Divination a universal practice: its relation to magic. Want of a comprehensive treatment of it. Its object at Rome: to assure oneself of the _pax deorum_; but it was the most futile method used. Private divination; limited and discouraged by the State, except in the form of family _auspicia_. Public divination; _auspicia_ needed in all State operations; close connection with _imperium_. The augurs were skilled advisers of the magistrates, but could not themselves take the auspices. Probable result of this: Rome escaped subjection to a hierarchy. Augurs and _auspicia_ become politically important, but cease to belong to religion. State divination a clog on political progress. Sinister influence on Rome of Etruscan divination; history of the _haruspices_ 292-313 LECTURE XIV THE HANNIBALIC WAR Tendency towards contempt of religious forms in third century B.C.; disappears during this war. _Religio_ in the old sense takes its place, _i.e._ fear and anxiety. This takes the form of reporting _prodigia_; account of these in 218 B.C., and of the prescriptions supplied by Sibylline books. Fresh outbreak of _religio_ after battle of Trasimene; _lectisternium_ of 216, without distinction of Greek and Roman deities; importance of this. Religious panic after battle of Cannae; extraordinary religious measures, including human sacrifice. Embassy to Delphi and its result; symptoms of renewed confidence. But fresh and alarming outbreak in 213; met with remarkable skill. Institution of Apolline games. Summary of religious history in last years of the war; gratitude to the gods after battle of Metaurus. Arrival of the Great Mother of Phrygia at Rome. Hannibal leaves Italy 314-334 LECTURE XV AFTER THE HANNIBALIC WAR Religion used to support Senatorial policy in declaring war (1) with Philip of Macedon, (2) with Antiochus of Syria; but this is not the old religion. Use of _prodigia_ and Sibylline oracles to secure political and personal objects; mischief caused in this way. Growth of individualism; rebellion of the individual against the _ius divinum_. Examples of this from the history of the priesthoods; strange story of a Flamen Dialis. The story of the introduction of Bacchic rites in 186 B.C.; interference of the Senate and Magistrates, and significance of this. Strange attempt to propagate Pythagoreanism; this also dealt with by the government. Influence of Ennius and Plautus, and of translations from Greek comedy, on the dying Roman religion 335-356 LECTURE XVI GREEK PHILOSOPHY AND ROMAN RELIGION