460 THE 0CTAV1US OF takingseitherby theobservanceof auguries,or by consulting the entrails,or by the institutionof sacredrites,or by the dedicationof temples. Considerwhat isthe recordof books. You will at once discoverthat they have inaugurated the ritesof allkindsof religions,eitherthatthe divineindulgence might be rewarded,or that the threateninganger might be averted,or thatthe wrath alreadyswellingand raging might be appeased. Witness the Idaeanmother,1who at her arrival both approved the chastityof the matron, and deliveredthe cityfrom the fearof the enemy. Witness the statuesof the equestrianbrothers,2consecratedeven as they had showed themselveson the lake,who, with horsesbreathless,*foaming, and smoking, announced the victoryover the Persianon the same day on which they had gained it. Witness the renewal of the games of the offendedJupiter,4on account of the dream of a man of the people. And an acknowledged witness is the devotionof the Decii. Witness also Curtius, who filledup the opening of the profound chasm eitherwith the mass, or with the gloryof hisknighthood. Moreover, more frequentlythan we wished have the auguries,when despised, borne witnessto the presence of the gods : thus Allia is an unlucky name; thus the battleof Claudius and Junius is not a battleagainstthe Carthaginians,but a fatalshipwreck. Thus, that Thrasimenus might be both swollen and dis colouredwith the blood of the Romans, Flaminius despised the auguries; and thatwe might again demand our standards from the Parthians,Crassusboth deservedand scoffedat the imprecationsof the terriblesisters.I omit the old stories, which are many, and I pass by the songs of the poetsabout the births,and the gifts,and the rewardsof the gods. More over,I hasten over the fatespredictedby the oracles,lest antiquityshould appear to you excessivelyfabulous. Look at the temples and fanes of the gods by which the Roman cityisboth protectedand armed : they are more august by 1 Otherwise," thegoddessmother." 3 Scil.CastorandPollux. 8 Otherwise," who breathlesswithhorsesfoaming,"etc 4 Otherwise," theoffenceofJupiter,therenewalofthegames,"etc.