Aruspice

The aruspices, by whose admonition [aruspicum monitu] PLINY had undertaken to rebuild the temple of CERES, were always more revered in Tuscany, than in any other part of Italy.

The Roman aruspices were all taken at first from Etruria, where their art was in great repute, but afterwards the senate ordered twelve of the sons of the chief men in Rome to be sent into that country to learn the rites and ceremonies of the Etruscan religion, of which the science was the chief part.

He therefore determined to offer without delay a sacrifice of two sheep, and sent off messengers to fetch an aruspice who might examine the entrails of those poor animals, with a view to discover what this sudden and miraculous growth of horns might signify.