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

XII THE DIGITUS INFAMIS 413
It was usual to reprove arrogant persons by-
bidding them spit into their bosoms,*^*^ Among the
ancient Greeks it was customary to spit three times
into their bosoms at the sight of a madman, or one
troubled with epilepsy/'^'^ This was done in defiance
of the omen, spitting being a sign of contempt and
647
aversion. '
Another method of averting fascination from
infants was this : they tied a thread of divers colours
about the neck of the infant (compare the coloured
ribbons on horses, and the coloured worsted on the
fattura della morte), then spat on the ground, and
taking up the spittle mixed with dirt upon their
finger, put it upon the infant's forehead and lips.
Moreover, this had to be done with the digihis
infa77iis. As to the latter, there is no doubt as to
which is the finger of disgrace/*^
And lest enchantment should my limbs infest,
I three times dropt my spittle on my breast ;
This charm I learnt from an old sorceress' tongue,
Who harvest-home at Hypocoon's sung.
^^ Spitting was in the Middle Ages not only a protective, but also an
injurious act, for we read :
—
I can worke vvyles in battell,
If I but ones do spattle
I can make corne and cattle
That they shall never thryve.
Bale's Interlude— Idolatry, 1562, sig. C. 2.
M6 Theocritus, Idyl. xx. 11. "47 /^/^/_ ^ gg^
6*^ In an old treatise on the hand we read that the names of the fingers
are derived from their use, their position, and their size. The ancients had
another name for the index, which they called sahttaris "quod eo salutarent
deos suos inter adorandum quippe non Romani solum, sed et alije gentes
solebant dextree manus priore digito in erectum pollicem residente. " The
obvious pun in this well accords with the spirit of the older writers. The
salutation of the god with the forefinger was followed by the kiss, hence we
readily perceive how our word salute includes to kiss. Those who are familiar
with St. Peter's statue in Rome will readily understand this, and thereby will
not fail to perceive another practice of Christian times handed down from
pagan ancestors. Prastorius writes: "Even nowadays we teach our boys
that the right index is to be kissed (as a salutation) to persons worthy of
honour, and to offer the index of honour and reverence " (PrDstorius, De Pollice,
LipsiK, 1677, p. 14).
In the Greek Church kissing is still more practised tlian even in the