--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our ancestors, when about to build a town…" description: "\"Our ancestors, when about to build a town or an army post, sacrificed some of the cattle that were wont to feed on the site proposed and examined their..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/marcus-vitruvius-pollio-7498_abnormal_our-ancestors-when-about-to-build-a-town_1562463.png" --- # Our ancestors, when about to build a town or an army post… ![“Our ancestors, when about to build a town or an army post, sacrificed some of the cattle that were wont to feed on the site proposed and examined their livers. If the livers of the first victims were dark-coloured or abnormal, they sacrificed others, to see whether the fault was due to disease or…” quote by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/marcus-vitruvius-pollio-7498_abnormal_our-ancestors-when-about-to-build-a-town_1562463.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/marcus-vitruvius-pollio-7498_abnormal_our-ancestors-when-about-to-build-a-town_1562463.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/marcus-vitruvius-pollio-7498_abnormal_our-ancestors-when-about-to-build-a-town_1562463.png) > “Our ancestors, when about to build a town or an army post, sacrificed some of the cattle that were wont to feed on the site proposed and examined their livers. If the livers of the first victims were dark-coloured or abnormal, they sacrificed others, to see whether the fault was due to disease or their food. They never began to build defensive works in a place until after they had made many such trials and satisfied themselves that good water and food had made the liver sound and firm, healthfulness being their chief object.” [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ancient builders used liver divination to test site health before construction, prioritizing water and food quality for community wellbeing. **In simple terms:** They checked animal livers to ensure a location was safe before building. Key Takeaway Use environmental assessments before major projects. Themes health construction risk assessment Mood reflective thoughtful Type historical cautionary When to use this quote - urban planning - military fortifications - agricultural site selection - public health planning Key Concepts divination environmental testing ancient practices Questions to Reflect On - How can we honor ancient cautionary practices today? - What modern tools replace divination in site selection? A Different Perspective Modern scientific methods provide more reliable data than animal sacrifice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancestor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancestor/) [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Chiefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefs/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Trials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trials/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [To produce foie gras, ducks and geese are force-fed enormous amounts of grain and fat, which causes their livers to swell to many times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/to-produce-foie-gras-ducks-and-geese-are-force-fed-enormous-amounts/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [The only thing I envy in young people is their livers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-behan/the-only-thing-i-envy-in-young-people-is-their-livers/) [Brendan Behan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-behan/) > [Victory is the normal experience of a Christian; defeat should be the abnormal experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watchman-nee/victory-is-the-normal-experience-of-a-christian-defeat-should-be-the/) [Watchman Nee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watchman-nee/) > [My work involves the physical manifestation of emotional reality. 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