Roma Aeterna, H.H. Orberg. CAP. XLII, lines 301-302

Latin Learning Latin
1

“Tum auspiciīs missīs dēclārātus rēx Numa dē templō dēscendit” The significance of “templus” could be referred to a square or rectangular space “in caelo” which is projected to Rome. I would appreciate your valuable comments about it.

2

I dont think I follow what you mean here. Could you elaborate and explain where “de caelo” comes from in the text? Also it’s templum not templus. Templum can mean an open space for observation of the auguries and this is what is meant here given the context. Livy 1.8 tells us that the augur asks Juppiter for signs and that they appeared but does not tell us what they were.

3

Thanks indeed, now I have it clear, it is templum what I meant. Could birds in the sky, for example, be the signs expected by the augur? I appreciate your comment.

4



auspicium ~(i)ī neut. [auspex + -ium]
1 Augury from the behaviour of birds, auspices.

Glare, P. G. W. (Ed.). (2012). Oxford Latin Dictionary (Second Edition, Vol. I & II). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

So, yes, it could be the birds.

5

Thanks for your answer.