De Divinatione

De dīvinātiōne (‘concerning divination’), dialogue by Cicero composed as supplement to his De natura deorum (‘on the nature of the gods’; see CICERO (1) 5) and published in 44 BC soon after Caesar's murder. It examines Stoic beliefs about fate and the possibility of prediction. Cicero here shows little sympathy with Stoic views, but affirms his belief in a divine being. The dialogue takes place at Cicero's villa at Tusculum, and the interlocutors are his brother Quintus and himself (Marcus). Quintus expounds, with a wealth of illustration and quotations from the Stoics (and also from Cicero's own writings) his reasons for believing in certain forms of divination. Marcus explodes the belief in divination in general by this dilemma: future events are either at the mercy of chance or are foreordained by fate. If the former, no one, not even a god, can have foreknowledge of them; if the latter, there is no use in divination (i.e. investigation into the future in order to avoid unpleasant events) because what is foreordained cannot be avoided. Marcus thinks that divination on state matters by official augurs should be maintained for reasons of prudence but ridicules its absurdities, quoting in passing the saying of Cato (the Censor) that he wondered how a soothsayer (haruspex; see HARUSPICES) could meet another soothsayer without laughing. Marcus recognizes an art of augury, but denies a science of divination. He similarly demolishes other methods of prediction based on dreams, omens, astrology, and ‘inspired’ prophecy. The work contains the much-quoted observation, ‘there is nothing so ridiculous that some philosopher won't say it’ (nihil tam absurde dici potest quod non dicatur ab aliquo philosophorum).

Cicero's De Divinatione (Latin, "Concerning Divination") is a philosophical treatise in two books written in 44 BC. It takes the form of a dialogue whose interlocutors are Cicero (speaking mostly in Book II) and his brother Quintus.

Cicero concerns himself in some detail with the types of divination, dividing them into the "inspired" type (Latin furor, Gk. mania, "madness"), especially dreams, and the type which occurs via some form of skill of interpretation (i.e., haruspicy, extispicy, augury, astrology, and other oracles).

Book I deals with Quintus' apology of divination (in line with his essentially Stoic beliefs), while Book II contains Marcus' refutation of these from his Academic philosophical standpoint.

It is notable as one of posterity's primary sources on the workings of Roman religion. It also includes a fragment of Cicero's poem on his own consulship.

Quotes

• Nothing so absurd can be said that some philosopher had not said it. [Lat., Sed nescio quo modo nihil tam absurde dici potest quod non dicatur ab aliquo philosophorum.] (II, 119)

• That old saying by Cato is quite well known; he said he was surprised that one haruspex didn't burst out laughing when he saw another one. [Lat., Vetus autem illud Catonis admodum scitum est, qui mirari se aiebat quod non rideret haruspex haruspicem cum vidisset. (II, 24, 51)

Literature

• Pease, Arthur Stanley, M. Tulli Ciceronis de Divinatione, 2 vol., Urbana 1920-1923 (reprint Darmstadt 1963).
• Wardle, David, Cicero on divination : De divinatione, book 1. Transl., with introd. and historical commentary by David Wardle, Oxford 2006.
• Engels, David, Das römische Vorzeichenwesen (753-27 v.Chr.). Quellen, Terminologie, Kommentar, historische Entwicklung, Stuttgart 2007, pp. 129-164.

External links

Wikisource has original text related to this article: On divination

• De Divinatione, Latin text
• De Divinatione, English translation

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