Augur - Etymology and Derivatives

Etymology and Derivatives

The derivation of the word augur is uncertain; ancient authors believed that it contained the words avi and gero—Latin for "directing the birds"—but historical-linguistic evidence points instead to the root aug-, "to increase, to prosper."

'Come then,' Tarquin said angrily, 'Deduce when they make up in bed, if your augury can, whether what I have in my mind right now is possible.' And when Navius, expert in augury that he was, immediately said that it would happen, Tarquin replied: 'Well, I thought that you would cut a whetstone with a sharp knife. Here, take this and do what your birds have predicted would be possible.' And Navius, hardly delaying at all, took the whetstone and cut it. —Livy, 1.35.2

The story is illustrative of the role of the augur: he does not predict what course of action should be taken, but through his augury he finds signs on whether or not a course already decided upon meets with divine sanction and should proceed.