Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

AUGUR. AUGUSTALES. 179
an augur, their appointment by him was not con- he nor any of the educated classes appearsi to have
sidered contrary to this principle. (Romulus coop- had any faith in it. What a farce it had become
tavit augures, de Rep. ii. 9.) They retained the a few years later is evident from the statement of
right of co-optation until B.C. 103, the year of Dionysius (ii. 6), who informs us that a new
the Domitian law. By this law it was enacted magistrate, who took the auspices upon the first
that vacancies in the priestly colleges should be day of his office, was accustomed to have an augur
filled up by the votes of a minority of the tribes, on his side, who told him that lightning had apa. e. seventeen out of thirty-five chosen by lot. peared on his left, which was regarded afs a good
(Cic. de Leg. Aqr. ii. 7; Veil. Pat. ii. 12; Suet. omen, and although nothing of the kind had
Ner. 2.) The Domitian law was repealed by happened, this declaration was considered suffiSulla B. C. 81 (Pseudo-Ascon. in Cic. Div. p. 102, cient. (Mascov, De Jure Azspicii cpud Romnnos,
ed. Orelli), but again restored B. C. 63, during the Lips. 17-21; Werther, De AzEgLuriis RomeCis,
consulship of Cicero, by the tribune T. Annius Lemgo, 1835; Creuzer, Symbolik, vol. ii. p. 935,
Labienus, with the support of Caesar (Dion Cass. &c.; Miiller, Etrusker, vol. ii. p. 110, &c.; Harxxxvii. 37). It was a second time abrogated by tung, Die Religion der Rmnzer, vol. i. p. 98, &c.;
Antony B. C. 44 (Dion Cass. xliv. 53); whether Gbttling, Geschicllde der Rmn. Stacatsvef: p. 198, &c.;
again restored by Hirtius and Pansa in their Becker, RMsms. Alterth. vol. ii. part i. p. 304; but
general annulment of the acts of Antony, seems above all Rubino, RM5m. Verfiassung, p. 34, &c.)
uncertain. The emperors possessed the right of AUGURA'CULUM. [AUGUR, P. 176, a.]
electing augurs at pleasure. AUGURA'LE. [AUGUR, p. 176, a.]
The augurs were elected for life, and even if AUGUSTA'LES (sc. ludi, also called An2guscapitally convicted, never lost their sacred charac- talia, sc. certanmina, ludicra, and by the Greek
ter. (Plin. Ep. iv. 8.) When a vacancy occurred, writers and in Greek inscriptions, EV'aeTea, ]5ethe candidate was nominated by two of the elder ~dionua, AiryovradXia), were gaines celebrated in
members of the college (Cic. Phil. ii. 2), the electors honour of Augustus, at Rome and in other parts
were sworn, and the new member was then so- of the Roman empire. After the battle of Actium,
lemnly inaugurated. (Cic. Brut. 1.) On such a quinquennial festival (7ravrvyvpzs 7reYrET-77pis)
occasion there was always a splendid banquet given, was instituted; and the birthday (yEViOA.a) of
at which all the augurs were expected to be present. Augustus, as well as that on which the victory was
(Cic. ad Fain. vii. 26, ad Att. xii. 13, 14, 15.) announced at Rome, were regarded as festival days.
The only distinction in the college was one of age; (Dion Cass. Ii. 19.) In the provinces, also, in.
an elder augur always voted before a younger, even addition to temples and altars, quinquennial games
if the latter filled one of the higher offices in the were instituted in almost every town. (Suet. Ang.
state. (Cic. de Sen. 18.) The head of the college 59.) The Roman equites were accustomed of their
was called ma.sister collegii. It was expected that own accord to celebrate the birthday of Augustus
all the augurs should live on friendly terms with in every alternate year (Suet. Aug. 57); and the
one another, and it was a rule that no one was praetors, before any decree had been passed for the
to be elected to the office, who was known to be an purpose, were also in the habit of exhibiting games
enemy to any of the college. (Cic. ad Faim. iii. 10.) every year in honour of Augustus. (Dion Cass.
The augur, who had inaugurated a younger member, lit. 26, 30). It was not, however, till B. C. 11, that
was always to be regarded by the latter in the light the festival on the birth-day of Augustus was forof a parent (in parentis eum loco colere, Cic. mally established by a decree of the senate (Dion
Brut. 1). Cass. liv. 34), and it is this festival which is
As insignia of their office the augurs wore the usually meant when the Augustales or Augustalia
trabea, or public dress (Serv. ad Aen. vii. 612), are mentioned. It was celebrated iv. Id. Octobr.
and carried in their hand the lituuts or curved wand. At the death of Augustus, this festival assumed a
[LITuUS.] On the coins of the Romans, who more solemn character, was added to the Fasti,
filled the office of augur, we constantly find the and celebrated to his honour as agod. (Tac. A2lzn.
lituus, and along with it, not unfrequentIy, the i. 13; Dion Cass. lvi. 46.) Hence, Tacitus speaks
capis, an earthen vessel which was used by them of it as first established in the reign of Tiberiuls
iln sacrifices. (Liv. x. 7; Varr. L. L. v. 121, ed. (Ann. i. 54.) It was henceforth exhibited annually
Ufi!ler.) Both of these instruments are seen in in the circus, at first by the tribunes of the plebs,
the annexed coin of Lentulus. at the commencement of the reign of Tiberius, but
afterwards by the praetor peregrinus. (Tacit. Ann.. o~.....~ i. 15; Dion Cass. lvi. 46.) These games continued to be exhibited in the time of Dion Cassius,:;K i 1 ~~ that is, about A. D. 230 (liv. 34).
V /. 5/' - - -- t~ L[ )32~ (Naples), were celebrated with great splendour.,.1 X PM >te>4~~ They were instituted in the lifetime of Augustus
(Suet. Aug. 98), and were celebrated every five
years. According to Strabo (v. p. 246), who
The science of the augurs was called jis auguirum speaks of these games without mentioning their
and jits auguriumn, and was preserved in books name, they rivalled the most magnificent of the
(libri augurales), which are frequently mentioned Grecian festivals. They consisted of gymnastic
in the ancient writers. The expression for con- and musical contests, and lasted for several days.
sulting the augurs was referre ad augures, and At these games the Emperor Claudius brought
their answers were called decreta or responsa azgyu- forward a Greek comedy, and received the prize.
rum. The science of augury had greatly declined (Suet. Claud. 11; compare Dion Cass. Ix. 6.)
in the time of Cicero; and although he frequently Augustalia (E'Gaorna) were also celebrated at
deplores its neglect in his DeDivincatione, yet neither Alexandria, as appears from an inscription in
N2