paronomasia.15 The omen just cited is a nice example of the latter. Yet an important issue that suggests itself at this point has not yet been sufficiently resolved, namely, why the observation should be connected with an often lengthy apodosis, if—as we shall see below—the question of whether the sign is favourable or unfavourable is the only thing that ultimately mattered. This problem has been discussed but not yet convincingly explained.16 In addition to anatomical markings on the liver’s surface,