Two Crows. Two Possible Emperors.

An anecdote in a 1901 collection tells of a Roman bird trainer who prepared for either outcome in the struggle between Caesar and Antony: he taught one crow to salute Caesar and another to greet Antony. When Caesar returned victorious, only the fitting crow came out to meet him. Caesar delighted in its greeting and bought the bird. The trainer’s cleverness was in having a welcome ready for either possible victor.