Romans believed strongly in omens. When Claudius went to sea, he brought a flock of sacred chickens with him. When he needed a sign, a chicken would be killed and its liver inspected. A healthy liver was a favorable sign; a deseased liver suggested it was not a good time to risk a battle. The chickens were refusing to eat and this worried the men with Claudius. Their continued refusal angered Claudius and he threw all the chickens overboard with the comment (so the story goes), " If they won't eat, let them drink." The battle was lost…because the gods did not favor the Romans - or because the men were convinced they were not intended to win and thus did not fight with all their will...

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