Cicero on the concept of ‘Divinatio’

The article is devoted to the analysis of Cicero’s attitude to ‘divinatio’, a capacity of predicting the future, which is obtained from gods. Cicero distinguishes between two types of divination - artistic (auspices, haruspices, divination by lightning, stars and other signs of nature) and natural (predictions in a dream, in a state of ecstasy, before dying). Following Academics, Cicero uses the method of considering opposing points of view on divination (its acceptance and denial), which gives rise to a dual approach of researchers towards Cicero’s attitude to divination. The author of the article concludes that the dual interpretation of Cicero’s attitude to divination has something to do with multi-dimensionality of his beliefs: as a philosopher, he can either acknowledge or deny the truth of the interpretations of different divinations, while, being a Roman citizen or a politician, he stands for divination as an important instrument of the Roman religious rituals.