Omen is a sign of future good or bad luck. A good omen foretells a desirable event, and a bad omen forecasts disaster. For example, a person may regard a dream about gold as an omen of success in business. Or the person may believe that the death of a relative will follow a dream about losing a tooth. Sometimes omens come from a deliberate attempt to look into the future, such as a fortuneteller’s tarot cards.
Many ancient societies believed that lightning, thunder, or the behavior of animals foretold events. For example, the Mesopotamians thought fire would destroy the king’s palace if a dog were seen lying on the throne. In Greece, the cry of a hawk warned of danger. Many leaders, when trying to decide on a course of action, asked the gods for a sign. In folklore, many heroes die after disregarding such signs.
