Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

auspex, spĭcis, comm. [a contraction of avispex, from avis-spicio], a bird inspector, bird-seer, i. e. one who observes the flight, singing, or feeding of birds, and foretells future events therefrom; an augur, soothsayer, diviner (in a lit. signif. far more rare than augur).

  1. I. Lit.: latores et auspices legis curiatae, Cic. Att. 2, 7: ego cui timebo Providus auspex, Hor. C. 3, 27, 8.
    Of the birds from which auguries were taken: (galli, gallinacei) victoriarum omnium auspices, Plin. 10, 21, 24, § 49.
    Since little of importance was done in Rome without consulting the auspices, hence,
  2. II. Transf.
  1. A.
    1. 1. In gen., an author, founder, director, leader, protector, favorer: divis Auspicibus coeptorum operum, Verg. A. 3, 20: Dis equidem auspicibus reor etc., id. ib. 4, 45, and Ov. F. 1, 615: auspice Musā, i. e. under the inspiration of the muse, Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 13: Nil desperandum Teucro duce et auspice Teucro, id. C. 1, 7, 27.
      1. 2. Esp., as t. t., the person who witnessed the marriage contract, the reception of the marriage portion, took care that the marriage ceremonies were rightly performed, etc., παρανύμφιος: nihil fere quondam majoris rei nisi auspicato ne privatim quidem gerebatur, quod etiam nunc nuptiarum auspices declarant, qui re omissā nomen tantum tenent, Cic. Div. 1, 16, 28; cf. Val. Max. 2, 1, 1; Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 346; Plaut. Cas. prol. 86: nubit genero socrus nullis auspicibus, nullis auctoribus, etc., Cic. Clu. 5, 14; so Liv. 42, 12, 4: auspicum verba, Tac. A. 11, 27; 15, 37: alicui nubere dote inter auspices consignatā, Suet. Claud. 26; veniet cum signatoribus auspex, Juv. 10, 336 Schol.; Luc. 2, 371 Schol.
        In fem., Claud. in Rufin. 1, 1, 83; cf. pronubus; auctor, II. F. 3.; and Smith, Dict. Antiq.
    2. B. A beginning (post-class.), Eum. Pan. Const. 3; Pacat. Pan. Theod. 3.
    3. C. Adj., fortunate, favorable, auspicious, lucky (post-class.): clamor, Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 610: victoria, id. VI. Cons. Hon. 653: purpura, id. Ep. ad Seren. 57.

auspĭcĭum, ii, n. [auspex], divination by observing the flight of birds, augury from birds, auspices (cf. augurium).

  1. I.
    1. A. Lit.: auspicia avium, Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 203 (as if overlooking the origin of auspicium): praetor auspicat auspicium prosperum, Naev. ap. Non. p. 468, 28: Dant (Romulus et Remus) operam simul auspicio augurioque etc., Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 48, 107 (Ann. v. 81 sq. Vahl.: pullarium in auspicium mittit, Liv. 10, 40, 2: ab auspicio bono proficisci, of marriage, Cat. 45, 19 Ellis (cf. auspex, II. A. 2.) et saep.; cf. the class. passages, Cic. Div. 1, 47 sq.; 2, 34 sq.; Liv. 6, 41, 4 sq.
      So auspicium habere, to have the right of taking auspices (which, in the performance of civil duties, was possessed by all magistrates, but, in time of war, only by the commander-in-chief): omnes magistratus auspicium judiciumque habento, Cic. Leg. 3, 3, 10: quod nemo plebeius auspicia haberet, Liv. 4, 6, 2.
      Of the commander-in-chief: expugnatum oppidumst Imperio atque auspicio mei eri Amphitruonis, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 37: Ut gesserit rem publicam ductu, imperio, auspicio suo, id. ib. 1, 1, 41; 2, 2, 25: qui ductu auspicioque ejus res prospere gesserant, Liv. 5, 46, 6; 8, 31, 1; 10, 7, 7; 41, 28, 1 al.; 21, 40, 3: recepta signa ductu Germanici, auspiciis Tiberii, Tac. A. 2, 41: Septentrionalis oceanus navigatus est auspiciis divi Augusti, Plin. 2, 67, 67, § 167: alia ductu meo, alia imperio auspicioque perdomui, Curt. 6, 3, 2: domuit partim ductu partim auspiciis suis Cantabriam, etc., Suet. Aug. 21 Ruhnk.
      And so absol.: vates rege vatis habenas, Auspicio felix totus ut annus eat (sc. tuo), Ov. F. 1, 26 Merk.
      Hence for the chief command, guidance: tuis auspiciis totum confecta duella per orbem, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 254 Schmid: Illius auspiciis obsessae moenia pacem Victa petent Mutinae, Ov. M. 15, 822.
      And, in gen., right, power, inclination, will: Me si fata meis paterentur ducere vitam Auspiciis et sponte meā componere curas, etc., Verg. A. 4, 341: Communem hunc ergo populum paribusque regamus Auspiciis, id. ib. 4, 103 (aequali potestate, Serv.).
    2. B. Transf., in gen., a sign, omen, a divine premonition or token: Liquido exeo auspicio foras, Avi sinistrā, Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 2; so id. Ps. 2, 4, 72: optimum, id. Stich. 3, 2, 6: dicere ausus est optimis auspiciis ea geri, Cic. Sen. 4, 11: quae contra rem publicam ferrentur, contra auspicia ferri, id. ib.: melius, Plaut. Men. 5, 9, 88: vanum, Prop. 1, 3, 28: infaustum, Verg. A. 11, 347: felix, Just. 1, 10 al.
      So, auspicium facere, of things which give signs, tokens, omens: augurium haec (mustela) facit, Plaut. Stich. 3, 2, 10: cur aliis a laevā, aliis a dexterā datum est avibus, ut ratum auspicium facere possint? Cic. Div. 2, 38, 80: circa summum culmen hominis auspicium fecisse, Liv. 1, 34, 9.
      Poet.: cui (diviti) si vitiosa libido Fecerit auspicium, gave him a token (viz. for changing), urged him to a new decision, Hor, Ep. 1, 1, 86.
  2. II. Trop., = initium, a beginning (cf. auspicor, II., and auspex, II. B.): auspicia belli a parricidio incipientes, Just. 26, 2, 2: auspicia regni a parricidio coepit, id. 27, 1.