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The Treatises of M.t. Cicero on the Nature of the Gods [tr. by T.francklin]
The Treatises of Mt Cicero on the Nature of the Gods - tr. by T.francklin Author:Marcus Tullius Cicero Subtitle: On Divination; on Fate; on the Republic; on the Laws; and on Standing for the Consulship, Tr. Chiefly by the Ed. C.d.yonge [and F.barham]. General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1853 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. ... more » When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: ON DIVINATION. (Cicero composed this treatise immediately after that on the Nature of the Gods; the two subjects being indeed very closely connected. In, the first book all kinds of Divination are represented as maintained by his brother Quiutus, on the principles of the Stoics.] I. It is an old opinion, derived as far back as from the heroic times, and confirmed by the unanimous agreement of the Roman people, and indeed of all nations, that there is a species of divination in existence among men, which the Greeks call /mxvtiktj, that is to say, a presentiment, and foreknowledge of future events. A truly splendid and serviceable gift, if it only exists in reality; and one by which our mortal nature makes its nearest approach to the power of the Gods. Therefore, as we have done many other things better than the Greeks, so, most especially have we excelled them in giving a name to this most admirable endowment, since our nation derives the name which it gives to it, Divination, from the Gods (Divis), while the Greeks derived the title which they gave it, namely, /juivnKri, from madness (fiavia). For that is Plato's interpretation of the word. Now, as far as I know, there is no nation whatever, however polished and learned, or however barbarous and uncivilized, which does not believe it possible that future events may be indicated, and understood, and predicted by certain persons. In the first place the Assyrians, that I may trace back the authority for t...« less