augŭrĭum, ii, n. (plur. augura, heterocl., like aplustra from aplustre, Att. ap. Non. p. 488, 2, or Trag. Rel. p. 217 Rib.) [augur], the observation and interpretation of omens, augury (v. augur and the pass. there cited).
- I. Lit.: pro certo arbitrabor sortes oracla adytus augura? Att., Trag. Rel. p. 217 Rib.: agere, Varr. L. L. 6, § 42 Müll.; Cic. Div. 1, 17, 32; id. Off. 3, 16, 66: capere, Suet. Aug. 95: quaerere, Vulg. Num. 24, 1: observare, ib. Deut. 18, 10; ib. 4 Reg. 21, 6: non est augurium in Jacob, ib. Num. 23, 23: dare, Ov. Tr. 3, 1, 36: nuntiare, Liv. 1, 7: decantare, Cic. Div. 1, 47, 105: accipere, to understand or receive as an omen, Liv. 1, 34; 10, 40; Val. Fl. 1, 161: augurium factum, Suet. Vit. 18: augurio experiri aliquid, Flor. 1, 5, 3: augurium salutis, an augury instituted in time of peace, for the inquiry whether one could supplicate the Deity for the prosperity of the state (de salute), Cic. Div. 1, 47, 105; Suet. Aug. 31; Tac. A. 12, 23; cf. Dio Cass. 37, 24, and Fabric. ad h. l.
- II. Transf.
- A. Any kind of divination, prophecy, soothsaying, interpretation: auguria rerum futurarum, Cic. Phil. 2, 35, 89: conjugis augurio (by the interpretation of quamquam Titania mota est, Ov. M. 1, 395: Divinatio arroris et auguria mendacia vanitas est, Vulg Eccli. 34, 5.
And transf. to the internal sense. presentiment, foreboding of future occurrences inhaeret in mentibus quasi saeclorum quoddam augurium futurorum, Cic. Tusc. 1, 15, 33; id. Fam 6, 6: Fallitur augurio spes bona saepe suo, Ov. H. 16, 234: Auguror, nec me fallit augurium, historias tuas immortales futuras, Plin. Ep. 7, 33, 1 al.
- B. Object, a sign, omen, token, prognostic: thymum augurium mellis est, Plin. 21, 10, 31, § 56: augurium valetudinis ex eā traditur, si etc., id. 28, 6, 19, § 68.
- C. The art of the augur, augury: cui laetus Apollo Augurium citharamque dabat, Verg. A. 12, 394 (v. Apollo and augur): Rex idero et regi Turno gratissimus augur, id. ib. 9, 327; Flor. 1, 5, 2.