Cuando Mario oyó estas cosas

Cuando Mario oyó estas cosas, sirviéronle de placer y trató de sosegar a los soldados diciéndoles que de ningún modo desconfiaba de ellos, sino que, guiado de ciertos oráculos, aguardaba el tiempo y lugar oportunos para la victoria. Porque llevaba en su compañía en litera con cierto respeto a una mujer de Siria llamada Marta, que se decía era profetisa, y de su orden hacía ciertos sacrificios. Habíala antes amenazado el Senado porque se mezclaba en estas cosas y en querer predecir lo futuro; pero después, como acogiéndose a las mujeres hubiese dado algunas pruebas, y más particularmente a la de Mario, porque puesta a sus pies había casualmente adivinado entre los gladiadores quién sería el que venciese, la mandó ésta adonde estaba Mario, que la miró con admiración, y por lo común la hacía llevar en litera. Adornábase para los sacrificios con doble púrpura, y usaba de una lanza toda en rededor ceñida de cintas y coronas. Tenía esta farsa en incertidumbre a la mayor parte de las gentes, no sabiendo si el dar así en espectáculo a aquella mujer nacía de que Mario lo creyese de veras, o de que lo fingía y aparentaba. En cuanto al maravilloso prodigio de los buitres, refiérelo Alejandro Mindio, y es que antes del vencimiento se aparecían siempre dos en derredor de la hueste, y la seguían sin desampararla, siendo conocidos por sus collares de bronce: pues los soldados lograron cogerlos, y puestos los collares, los soltaron. Desde entonces, reconociendo a los soldados, les hacían agasajos, y en viéndolos éstos en las marchas se regocijaban, esperando algún buen suceso. Mostráronse por aquel tiempo diferentes señales, las que tenían en general un carácter común; pero de Ameria y Tuderto se refirió que se veían de noche en el cielo espadas y escudos de fuego, que al principio se notaban separados, mas después chocaban unos con otros en la forma y con los movimientos que lo ejecutan los hombres que pelean, y, por fin, cediendo unos y siguiendo los otros, todos venían a caer hacia Occidente. Por el propio tiempo también de Pesinunte vino Bataces, sacerdote de la gran madre, anunciando que la Diosa le había hablado desde su tabernáculo diciendo que iban los Romanos a disfrutar de la victoria y triunfo más señalados. Diole asenso el Senado, y decretó edificar a la Diosa un templo en señal de victoria, y cuando Bataces estaba para comparecer ante el pueblo con el designio de anunciarlo, se lo estorbó el tribuno de la plebe Aulo Pompeyo, llamándole impostor y echándole a empellones de la tribuna, lo que sólo sirvió para conciliar mayor crédito a su narración; porque no bien se puso Aulo en camino para su casa, disuelta la junta, cuando se le encendió una tan fuerte calentura, que se hizo cosa muy notoria y pública entre todos haber muerto de ella dentro del séptimo día.

Plutarco. Vida de Cayo Mario, 17.

Meanwhile portents had occurred

Meanwhile portents had occurred which threw the people of Rome into great fear. A river in Picenum ran the color of blood, in Etruria a good part of the heavens seemed to be on fire, at Ariminum a light like daylight blazed out at night, in many portions of Italy the shapes of three moons became visible in the night time, and in the Forum a vulture roosted for several days. Because of these portents and inasmuch as some declared that the consuls had been illegally chosen, they summoned them home. The consuls received the letter but did not open it immediately, since they were just entering upon war: instead, they joined battle first and came out victorious. After the battle the letter was read, and Furius was for obeying without discussion; but Flaminius was elated over the victory and pointed out that it had proved their choice to be correct, and he went on with vehement assertions that it was because they were jealous of him that the influential men were even falsifying heavenly warnings. Consequently he refused to depart until he had settled the whole business in hand, and he said he would teach the people at home, too, not to be deceived by relying on birds or any other such thing. So he was anxious to remain on the ground and made repeated attempts to detain his colleague, but Furius would not heed him. But since the men who were going to be left behind with Flaminius dreaded lest in their isolation they might suffer some disaster at the hands of their opponents and begged him to stay by them for a few days, he yielded to their entreaties but did not take part in any action. Flaminius traveled about laying waste the country, subjugated a few forts, and bestowed all the spoils upon the soldiers as a means of winning their favor. At length the leaders returned home and were put on trial by the senate for their disobedience (on account of their anger towards Flaminius they subjected Furius also to disgrace); but the populace was against the senate and showed emulation in Flaminius's behalf, so that it voted them a triumph. After celebrating it they laid down their office.

Dión Casio. Historia romana, VIII, 20.

También han aparecido juntas tres Lunas

También han aparecido juntas tres Lunas, como sucedió cuando fueron cónsules Cneo Domicio y Cayo Fannio, a las cuales llamaron muchos Soles nocturnos.

Plinio el Viejo. Historia natural, II, 32.

To add to the general feeling of apprehension

[8] To add to the general feeling of apprehension, information was received of portents having occurred simultaneously in several places. In Sicily several of the soldiers' darts were covered with flames; in Sardinia the same thing happened to the staff in the hand of an officer who was going his rounds to inspect the sentinels on the wall; the shores had been lit up by numerous fires; [9] a couple of shields had sweated blood; some soldiers had been struck by lightning; an eclipse of the sun had been observed; at Praeneste there had been a shower of red-hot stones; at Arpi shields had been seen in the sky and the sun had appeared to be fighting with the moon; [10] at Capena two moons were visible in the daytime; at Caere the waters ran mingled with blood, and even the spring of Hercules had bubbled up with drops of blood on the water; at Antium the ears of corn which fell into the reapers' basket were blood-stained; at Falerii the sky seemed to be cleft asunder as with an enormous rift and all over the opening there was a blazing light; [11] the oracular tablets shrank and shrivelled without being touched and one [12??] had fallen out with this inscription, "MARS IS SHAKING HIS SPEAR"; and at the same time the statue of Mars on the Appian Way and the images of the Wolves sweated blood. Finally, at Capua the sight was seen of the sky on fire and the moon falling in the midst of a shower of rain. [13] Then credence was given to comparatively trifling portents, such as that certain people's goats were suddenly clothed with wool, a hen turned into a cock, and a cock into a hen. [14] After giving the details exactly as they were reported to him and bringing his informants before the senate, the consul consulted the House as to what religious observances ought to be proclaimed. [15] A decree was passed that to avert the evils which these portents foreboded, sacrifices should be offered, the victims to be both full-grown animals and sucklings, and also that special intercessions should be made at all the shrines for three days. [16] What other ceremonial was necessary was to be carried out in accordance with the instructions of the decemvirs after they had inspected the Sacred Books and ascertained the will of the gods. [17] On their advice it was decreed that the first votive offering should be made to Jupiter in the shape of a golden thunderbolt weighing fifty pounds, gifts of silver to Juno and Minerva, and [18??] sacrifices of full-grown victims to Queen Juno on the Aventine and Juno Sospita at Lanuvium, whilst the matrons were to contribute according to their means and bear their gift to Queen Juno on the Aventine. A lectisternium was to be held, and even the freedwomen were to contribute what they could for a gift to the temple of Feronia. [19] When these instructions had been carried out the decemvirs sacrificed full-grown victims in the forum at Ardea, and finally in the middle of December there was a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, a lectisternium was ordered (the senators prepared the couch), and a public banquet. [20] For a day and a night the cry of the Saturnalia resounded through the City, and the people were ordered to make that day a festival and observe it as such for ever.

Tito Livio. Historia de Roma, 22, 1.