Auguries

Auguries are signs or omens interpreted as foretelling future events. The term derives from the Latin augurium (divination) and augur, from augur, meaning "interpreter of the gods" or "soothsayer." In ancient Rome, augury was a formal religious practice conducted by augurs, who observed the will of the gods by scrutinizing birds, especially the flight patterns of sacred birds, as well as thunder, lightning, and other natural phenomena. The practice often took place before political or military decisions and legal actions; the interpretation of auspices, sacred signs from birds, determined whether an undertaking could proceed. Virtues of interpreting birds (auspices) included omens from the flight, feeding behavior, or vocalizations; haruspicy, another form, involved examining animal entrails, especially the liver.

Over time, augury came to encompass broader forms of omen interpretation, including dreams, natural signs, and portents. In medieval and early modern Europe, interest in augury persisted within astrology and prodigies, though it was increasingly distinguished from empirical science. Some authors used auguries metaphorically to describe general signs of future trends, rather than concrete predictions. In contemporary usage, auguries may refer to signs or forecasts inferred from current signs, trends, or events, often with a rhetorical or literary sense. The concept remains a subject of study in the history of religion and classical studies, illustrating how societies have sought to discern possible futures through natural and interpreted signs.