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

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OF MONKS 23
gerous power. In modern times, however, it hasVf^
generally come to be believed that the evil eye is
possessed more by men than women/^
Ever since the establishment of the religious l ^
orders, monks have had the special reputation of
possessing the fatal influence.
In 842, Erchempert, a monk of Monte Cassino,
the most famous convent in Italy, wrote that Landulf,
Bishop of Capua, used to say that whenever he
met a monk, something unlucky always happened
to him during the day.'*'* To this day there are
many persons who, if they meet a monk or priest, on
first going out in the morning, will not proceed upon
their errand or business until they have returned to
their houses and waited a while, so as to be able to
make a fresh start.
In Rome are many noted jettatori :'^^ one of
them is a most pleasant and handsome man, attached
to the Church, and yet, by odd coincidence, wherever
he goes he carries ill-luck. If he goes to a party,
the ices do not arrive, the music is late, the lamps go
out, a storm comes on, the waiter smashes his tray
of refreshments, something or other is sure to
happen. Some one said the other day : " Yesterday
I was looking out of my window, when I saw
(a well-known jettatore) coming along. ' ! Phew
said I, making the sign of the cross and pointing
both fingers, ' what ill-luck will happen now to some
poor devil that does not see him ? ' I watched him
all down the street however, and nothing occurred ;
but this morning I hear that after turning the corner
'^ " The fear of the evil eye of a woman is very prevalent in Spain, but the
panacea is to drink horn shavings."—Murray's Handbook to Spain, by Richard
Ford, 3rd ed. 1855, p. 632.
" Valletta, p. 54.
*^ Story, p. i97-
'