day suitable for the birth of girls, but a favorable day tor cutting kids and flocks of sheep, and for building a fold for sheep. Fortunate is the day on which a man is born, but the same day is fond of uttering railleries, falsehoods, wily words, and stealthy fond discourses.
On the Eighth day of the month, emasculate the boar, and the loud-bellowing bull, and on the Twelfth the toil-enduring mules.
On the longest 20th day, (i. e.—the 20th of June), in broad day, generate a wise man, for he will be very cautious of mind.
The Tenth day is lucky for raising sons, and the Fourteenth for girls. On this day, too, tame sheep, and crumple-horned oxen, and sharp-toothed dog, and patient mules. But on the Fourth and Twenty-fourth be cautious to avoid gnawing the heart with grief; for they are, in truth, perfect (i. e.—sacred) days.
On the Fourth of the month lead home a bride, after having examined the omens which are best (to observe) in this matter.
Avoid the Fifth days, since they are both mischievous and destructive; for on the fifth it is said that the Furies attend upon Orcus (the god of oaths), born upon that day, whom Strife brought forth as a woe (or punishment) to the perjured.
On the Seventeenth watch well, and cast upon the well-rounded (i. e.–well-smoothed) threshing-floor the holy gift of Ceres; and let the wood-cutter cut timber for chamber furniture, and blocks for building ships.
On the Fourth begin to put together slight vessels; but the Nineteenth is better (for this purpose) towards evening.
The Ninth day is wholly harmless to mortals, since lucky indeed is this day for planting and for birth, to man as well as woman; and never is it a day altogether bad.
Few know that the Twenty-ninth is best both for broaching a cask and placing a yoke on the neck of oxen and mules and fleet-footed steeds; yet few call it a truthful day.
On the Fourth day open your cask.
The Fourteenth is a day sacred beyond all others.
Few know that the Twenty-fourth is best at the break of day; but towards evening it is worse.
These days, indeed, are to earthly men a great benefit. But the others, which fall between, are harmless, bringing nothing of moment. One man praises one day, another another; but few know them. Sometimes a day is a stepmother, sometimes a mother. Blest and fortunate is he who knowingly does all things with reference to these days, unblamed by the immortals, discerning (i. e.—observing and respecting) the omens, and avoiding transgressions.
