. Chickens were regarded as affording fuch important 
omens, that a perfon, called Pullartus, was exprefsly em- 
m were had re- 
republic, before an army paffed a river, a kind of aufpices 
were taken from examining the beaks of birds; but Cicero 
fays, bial had fallen entirely into difufe in his time. 
po Cefar landed at Adrumetum, in Africa, with his 
a i happened to fall on his face; this was regarded as 
a bad omen; but he, not being accuttomed to pay attention 
to b Pelee and ae! pollefling hia prefence of mind 
the occafion, turned it to the contrary ; for taking hold 
of the ground with his ae fund, and tas it, as if he had 
fallen on eee he exclaimed, ‘¢ I take pofleflion of thee, 
eae i 
fie s, on the contrary, as has been already obfe ved, 
was cae Ne {uperititious. When the Greeks and Ro- 
the nght fide was ferved firlt ; 
= his sep di left fhoe firft, 
it was regarded asa vik ‘a ome n Auguttus re. 
garded with a peculiarly song (ieatiaoan dread ; and this 
owing the gener nor began any ferious 
nones. “It was, indeed, a general opinion 
ong. the pate that the ans tegieccule following the 
ides alends, were unfortunate. e emperor 
Valentinian confered the 24th of February, in the biffex- 
tile yea s fo unfortunate, that having been chofen 
Bape on that ay , he was afraid to fhew himfelf in gears 
left = evil fhould | befall him. (Ammian. ge lib. x 
cap. eror Charles V., on t ee ange e- 
ere that as one of - moft lucky’ ape (Bayle, Penfeées 
diverfes, p. 47. ay on which the Romans fuifered 
their memorable an from the Aneel was long viewe 
as a moft unfortunate day; a sla if he could 
pofiibly avoid it, would begin a eran on en Lu- 
cullus expreffed his determination to attac granes, king 
of Armenia, on tha is © s unanimoufly and 
an 
hiftory, and changed the charaGer of the day from vnfor. 
tunate to fortunate, as he foretold he would, when his 
officers endeavoured to diffuade him from fightin 
The Romans paid particular regard to lucky and unlucky 
names ; at public luftrations, the perfons who brought the 
victories, were required to have bona nomina, fortunate 
names; and regard was had to the fame circumftance in 
raifing their levies : e{pecial care was taken that the firft man 
who enrolled himfelf fhould have a name of good augury ; 
and the cenfors, in taking the cenfus of the citizens, piwaye 
began with a fortunate name, fuch as Valerius, Salvus, &c. 
and in the adjudication of public property, they began with 
fome that had a fortunate appellation, fee ominis ergo. 
Feftus relates, that the {crupulous regard to n 
and bad omens, was fo minute and exceflive among the Ro- 
mans, that g their pregnancy, offered 
facrifices to the goddefs Egeria, becaufe the name Egeria 
had a clofe relation to child- delivery, ** quod eam pOtaen: 
facile foetum alvo egerere.’ 
When Julia, the wife , the emperor Severus, had ren- 
dered herfelf infamous by her debauched and profligate 
courfe of life, her hufband confoled himfelf for his misfor- 
tune, by his belief that her name was one of bad omen; all 
who had borne this name, in his opinion, having been re- 
markable for loofe and lewd manners. 
The oriental nations oy their Hal in, and regard ag 
Perfians and Arabians confider as a bird of good omen, and 
which they are always glad to meet. If a deer is feen 
defcending 
