a mysteious Etruscan being, who is described as a boy with the wisdom of an old man. Once
when an Etruscan ploughman, of the name of Tarchon, was drawing a deep furrow in the
neighbourhood of Tarquinii, there suddenly rose out of the ground Tages, the son of a genius
Jovialis, and grandson of Jupiter. When Tages addressed Tarchon, the latter shrieked with
fear, whereupon other Etruscans hastened to him, and in a short time all the people of Etruria
were assembled around him. Tages now instructed them in the art of the haruspices, and died
immediately after. The Etruscans, who had listened attentively to his instructions, afterwards
wrote down all lie had said, and thus arose the books of Tages, which, according to some. were
twelve in number. (Cic. de Div. 2.23; s. v. Tages ; Isidor. Orig.
8.9;