03.06.2013 Views

The evil eye. An account of this ancient and wide spread superstition

The evil eye. An account of this ancient and wide spread superstition

The evil eye. An account of this ancient and wide spread superstition

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

CHAP. V SYMBOLIC VALUE OF COLOUR 171<br />

In the descriptions given, it is quite clear that<br />

the colours, as well as the devices, had each their<br />

symbolic meaning.^'^ <strong>The</strong> Ascarii Seniores had<br />

their shield half white <strong>and</strong> the rest ferruginea.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re were two purple hemicycles united in the<br />

*^era, Forteti/es . Hcrctil ani iuniores)<br />

'BmccanfUtiims Batauijtmores. f^ariiarj/iumorea<br />

Fig. 58.—Legiones Palatince XV. p. 20.<br />

centre with two half- circles. Pancirolo calls the<br />

whole a skilful design <strong>of</strong> symbol {ai'gttta symboli<br />

inventio), for purple is the imperial colour.<br />

<strong>The</strong> description <strong>of</strong> the insignia <strong>of</strong> the Ascarii<br />

in which the above occurs, if it had been in modern<br />

heraldic language, might well apply to mediaeval<br />

coats.-^°<br />

have been well used to the device as the central ornament, <strong>and</strong> familiar with<br />

its object, when he says: "For the Lord God is a sun <strong>and</strong> shield" (Psalm<br />

Ixxxiv. 11).<br />

279 "Ascarii Juniores, in luteo clypeo, quern latus limbus rubeus circumscribit,<br />

orbem aureum ferunt : unde octo lute^e cuspides acutffi exeunt. In<br />

Madruciano, globus nigris lineis in septem partes dividitur, quK forte septem<br />

terree habitatae climata referunt, eaque Imperio Rom. subesse." Notitia, p. 39.<br />

2S0 Many similar allusions to the colours <strong>of</strong> the various badges might be<br />

given, but in the Oxford MS. these all tell their own tale. It will be noticed<br />

that there was another legion—Ascarii Juniores— but these belonged to the<br />

Western Army <strong>and</strong> had a different shield.<br />

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!