Michel de Montaigne

“ This so famous art of divination of the Tuskanes grew thus. A husband-man digging very deepe intothe ground saw Tages, a demy-God appear out of it, with an infantine face, yet fraught with an age-like wisdom. All men ran to see him, and both his words and knowledgee were for many ages after remembred, and collecte d, containing the principles and meanes of this art. An ofspring sutable to her progresse. I would rather direct affaires by the chance of dice, than by such frivolous dreames. And truly in all common-wealths, men have ever ascribed much authoritie unto lot. ”

“ Prudens futuri temporis exitum Caliginosa nocte premit Deus, Ridetque, si mortalis ultra Fas trepidat. Our wise God hides in pitch-darke night Of future time th' event decreed, And laughes at man, if man (affright) Feare more than he to feare hath need. ”

“ And albeit there remaine yet amongst us some meanes of divination in the starres, in spirits; in shapes of the body in dreames, and elsewhere a notable example of the mad and fond curiositie of our nature, ammusing it selfe to preoccupate future things, as if it had not enough to doe to digest the present. ”