For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made [his] arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver.
Ver. 21. For the king of Babylon stood at the parting.] Heb., At the mother of the way; ubi via una in ducts bifidata est. a
To use divination.] Without which, and offering sacrifice, the very heathens held it not fit to fight. But this their art of divination was, as one saith of alchymy, Ars falsissima et fallacissima.
He made his arrows bright.] Vulg., He mingled his arrows; that is, saith Jerome, he took two arrows, writing upon the one Jerusalem, and upon the other Rabbath. Then, putting them into a quiver together, he took one out, being blindfolded; upon which seeing Jerusalem written, he divined that he should go with success against Jerusalem.
He consulted with images.] In which the devil sometimes spake. See Aug., De Civitate Dei, lib. iv. cap. 18.
He looked into the liver.] This was much practised by the Roman generals, as by Caesar, when he went against Pompey. b
a Ubi se via findit in ambas. - Virg.
b Lucan.