MINUCIUS FELIX. 493 before the Romans, by the orderingof God, the Assyrians held dominion,the Medes, the Persians,the Greeks also,and the Egyptians, although they had not any Pontiffs,nor Arvales, nor Salii,nor Vestals,nor Augurs, nor chickens shut up in a coop, by whose feeding or abstinencethe highestconcernsof the statewere to be governed. CHAPTER XXVI. ARGuMENT. — The weapon thatCaciliushad slightlybrandished againsthim,takenfrom theauspicesand auguriesof birds, Ootaviusretortsby instancingthe casesof Regulus,Man- cinus,Paulm, and Coisar. And he shows by otherex amples,thattheargumentfrom theoraclesisof no greater forcethan theothers. " And now I come to thoseRoman auspicesand auguries which you have collectedwith extreme pains,and have borne testimonythattheywere both neglectedwith illconsequences, and observed with good fortune. CertainlyClodius,and Flaminius, and Junius losttheirarmies on this account, because theydid not judge itwelltowait forthevery solemn omen given by the greedy pecking of the chickens. But what of Regulus? Did he not observe the auguries,and was taken captive? Mancinus maintainedhisreligiousduty, and was sent under the yoke, and was given up. Paulus alsohad greedy chickensat Cannae,yet he was overthrown with the greaterpartof the republic.1Caius Caesardespised the auguriesand auspicesthatresistedhismaking hisvoyage into Africa before the winter,and thus the more easilyhe both sailedand conquered. But what and how much shall I go on to say about oracles? After his death Amphiaraus answered-as to things to come, though he knew not [while living]thathe shouldbe betrayedby hiswife on accountof 1 Reipublicse; but itisshrewdlyconjecturedthatthepassagewas written,"cum majoreR. P. parte"— "with the greaterpartof the Roman people,"and themistakemade by thetranscriberoftheMS.