Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 42
Evan T. Sage, Ph.D. and Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D., Ed.

2. In the beginning of this year the ambassadors who had been sent¹ to Aetolia and Macedonia reported that an opportunity to interview King Perseus, since some pretended that he was away, some that he was ill (but both falsely), had not been given them. [2] Nevertheless, they said, it had become easily apparent to them that preparations for war were being made and that Perseus would not further put off his resort to arms. The ambassadors also reported that the strife in Aetolia was growing daily, and that the leaders in the disputes could not be restrained by their authority. [3] Since a Macedonian war was in prospect, before it should be undertaken it was decreed that atonement should be made by reason of the prodigies and the peace of the gods should be sought by the rituals which had been published from the oracular books. [4] At Lanuvium the vision of a great fleet was said to have been seen in the sky, and at Privernum that dark-coloured wool had grown from the earth, and in the Veientine country about Remens that there had been a shower of stones: [5] it was reported that the whole Pomptine region had been covered by clouds, one might say, of locusts; and that in the Gallic land, wherever the plough was driven, fish came forth from the upturned sod. [6] By reason of these prodigies the oracular books were consulted, and announcement was made by the decemvirs to what gods and with what victims the sacrifices should [p. 299]be performed, and it was directed that a period of² prayer should be celebrated in atonement for the prodigies and that a second such period should be observed which had been vowed a year before for the sake of the health of the people and that a festival should be held. [7] Accordingly sacrifice was offered in the manner which the decemvirs had published in writing.