Laudator Temporis Acti

Macrobius, Saturnalia 3.20.2-3 (tr. Robert A. Kaster):

1. You should realize that white figs are produced by trees of good omen, black figs, by contrast, by ill-omened trees. The two types are distinguished for us by the pontiffs: thus Veranius says, concerning the words of the pontiffs (fr. 3 GRF 1:431 = fr. 1 IAH 2.1:6 = fr. 5 IAR⁶), "Among trees of good omen are reckoned the oak, durmast, holm oak, cork oak, beech, hazel, service tree, white fig, pear, apple, vine, plum, cornel, and nettle." 3. Tarquitius Priscus, however, in his Portents Derived from Trees, says (fr. 6),

They call "ill-omened" the trees that are under the protection of the gods of the underworld and apotropaic powers: buckthorn, red cornel, fern, black fig, those that bear a black berry and black fruit, similarly holly, woodland pear, butcher's-broom, briar, and the brambles with which one should order evil portents and prodigies to be burnt.

The Latin:

2. sciendum quod ficus alba ex felicibus sit arboribus, contra nigra ex infelicibus. docent nos utrumque pontifices. ait enim Veranius de verbis pontificalibus: "felices arbores putantur esse quercus, aesculus, ilex, suberies, fagus, corylus, sorbus, ficus alba, pirus, malus, vitis, prunus, cornus, lotus. 3. Tarquitius autem Priscus in Ostentario arborario sic ait:

arbores quae inferum deorum avertentiumque in tutela sunt, eas infelices nominant: alaternum, virgam sanguineam, filicem, ficum atram quaeque bacam nigram nigrosque fructus ferunt, itemque aquifolium, pirum silvaticum, ruscum, rubum sentesque quibus portenta prodigiaque mala comburi iubere oportet.