Brewer's: Accius Navius

A Roman augur in the reign of Tarquin the Elder. When he forbade the king to increase the number of the tribes without consulting the augurs, Tarquin asked him if the thought then in his mind was feasible. “Undoubtedly,” said Accius. “Then cut through this whetstone with the razor in your hand.” The priest gave a bold cut, and the block fell in two. This story (from Livy, Bk. i., chap. 36) is humorously retold in Bon Gaultier's Ballads.

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language