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Notes Display Latin text | Augustus, Chapter 92: Omens. | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Some signs and omens he [Note 1] regarded as infallible. If in the morning his shoe was put on the wrong foot, the left instead of the right, that boded some disaster. If when he commenced a long journey, by sea or land, there happened to fall a mizzling rain he held it to be a good sign of a speedy and happy return. He was much affected likewise with any thing out of the common course of nature. A palm-tree which chanced to grow up between some stones in the court of his house, he transplanted into a court where the images of the Household Gods were placed, and took all possible care to make it thrive. In the island of Capri, some decayed branches of an old ilex, which hung drooping to the ground, recovered themselves upon his arrival; at which he was so delighted, that he made an exchange with the Republic of Naples, of the island of Aenaria [ Ischia], for that of Capri. He likewise observed certain days; as never to go from home the day after the Nundinae [market], nor to begin any serious business upon the Nones [5th or 7th of each month, depending on the month]; avoiding nothing else in it, as he writes to Tiberius, than its unlucky name. Note 1: he = Augustus |