Ornithomancy

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Ornithomancy is the practice of Ancient Greek augury of birds. Though mainly regarding the birds' flights and songs, any action of the bird could have been interpreted as a method of foreseeing or foretelling, or could have been interpreted as a message from the gods. These omens were considered with the utmost seriousness by Greeks and Romans alike. This form of divination became one branch of Roman national religion, which had its own priesthood and practice. One notable example occurs in the Odyssey, when thrice an eagle appears, flying to the right, with a dead dove in its talons; this augury was interpreted as the coming of Odysseus, and the death of his wife's suitors.

Augury a form of ornithomancy used by the ancient romans.

[edit] Sources

• Spence, Lewis, An Encyclopedia of Occultism, New York, Carl Publishing Group Edition, 1996. ISBN 0-8065-1401-9
• Manelbaum, Allen, The Odyssey of Homer, New York, Bantam Classic Edition, 1991. ISBN 0-553-21399-7