Latin — 1533, repaired
Sunt quaedam alia divinationum genera a naturalibus caufis dependentia, quae sua arte et experientia constat in variis rebus: quibus medici, agricolae, pastores, nautae, unusquisque ex probabilibus signis prognosticantur; quorum multa tradidit Aristoteles libro de temporibus. Inter quae divinationum genera, auspicia et auguria principatum tenent, quae tanto olim apud Romanos in pretio fuerunt, ut nihil eorum, quae ad publica vel privata negotia pertinerent, inauspicate perfecerint; populum vero Hetruscum hoc artificio maxime praestitisse, Cicero in libro Divinationum copiose declarat.
Sunt vero auspiciorum plures species. Nam quaedam dicuntur pedestria, quae videlicet ex quadrupedibus capiuntur; quaedam auguria, quae ex avibus; quaedam caelestia, quae ex tonitruis et fulmine; quaedam caduca, ut cum in templo vel alibi quid decidisset; quaedam sacra, quae ex sacrificiis capiebantur. Horum quaedam dicebantur piacula et tristia auspicia, ut cum hostia profugisset ab ara, vel percussa mugitum dedisset, vel in aliam partem corporis, quam oportet, cecidisset. His superadditur Exauguratio, quando videlicet e manu augurantis virga decidisset, qua contemplari et auspicium capere mos fuit.
Michael Scotus duodecim recitat auguriorum genera, sex videlicet a dextris, quorum nomina dicit: fernova, feruetus, confert, emponcthem, sonnasarnova, sonnasarvetus; et alia sex a sinistris, quorum nomina sunt: confernova, conferuetus, viaram, herrena, scaffarnova, scaffarvetus. Deinde exponens ea nomina inquit: Fernova est augurium, quando tu exiveris domum tuam causa faciendi aliquid, et eundo vides hominem vel avem, eundo vel volando, ita quod se ponat ante te in sinistra parte tui: istud est tibi signum bonae significationis super negotio. Feruetus est augurium, quando tu exiveris domum causa faciendi aliquid, et eundo prius invenis vel vides avem, vel hominem pausantem ante te in sinistra parte tui: istud est tibi malum signum super negotio. Viaram est augurium, quando homo, vel avis, suo itinere vel volatu ante te transit, veniens a dextra parte tui, et tendens in sinistram evanescit: istud est tibi bonum signum super negotio. Confernova est augurium quando prius invenis hominem vel avem, euntem vel volantem, et pausat ante te a dextris te vidente: istud est tibi bonum signum super negotio. Conferuetus est augurium quando prius invenis vel vides hominem vel avem, reclinantem a dextris tuis, te vidente: est tibi signum malum super negotio. Scaffarnova augurium est, quando homo vel avis post terga consequitur te, et transit te, sed antequam perveniat ad te, vel tu ad eam, alicubi pausat te vidente a dextris tuis: est tibi signum bonum. Scaffarvetus est augurium quando vides post te hominem vel avem a dextro latere pausantem: est tibi signum malum. Scaffarnova est [†dup.], si videris post te hominem vel avem, sed antequam perveniat ad te vel tu ad eam, pauset in loco te vidente: signum est tibi bonum. Scaffarvetus est [†dup.], si videris hominem vel avem praetereuntem, et in loco pausantem a sinistro latere: signum est tibi malum. Emponethem est, quando homo vel avis veniens a sinistris, et transiens ad dextram, evanescit a conspectu tuo absque quod videas repausantem: signum est tibi bonum. Herrena augurium est, si homo vel avis a dextris veniens, post terga tua transiens in sinistram, viderisque eam alicubi pausantem: hoc signum est malum. Haec Scotus hactenus.
Augurabantur etiam veteres ex sternutamentis, quorum meminit etiam Homerus in Odysseae libro decimo septimo, quia putabat illa procedere ex loco sacro, videlicet capite, in quo viget et operatur intellectus: unde et sermo, quicunque mane surgenti in opinatio in buccam mente veniente venerit, praesagium et augurium aliquod habere traditur.
Close translation
There are certain other kinds of divination depending on natural causes, which rest on their own art and experience in various matters; by which physicians, farmers, shepherds, sailors — each in his own field — make their forecasts from probable signs, of which Aristotle handed down much in his book on the seasons (weather-signs). Among these kinds of divination, auspices and auguries hold the first place, which were once held in such price among the Romans that they carried out nothing pertaining to public or private business without first taking the auspices; and that the Etruscan people excelled most of all in this art, Cicero declares at length in his book On Divination.
There are indeed several kinds of auspices. For some are called pedestrian, which are taken, namely, from four-footed animals; some auguries, which are taken from birds; some celestial, taken from thunders and lightning; some "fallen" (caduca), as when something had fallen down in a temple or elsewhere; some sacred, which were taken from sacrifices. Of these, some were called piacular and sorrowful auspices, as when the sacrificial victim had fled from the altar, or, being struck, had bellowed, or had fallen on a part of the body other than the one required. To these is added the Exauguration, namely when the wand fell from the hand of the one taking the auspices — by which it was the custom to observe and take the omen.
