senate during
the winter and spring in which Hannibal was advancing toward Rome. An
ox from the cattle-market had got into a house, and, losing his way,
had climbed up into the third story, and, being frightened by the
noise and uproar of those who followed him, ran out of a window and
fell down to the ground. A light appeared in the sky in the form of
ships. A temple was struck with lightning. A spear in the hand of a
statue of Juno, a celebrated goddess, shook, one day, of itself.
Apparitions of men in white garments were seen in a certain place. A
wolf came into a camp, and snatched the sword of a soldier on guard
out of his hands, and ran away with it. The sun one day looked smaller
than usual. Two moons were seen together in the sky. This was in the
daytime, and one of the moons was doubtless a halo or a white cloud.
Stones fell out of the sky at a place called Picenum. This was one of
the most dreadful of all the omens, though it is now known to be a
common occurrence.

These omens were all, doubtless, real occurrences, more or less
remarkable, it is true, but, of course, entirely unmeaning in respect
to their being indications of impending calamities. There were other
things reported to the senate which must have originated almost wholly
in the imaginations and fears of the observers. Two shields, it was
said, in a certain camp, sweated blood. Some people were reaping, and
bloody ears of grain fell into the basket. This, of course, must have
been wholly imaginary, unless, indeed, one of the reapers had cut his
fingers with the sickle. Some streams and fountains became bloody;
and, finally, in one place in the country, some goats turned into
sheep. A hen, also, became a cock, and a cock changed to a hen.

Such ridiculous stories would not be worthy of a moment's attention
now, were it not for the degree of importance attached to them then.
They were formally reported to the Roman senate, the witnesses who
asserted that they had seen them were called in and examined, and a
solemn debate was held on the question what should be done to avert
the supernatural influences of evil which the omens expressed. The
senate decided to have three days of expiation and sacrifice, during
which the whole people of Rome devoted themselves to the religious
observances which they thought calculated to appease the wrath of
Heaven. They made various offerings and gifts to the different gods,
among which one was a golden thunderbolt o