[127] — We find that the practices of these people in connection with omens or auspices so closely resemble those of the early Romans that it seems worth while to draw attention to these resemblances, and we therefore quote in footnotes some passages from Dr. Smith's DICTIONARY OF CLASSICAL ANTIQUITIES, referring to the practice of the Romans: "In the most ancient times no transaction, whether private or public, was performed without consulting the auspices, and hence arose the distinction of AUSPICIA PRIVATA and AUSPICIA PUBLICA."
[128] — See Chap. XXII.
[129] — "No one but a patrician could take the auspices."
[130] — "Romulus is represented to have been the best of augurs, and from him all succeeding augurs received the chief mark of their office."
[131] — "Hence devices were adopted so that no ill-omened sound should be heard, such as blowing a trumpet during the sacrifice."
[132] — "The person who has to take them (the auspices) first marked out with a wand … a division of the heavens called 'templum,' … within which he intended to make his observations."
[133] — "It was from Jupiter mainly that the future was learnt, and the birds were regarded as his messengers."
[134] — "The Roman auspices were essentially of a practical nature; they gave no information respecting the course of future events, they did not inform men what was to happen, but simply taught them whether they were to do or not to do the matter purposed; they assigned no reason for the decision of Jupiter, they simply announced — Yes or No."
[135] — "It was only a few birds which could give auguries among the Romans. They were divided into two classes: Oscines, those which gave auguries by singing or their voice; and Alites, those which gave auguries by their flight." "There were considerable varieties of omen according to the note of the Oscines or the place from which they uttered the note; and similarly among the Alites, according to the nature of their flight."
[136] — "They endeavoured to learn the future, especially in war, by consulting the entrails of victims."