[Verginius Rufus]

In 249 B.C. an African (Punic) fleet knocked out a Roman fleet off the coast of Sicily. Not really a case of the knockout game—the gods were mad at the Romans because the consul, Publius Claudius Pulcher, had thrown the sacred chickens into the sea.

[Rembrandt]

Pithy as Mr. O’Really would say. Thx.

[Billthedrill]

the gods were mad at the Romans because the consul, Publius Claudius Pulcher, had thrown the sacred chickens into the sea.

Hey, whoa, Pulchy was a good guy. He was just trying to help them - ut biberent, quando esse nollent - "If they will not eat, let them drink!" Freakin' sacred chickens...

I was there, I tellya. I posted it on FR at the time.