[183] See above p. 29 sq. Cicero also furnishes us (de Divinatione I 36) with a most striking parallel between a Babylonian-Assyrian animal omen and an Etruscan interpretation of the same omen. He tells us that the nurse of the young Roscius observed how a serpent came and wound itself around the sleeping child. On inquiry, the Haruspices declared that the occurrence was an omen indicating that the child would become famous and distinguished above his fellows. In the same way we find in the Babylonian-Assyrian texts that 'if a serpent is found lying on a little child, the child whether male or female, will acquire renown and riches'. See Jastrow, _Religion_ II 782 and 942, 3. [184] =Saturnalia= III 7, 2 also quoted by Servius, though in a slightly modified form. See Thulin, _Etruskische Disziplin_ III 76 and 102. [185] The chief colors in Babylonia-Assyrian omen texts are white, black, yellow and dark red. See e. g., Cun. Texts XXVIII Pl. 32 (K. 3838 etc.), 4-9. [186] Cun. Texts XXVIII Pl. 19 (K. 13443), 5. [187] =ḫud libbi=, literally 'joy of heart'. [188] Cicero, De Divinatione I 41, who correctly explains the application of =monstrum= to a malformation. For the etymology of =prodigium=, see Walde, _Lateinisch-Etymologisches Wörterbuch_ s. v. [189] De Generatione Animalium IV, 54. See above p. 44. [190] He gives as illustrations a child born with the head of a ram or of an ox; a calf born with a child's head, or a lamb with the head of an ox. See further ib IV, 65 seq. [191] De Generatione IV, 63. See above p. 44. He argues against the possibility of such hybrid creatures (IV, 55), on the ground of the varying length of pregnancy in the case of women, ewes, bitches, and cows. [192] I, 6, de Prodigiis quae evenere Externis § 1. See also Herodotus, VII 57 who represents the source of Valerius Maximus. [193] Book I, 8 de Miraculis quae contigere Externis § 12. [194] VII, 57. [195] Varia Historia I 29. Aelian says that the story was told by 'the children in Cos'--evidently a rationalistic supplement to the tale, dating from a time when it was no longer considered possible to take such stories seriously. The story had become, as we would say, 'an old wives' tale'. [196] See above p. 24 sq. and Jastrow, _Religion_ II 875 sq. [197] Herodotus I § 84.