Omens

Having broken the mirror, Roksolana grew worried: she believed in omens, and a broken mirror promised her seven unhappy years.

"Back o'er the deep," cries Calchas; "nevermore / shall Argives hope to quell the Trojan might, / till, homeward borne, new omens ye implore, / and win the blessing back, which o'er the waves ye bore."

When thus the prophet Helenus I hail, / "Troy-born interpreter of Heaven! whose art / the signs of Phoebus' pleasure can impart; / thou know'st the tripod and the Clarian bay, / the stars, the voices of the birds, that dart / on wings with omens laden, speak and say, / (since fate and all the gods foretell a prosperous way / and point to far Italia)."

"O Goddess-born, high auspices are thine, / and heaven's plain omens guide thee o'er the main. / Thus Jove, by lot unfolding his design, / assorts the chances, and the Fates ordain. / This much may I of many things explain, / how best o'er foreign seas to urge thy keel / in safety, and Ausonian ports attain, / the rest from Helenus the Fates conceal, / and Juno's envious power forbids me to reveal."

Hymen had been called to bless with his presence the nuptials of Orpheus with Eurydice; but though he attended, he brought no happy omens with him. His very torch smoked and brought tears into their eyes.

Do you believe in omens?

My child, be not an observer of omens, since it leadeth to idolatry, nor a user of spells, nor an astrologer, nor a travelling purifier, nor wish to see these things, for from all these things idolatry ariseth.

My child, regard not omens, for this leads to idolatry; neither be an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a magician, neither wish to see these things, for from them all is idolatry engendered.

A lot of people still cling to a form of augury, seeing black cats as omens of bad luck.