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Cicero

On Divination Passage 78

Passage 211 of 284

Canonical reference 2.78

Latin

perseus-cicero-de_divinatione-lat

Quid est aliud nolle moneri a Iove nisi efficere, ut aut ne fieri possit auspicium aut, si fiat, videri? Nam illud admodum ridiculum, quod negas Deiotarum auspiciorum, quae sibi ad Pompeium proficiscenti facta sint, paenitere, quod fidem secutus amicitiamque populi Romani functus sit officio; antiquiorem enim sibi fuisse laudem et gloriam quam regnum et possessiones suas. Credo equidem, sed hoc nihil ad auspicia; nec enim ei cornix canere potuit recte eum facere, quod populi Romani libertatem defendere pararet; ipse hoc sentiebat, sicuti sensit.

English AI-generated translation, non-official

Codex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-11

What else is refusing to be warned by Jupiter but arranging either that an auspice cannot occur or that, if it occurs, it cannot be seen? Your claim that Deiotarus did not regret the auspices that appeared when he set out to join Pompey is particularly ridiculous. You say that he followed good faith and friendship with the Roman people and performed his duty, since honor and glory were dearer to him than his kingdom and possessions. I certainly believe that, but it has nothing to do with auspices. A crow could not tell him by its cry that he was acting rightly in preparing to defend the freedom of the Roman people. He himself judged this, just as he did.

French AI-generated translation, non-official

Codex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-11

Refuser d’être averti par Jupiter, qu’est-ce donc sinon faire en sorte qu’aucun auspice ne puisse se produire ou que, s’il se produit, il ne puisse être vu? Il est d’ailleurs tout à fait ridicule que tu dises que Déiotarus ne regrette pas les auspices reçus lorsqu’il partait rejoindre Pompée, parce qu’il suivit la fidélité et l’amitié du peuple romain et accomplit son devoir; il aurait préféré l’honneur et la gloire à son royaume et à ses possessions. Je le crois volontiers, mais cela ne concerne en rien les auspices. Une corneille ne pouvait lui chanter qu’il agissait bien en se préparant à défendre la liberté du peuple romain; il le jugeait lui-même, comme il l’a jugé.

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