{"id":3649,"date":"2015-02-05T00:03:13","date_gmt":"2015-02-05T00:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/?p=3649"},"modified":"2015-02-05T00:06:20","modified_gmt":"2015-02-05T00:06:20","slug":"is-groundhog-day-modern-augury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/is-groundhog-day-modern-augury\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Groundhog Day Modern Augury?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Salvete Omnes,<\/p>\n

\"Courtesy<\/a>

Courtesy of MemeAnimals.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Earlier\u00a0this week, Groundhog Day was celebrated on February 2.\u00a0 According to folklore, if the groundhog sees it shadow and retreats back to its burrow then there will be six more weeks of winter. However, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges, then perhaps spring will come early. Modern customs of the holiday involve celebrations where early morning festivals are held to watch the groundhog emerging from its burrow.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/youtu.be\/yTM4Dy9jV6U<\/a><\/p>\n

The first documented American reference to Groundhog Day can be found in a diary entry from\u00a0February 4, 1841.<\/p>\n

Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas\u00a0day, the day on which, according to the Germans,\u00a0<\/span>the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Candlemas is thought to be taken from the Pagan holiday Imbloc, which falls on the halfway point of the winter solstice and spring equinox. Thus, Groundhog Day is a seasonal celebration from its historic roots.<\/p>\n

\"Imbolc<\/a>

Imbolc celebration in Marsden, West Yorkshire, February 2007. Courtesy of WikiCommons.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Groundhog holiday\u00a0is one deep within American folklore and tradition. I, personally, find it extremely reminiscent of antiquity and augury. The use of animals in predicting or interpreting omens. The groundhog is used to “predict” when winter or spring will arrive, but ultimately the groundhog’s decision is the determining factor. Augury was the practice in Roman religion of interpreting the message or omen from the flight of birds.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A confident rider, surrounded by birds of good omen is approached by a Nike bearing victor’s wreaths on this Laconian black-figured kylix, ca. 550\u2013530 BCE. Courtesy of WikiCommons.<\/p><\/div>\n

Unlike modern times, where animals and superstitions (such as the groundhog and weather, black cats and bad luck, rabbit’s foot and good luck, etc.) are closer to traditions; the idea of augury was not only a tradition, but a way of life. Augury influenced important decisions like war, festivals, appropriate sacrifices to the gods, and divine favor for politicians.<\/p>\n

Politics and Augury<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Ancient Rome, it was through birds and their flight that Jupiter\u2019s will was interpreted.\u00a0Auspices (the interpretation of the augury) showed Romans what they were to do, or not to do; giving no explanation for the decision made except that it was the will of the Gods. It would be difficult to execute any public act without consulting the auspices. These auspices or augury were interpreted by priests of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. The following video (purposefully started at 6:28 and ending around 8:03) talks a bit about augury and Rome within HBO’s series Rome:<\/p>\n