Omen

When beggars die, there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

Good and bad omens are things believed in, even by most non-believers. It is something that comes into use by observance than by magic or miracle or willful introduction. An image, a word or sound, seen or heard, at a particular time may symbolize the course of an action—a harbinger of good or bad. If the real events concur what the harbingers indicated, the belief in omens take root.

The arrival of comets into the vicinity of earth is seen as good or bad. Sighting of Halley’s Comet was good for William the Conqueror but bad for King of England.

The Romans had two ways of divining into the future course of actions—studying the flight of birds and studying the entrails of sacrificed animals.


To augur whether an action would bring forth good or bad or success or failure, many methods were adopted. The great Alexander consulted the oracle before starting on conquests and we also hear that he turned the pages of Homer to know whether he would win or lose. Today some open the Holy Bible and read a verse to know the result of the activities, they intend to take up. Receiving white flower or red flower was also thought of indication of success or failure.

Poultry, sheep are sacrificed to appease gods and their entrails are examined to know the impending result.

They would not have you to stir forth to-day.
Plucking the entrails of an offering forth,
They could not find a heart within the beast.

The eastern world has made a good extensive study of these and has long lists of good and bad omens. One of the popular good omens being the water filled pot and the bad, the cat crossing your path.

Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelped in the streets;



Quotes: Julius Caesar –Shakespeare
Image: Thanks to Google images-birds in flight