24

legumes will be destroyed. 6. if it thunders, it indicates that the crops will ripen sooner and be destroyed. 7. if it thunders, there will be an abundance of birds and fish. 8. if it thunders, it is ill-omened for the people. 9. if it thunders, it signifies a plague, but one moderately dangerous. 10. if it thunders, it indicates disturbances from rainstorms and harmful overflowing of rivers, and a multitude of lizards and serpents. 11. if it thunders, abundance is to be hoped for both on the land and on the sea. 12. if it thunders, there will be a destruction of fish. 13. if it thunders, it indicates an increase of river waters, but diseases for men. 14. if it thunders, there will be an eastern war and great destruction. 15. if it thunders, it indicates abundance. 16. if it thunders, one must pray on account of the threatened things. 17. if it thunders, it signifies rain. 18. if it thunders, faction, and from it war and a lack of provisions. 19. if it thunders, a certain man will be raised to the height of good fortune by the goodwill of the people. 20. if it thunders, for those in the east, abundance, but for those in the west, not so. 21. if it thunders, there is need of prayers on account of the threatened things. 22. if it thunders, it signifies a rainstorm and destruction of the sea fish. 23. if it thunders, it indicates fruitful good rain. 24. if it thunders, great evils, so that the subjects faint from despondency. 25. if it thunders, a respite and a remission of evils is to be hoped for. 26. if it thunders, it is good for those engaged in farming. 27. if it thunders, there will be portents and a comet will be kindled. 28. if it thunders, it will be likewise. 29. if it thunders, it signifies a northern war, but without danger to affairs. 30. if it thunders, the plants will be shattered by the wind. Nigidius judged this daily thunder-divination to be not general but for Rome alone. 3941t THUNDER-DIVINATION FROM THE WORKS OF FONTEIUS THE ROMAN ACCORDING TO A LITERAL INTERPRETATION When the Moon is in Capricorn, if thunder occurs in the day, it threatens that a tyrant will rise up in the regions from the narrow sea as far as the Nile, but that he will nevertheless fail in his undertaking. And not least there will be a reduction of provisions. The Nile also will recede, and there will be discord between children and parents, and disturbances of the rulers for some. But the Persians and those possessing the western part of Europe will be at peace. But if at night, barbarian nations will be carried out against each other, and for the sake of doctrines the Roman peace will be shaken, and enemies will hold for a short time some places of the state. Rulers originating from the western parts will lead public affairs lawlessly. And the majority of men will be unfortunate, and there will be bitter winters, and shipwrecks, and treacherous swells of the sea. When the Moon is in Aquarius, if it thunders in the day, it indicates the downfall of renowned men and severe conflagrations. And the harvest will be cheerful, but it will be devoured by locusts and wild beasts, and the grape by wasps. And what is most dreadful of all, phantoms will trouble their bodies with diseases, and the sweetness of the waters will fail. And those of lesser fortunes will be drawn up for the better, but the greater will fall out for the worse. And excess of laws will disturb the peace, and there will be an advance of pagans in the state. But if it thunders at night, let the west bid farewell to peace, but the harvest of Asia will be most desirable, and the rulers, contrary to what is prevalent among them, will not greatly grieve their subjects. When the Moon is in Pisces, if thunder occurs in the day, it indicates an increase of waters, not only of rivers but also of the sea, and a mist in the air, but it also threatens destruction for the fish. And the wild beasts will desert to the traps; yet it is desirable to plant plants. And the is indeed unhealthy

