Augur

a Augur was a Roman priest, who had to fathom whether an enterprise the Gods planned by the state genehm was. It announced the God will, which it read from the flight and the shouting of the birds (Auspizien, v. lat.: auspicium = bird-look).

At first there were three Auguren in Rome, later was it nine. Since Sulla there were fifteen and since Caesar sixteen. Originally the augurische priest shank was there in order to request a Vermehrung of the harvest or an increase of the national well-being.

ThatIndication of the Auguren was a bent staff (lituus). One called the transmission of the office of a Auguren on its successor inauguratio. This designation lives as inauguration for the introduction of high dignitaries away.

Noch heute wird im allgemeinen Sprachgebrauch der Begriff "Augure" verwendet, wenn es sich um eine Aussage handelt, die auf zukünftige Ereignisse Bezug nimmt. Bsp.: "Ich weiß nicht, ob wir Erfolg haben werden, wenn wir das Produkt wirklich einsetzen sollten." --> This is regarded as “Augurenspruch”.

A “Augurenlächeln” designates in the transferred sensethe knowing smile of an inaugurating, which knows around the future.

The Italian word Auguri, congratulations is derived from the Auguren.