The ground on which the augur stood was solemnly set apart for the purpose, and was called a tem/dual. The augur then took a wand, and marked out the heavens into four regions— front, rear, right, left. According as the signs appeared in either of these divisions were the auspices favorable or unfavorable. Pow vast the political influence and authority of the augurs must have been, is seen from the fact thiit, almost nothing of any consequence could take place without nothing sanction and approval. The election of every important ruler, consul, dictator, or pr:rtor, every eivie officer, every religious funetionary, was invalid if the aus pices were unfavorable. No general could lawfully engage in battle unless the auspices were first taken, while the Comitia of the Cen turies could he dispersed at a moment's notice by any member of the augural college on the ground of an unfavorable omen.
We have employed the two terms, auguries and auspices, as synonymous. But a slight dif ference is perceptible between them; not the augn•s only but the chief magistrates of Rome, hold the 'auspices,' while the 'auguries' were ex clusively in the possession of the former; but the mode of divination, and the end to he ob tained by it. seem to have been the same in both
eases, though in the field the method ex tripmliis was most (•01)111)4)/1.
The power of taking the auspices in war was confined to the commander-in-chief, and any victory gained by a legate. was said to be won under the auspices of his superior, and the latter alone was entitled to a triumph. Hence has originated the very eommon phrase in our lan guage, 'under the auspices' of some one, which usually denotes nothing more than that the per son alluded to merely lends the influen•e of his name. Consult: Bouchi•-Leelereq, HiRtoire de lu divination rantiquite (Paris, 1881-82); Wissowa, "Augures" and ".Auspieium," in Pauly Wissowa, Rcalcneyklopadie der klassischen tcrthum.strissenschaft (Stuttgart, 1890).
AUGUST. See MoNTo.August. See MoNTo.
AUGUST, on'gust, EMIL LEOPOLD (1772 August, on'gust, EMIL LEOPOLD (1772- 1822). Duke of Saxe-Gotha and Altenburg. He succeeded his father, Ernst II., in 1804. Ile was a great patron of science and art, and founded the famous Chinese Cabinet in the scum of Gotha. He wrote a series of songs and idyls entitled Kyllenikon, oder Auch ich irar in .1 rkadien (1805).