Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/148

 was a Swallow: for it was certain, because every voice of any Animall is significative of some passion of its soul, as joy, sadness, or anger, or the like, which voices it is not so wonderfull a thing should be understood by men conversant about them. But Democritus himself declared this art, as saith Pliny, by naming the birds, of whose blood mixed together was produced a Serpent, of which whosoever did eat, should understand the voices of birds. And Hermes saith, if any one shall go forth to catch birds on a certain day of the Kalends of November, a nd shall boil the first bird which he catcheth, with the heart of a Fox, that all that shall eat of this bird, shall understand the voices of birds, and all other Animals. Also the Arabians say, that they can understand the meaning of bruits, who shall eat the heart, and liver of Dragons. Proclus also the Platonist believed, and wrote, that the heart of a Mole conduceth to presages. There were also divinations, and Auspicia's which were taken from the inwards of sacrifices, the inventor whereof was Tages, of whom Lucan sang,

"And if the Inwards have no credit gained, And if this Art by Tages was but feigned."

The Romane Religion thought that the liver was the head of the inwards. Hence the Sooth-sayers enquiring after future things in the inwards, did first look into the liver, in which were two heads, whereof the one was called the head for the City, the other for the enemy; and the heads of this, or another part being compared together, they pronounced Victory, as we read in Lucan, that the inwards did signifie the slaughter of Pompeys men, and the Victory of Caesars, according to these verses,

"I' th' inwards all defects are ominous On part, and branch of th' entrals doth increase, Another part is weak, and flagging lies, Beats, and moves with quick pulse the arteries."

Then the