24

ὄσπρια φθαρήσεται. ςʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, θᾶττον ἀκμάσαι τοὺς καρποὺς καὶ φθαρῆναι δηλοῖ. ζʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, ὀρνέων καὶ ἰχθύων ἀφθονία ἔσται. ηʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, ἀπαίσιον τῷ δήμῳ. θʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, λοιμὸν σημαίνει, ἀλλὰ μετρίως ἐπικίνδυνον. ιʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, ταραχὰς κατομβρίας καὶ ὑπερχύσεις ποταμῶν ἐπιβλαβεῖς δηλοῖ, σαυρῶν τε καὶ ἑρπετῶν πλῆθος. ιαʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, εὐθηνίαν κατά τε τὴν γῆν κατά τε τὴν θάλασσαν ἐλπιστέον. ιβʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, φθορὰ ἰχθύων ἔσται. ιγʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, ἐπίδοσιν ποταμίων ὑδάτων δηλοῖ, νόσους δὲ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. ιδʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, ἀνατολικὸς ἔσται πόλεμος καὶ φθορὰ πολλή. ιεʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, εὐθηνίαν δηλοῖ. ιςʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, εὔχεσθαι δεῖ διὰ τὰ ἀπειλούμενα. ιζʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, ὑετὸν σημαίνει. ιηʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, στάσιν καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς πόλεμον καὶ ἔνδειαν τῶν ἐπιτηδείων. ιθʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, εὐνοίᾳ τοῦ δήμου ἀνήρ τις εἰς ἄκρον εὐδαιμονίας ἀρθήσεται. κʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, τοῖς μὲν περὶ τὴν ἀνατολὴν εὐθηνία, τοῖς δὲ ἐπὶ δύσιν οὐχ οὕτως. καʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, εὐχῶν δεῖ διὰ τὰ ἀπειλούμενα. κβʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, κατομβρίαν καὶ φθορὰν τῶν θαλαττίων ἰχθύων σημαίνει. κγʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, εὐομβρίαν καρποφόρον δηλοῖ. κδʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, μεγάλα κακά, ὡς ἐξ ἀθυμίας λειποθυμῆσαι τοὺς ὑπηκόους. κεʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, ἀνάπαυλαν καὶ ὕφεσιν τῶν κακῶν ἐλπιστέον. κςʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, καλὸν τοῖς περὶ γεωργίαν ἔχουσιν. κζʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, διοσημεία ἔσται καὶ κομήτης ἐξαφθήσεται. κηʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, ὡσαύτως ἔσται. κθʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, πόλεμον ἀρκτῷον σημαίνει, ἀλλ' ἀκίνδυνον τοῖς πράγμασιν. λʹ. εἰ βροντήσῃ, τὰ φυτὰ τῷ ἀνέμῳ συντριβήσεται. Ταύτην τὴν ἐφήμερον βροντοσκοπίαν ὁ Νιγίδιος οὐ καθολικὴν ἀλλὰ μόνης εἶναι τῆς Ῥώμης ἔκρινεν. 3941t ΒΡΟΝΤΟΣΚΟΠΙΑ ΕΚ ΤΩΝ ΦΟΝΤΗΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥ ΚΑΘ' ΕΡΜΗΝΕΙΑΝ ΠΡΟΣ ΛΕΞΙΝ Σελήνης ἐχούσης τὸν αἰγόκερων εἰ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ βροντὴ γένηται, τύραννον ἐπαναστήσεσθαι ἀπειλεῖ τοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς στενῆς θαλάσσης ἄχρι Νείλου χωρίοις, ἐκπεσεῖν δὲ ὅμως αὐτὸν τῆς ἐγχειρήσεως. οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἔσται ἐλάττωσις. ὑπονοστήσει δὲ καὶ ὁ Νεῖλος, καὶ διχόνοια ἔσται τέκνοις πρὸς γονεῖς, καὶ ταραχαὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἐνίοις. Πέρ σαι δὲ καὶ οἱ τῆς Εὐρώπης τὸ δυτικὸν ἔχοντες ἠρεμήσουσιν. εἰ δὲ νυκτός, ἔθνη βάρβαρα κατ' ἀλλήλων ἐξενεχθήσεται, καὶ δογμάτων ἕνεκα τὰ τῆς Ῥωμαϊκῆς εἰρήνης σαλευθήσεται, καὶ τόπους δέ τινας τοῦ πολιτεύματος πολέμιοι πρὸς βραχὺ καθέξουσιν. ἄρχοντες ἐκ τῶν δυτικῶν ὁρμώμενοι ἡγήσονται παρανόμως τῶν κοινῶν. δυσδαίμονες δὲ ἔσονται οἱ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πλείους, καὶ χειμῶνες πικροί, καὶ ναυάγια, καὶ σάλοι σφαλεροί. Σελήνης ἐν ὑδροχόῳ οὔσης εἰ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ βροντήσῃ, κλεινῶν ἀνθρώπων καταλύσεις δηλοῖ ἐμπρησμούς τε βαρεῖς. καὶ ὁ μὲν ἄμητος ἱλαρός, ἀκρίσι δὲ καὶ θηρίοις ἐκβρωθήσεται, ἡ δὲ σταφυλὴ σφηξί. καὶ τὸ πάντων σχετλιώτερον, φάσματα τοῖς σώμασιν ἐνοχλήσει μετὰ νόσων, καὶ τῶν ὑδάτων διαμαρτήσει τὸ νόστιμον. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐλάττονες τὰς τύχας ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον ἀνασπασθήσονται, οἱ δὲ μείζους ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον ἐκπεσοῦνται. ἀμετρία τε τῶν νόμων τὴν εἰρήνην ταράξει, καὶ ἐθνικῶν ἔσται ἐπὶ τῆς πολιτείας πάροδος. εἰ δὲ νυκτὸς βροντήσῃ, ἀπολεγέτω μὲν τῇ εἰρήνῃ τὸ δυτικόν, ὁ δὲ ἄμητος τῆς Ἀσίας εὐκταιότατος, καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες παρὰ τὸ κρατοῦν ἐν αὐτοῖς οὐ σφόδρα τοὺς ὑπηκόους λυπήσουσι. Σελήνης ἐν ἰχθύσιν οὔσης ἐὰν βροντὴ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ γένηται, ὑδάτων ἐπίδοσιν δηλοῖ οὐ ποταμίων μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ θαλαττίων, ἀχλύν τε τῷ ἀέρι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀφανισμὸν τοῖς ἰχθύσιν ἀπειλεῖ. τὰ δὲ θηρία πρὸς τὰς παγίδας αὐτομολήσει· φυτεύειν δ' ὅμως φυτὰ ἐπευκταῖον. καὶ νοσῶδες μὲν τὸ