De Verborum Significatu

Sextus Pompeius Festus

Ficus quoque in comitio appellatur Navia ab Atto Navio augure. Nam cum Tarquinius Priscus institutas tribus a Romulo mutare vellet, deterrereturque ab Atto per augurium, ut eluderet eius prudentiam, interrogavit eum, an fieri posset id, quod animo proposuisset suo; cui ille permittente augurio cum respondisset effici posse; iussit rex cotem ac novaculum....

And the fig tree in the comitium is called Navia from the augur Attus Navius. For when Tarquinius Priscus wanted to change the tribes established by Romulus, and he was prevented by Attus by reason of an omen, in order to make sport of his sagacity Tarquinius asked him whether what he had in mind could be done; when Attus had responded that it could be done if the auguries permitted it, the king ordered a flint and a razor....

Translation by Jane W. Crawford, © 2001.

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