Roman Delusions and Customs--Augury--Election to the Magistracy; Omens relative thereto--Tokens of Futurity--Dire Misfortunes followed the Contempt of Augurs--Drawing of Lots--Events foretold by reading the first passage that turned up on opening a Book--Lucky and Unlucky Stars--Fortune Tellers--Dreams--Omens drawn from Appearance of parts of Animals offered in Sacrifice--Sibylline Books, Charms, and Incantations--Spirits going about to observe Men's Actions--Unlucky Days--Dress of a Bride--Marriage Ceremonies--Anointing Door-posts with the Fat of Swine or of Wolves, and crossing the Threshold--Fire and Water--Bridal Feast and Nuptial Songs--Funeral Rites--Souls of Unburied Persons--The Expiring Breath--Customs at a Deathbed; the Cypress exhibited at Houses in which were Dead Bodies and Funeral Observances--Hobgoblins and Lares--Purifying with Water and Fire--Ghosts partial to Beans, etc.--Offerings made to appease the Manes--Persons reported to be Dead--Dead Bodies used for Magical purposes. The old Roman delusions and customs were as extraordinary as those of any nation with which history has made us acquainted. The augurs pretended to foretell future events from the flight of birds and the chirping and feeding of fowls, and also from other appearances. "Augurium" and "auspicium" were generally used promiscuously. Auspicium was properly the foretelling of future events from the inspection of birds; augurium from any omen or prodigy whatever. The augurs are supposed to have derived tokens of futurity chiefly from five sources--appearances in the heavens (such as thunder or lightning), from the singing or flight of birds, from the feeding of fowls, from the movements of quadrupeds, and from uncommon accidents. The birds which chiefly gave omens by sound were ravens, crows, owls, and cocks,--and those by flight, eagles and vultures. Contempt of the augurs, and neglect of their intimations, were said to be followed by dire misfortunes. Omens coming from the left were generally supposed by the Romans to be lucky. Thunder on the left was regarded as a good sign, and so was the cawing of a crow on the same side; but it was considered more fortunate to hear the croaking of a raven on the right than on the left. The Romans, as the Greeks had done before them, took omens from quadrupeds crossing their path or appearing in unaccustomed places. The augurs taught the people how to draw conclusions from sneezing, spilling salt, and other accidents, called dira.