Bonis avibus

With good or evil omens. You began the business under favourable, or unfavourable auspices, or under a fortunate or unfortunate star. The Greeks and Romans frequently formed their opinion of the success of any enterprize in which they were about to engage, from the flight, or from the chattering, or singing of birds. The Augur, whose office it was to expound to the people the meaning of the omens, is supposed to have derived the name, or title of the office, from avis garritus, the chattering of birds. Our countryman, Churchill, has ridiculed this superstition with much humour.

«Among the Romans not a bird,
Without a prophecy was heard;
Fortunes of empires ofttimes hung
On the magician magpye's tongue,
And every crow was to the state,
A sure interpreter of fate.
Prophets embodied in a college,
(Time out of mind your seats of knowledge),
Infallible accounts would keep,
When it was best to watch or sleep,
To eat, or drink, to go, or stay,
And when to fight, or run away,
When matters were for action ripe,
By looking at a double tripe;
When emperors would live or die,
They in an asses skull could spy;
When generals would their stations keep,
Or turn their backs in hearts of sheep».

"The Gost".

Some vestiges of this superstition are still to be found in this country, and many of our farmers' wives would be disconcerted at hearing the croaking of a raven, at the moment they were setting out on a journey, whether of business, or of pleasure. The following lines from Walker's Epictetus are introduced, to shew that though the vulgar, in the early ages, might believe in these fooleries, yet there were not wanting then, as well as now, persons who were able to ridicule and despise them.

«The direful raven's, or the night owl's voice,
Frightens the neighborhood with boding noise;
While each believes the knowing bird portends
Sure death, or to himself, or friends;
Though all that the nocturnal prophet knows,
Is want of food, which he by whooting shews».

Epictetus is supposed to have lived in the time of the Emperor Nero, more than 1700 years ago.