Michael Scotus recounts twelve kinds of auguries, six namely on the right, whose names he gives: fernova, feruetus, confert, emponethem, sonnasarnova, sonnasarvetus; and another six on the left, whose names are: confernova, conferuetus, viaram, herrena, scaffarnova, scaffarvetus. Then, expounding these names, he says: Fernova is an augury when you have gone out of your house for the sake of doing something, and going along you see a man or a bird, walking or flying, in such a way that it places itself before you on your left side: that is to you a sign of good meaning concerning the business. Feruetus is an augury when you have gone out of the house for the sake of doing something, and going along you first find or see a bird, or a man, resting before you on your left side: that is to you an evil sign concerning the business. Viaram is an augury when a man, or a bird, in its course or flight passes before you, coming from your right side, and heading toward the left vanishes: that is to you a good sign concerning the business. Confernova is an augury when you first find a man or a bird, going or flying, and it rests before you on the right, you seeing it: that is to you a good sign concerning the business. Conferuetus is an augury when you first find or see a man or a bird, reclining on your right side, you seeing it: it is to you an evil sign concerning the business. Scaffarnova is an augury when a man or bird follows behind you, and passes you, but before it reaches you, or you it, rests somewhere, you seeing it on your right side: it is to you a good sign. Scaffarvetus is an augury when you see behind you a man or a bird resting on the right side: it is to you an evil sign. Scaffarnova [†duplicate name in source] is, if you have seen behind you a man or a bird, but before it reaches you or you it, it rests in a place, you seeing it: the sign is good to you. Scaffarvetus [†duplicate name in source] is, if you have seen a man or a bird passing by, and resting in a place on the left side: the sign is evil to you. Emponethem is when a man or a bird, coming from the left, and passing to the right, vanishes from your sight without your seeing it rest again: the sign is good to you. Herrena is an augury, if a man or a bird, coming from the right, passing behind your back toward the left, and you have seen it resting somewhere: this sign is evil. Thus far Scotus.
The ancients also took auguries from sneezings, which Homer too mentions in the seventeenth book of the Odyssey, because he thought that these proceeded from a sacred place, namely the head, in which the intellect thrives and operates: whence also it is handed down that whatever thought comes into the mouth of the mind of one rising in the morning is said to carry some presage and augury.
Modern rendering
There are other kinds of divination that rest on natural causes — kinds that prove themselves through practice and experience in different fields. Doctors, farmers, shepherds, sailors, and everyone else make forecasts from probable signs; Aristotle recorded many of these in his book on the weather. Among these kinds of divination, auspices and omens from birds hold first place. The Romans once prized them so highly that they undertook nothing, public or private, without first taking the auspices, and Cicero, in his book On Divination, says at length that the Etruscans were the greatest masters of this art.
There are several kinds of auspices. Some are called "pedestrian," taken from four-footed animals; some are "auguries," taken from birds; some are "celestial," taken from thunder and lightning; some are "fallen," as when something drops in a temple or elsewhere; some are "sacred," taken from sacrifices. Certain of these were called ill-omened and sorrowful auspices — as when the victim bolted from the altar, or bellowed when struck, or fell on the wrong part of its body. Add to these the Exauguration: when the wand fell from the augur's hand, it was customary to study that and take it as the sign.
Michael Scotus lists twelve kinds of augury, six on the right, whose names he gives as fernova, feruetus, confert, emponethem, sonnasarnova, sonnasarvetus, and six more on the left: confernova, conferuetus, viaram, herrena, scaffarnova, scaffarvetus. He then explains each: Fernova — you leave your house to do something, and as you walk you see a person or bird, walking or flying, positioning itself ahead of you on your left: a good sign for the business. Feruetus — you leave the house to do something, and as you walk you first find a bird, or a person, resting ahead of you on your left: a bad sign for the business. Viaram — a person or bird crosses your path in its course or flight, coming from your right and vanishing toward your left: a good sign for the business. Confernova — you first find a person or bird, moving or flying, and it comes to rest ahead of you on your right while you watch: a good sign for the business. Conferuetus — you first find or see a person or bird reclining on your right as you watch: a bad sign for the business. Scaffarnova — a person or bird comes up behind you and passes you, but before it reaches you, or you it, it stops somewhere on your right while you watch: a good sign. Scaffarvetus — you see behind you a person or bird resting on your right: a bad sign. Scaffarnova [†same name repeated in the source] — you have seen behind you a person or bird that, before it reaches you or you it, stops in a place while you watch: a good sign. Scaffarvetus [†same name repeated in the source] — you see a person or bird pass by and come to rest on your left: a bad sign. Emponethem — a person or bird coming from your left, crossing to your right, vanishes from sight without your seeing it rest: a good sign. Herrena — a person or bird coming from your right, crossing behind you toward the left, and you see it come to rest somewhere: a bad sign. So much from Scotus.
The ancients also read omens in sneezes — Homer mentions this too, in Odyssey book seventeen — because he thought sneezes came from a sacred place, the head, where the intellect lives and works. That is also why whatever thought comes to someone's mind first thing in the morning is said to carry some presage or omen.
Editorial flags — draft status
- list: Entire Michael Scotus twelve-name augury catalogue (fernova...herrena) — OCR renders these coined technical terms inconsistently across the passage (e.g. 'fonnafarnova' vs 'Scimafarnova' vs 'ScalTarnova' for what seems to be one term); normalized to a single spelling per name for readability but genuine letter-level uncertainty remains on all twelve. Needs manual re-keying against page images.
- uncertain: The source appears to define 'scaffarnova' and 'scaffarvetus' twice each (once early in the list with garbled spelling, once fully spelled out later) — possible OCR duplication of adjacent entries rather than two genuinely distinct terms; kept as-is per anti-hallucination rule rather than silently deleting one.
- uncertain: 'Romninit' mid-sentence (between 'Etruscum' clause and 'ut nihil...') does not parse as Latin and was deleted as page-furniture per spec rule 5, but it could alternatively be a mangled proper name or running head — flagged for manual check against page image.