DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4099#0042
THE EVIL EYE. 35
Evil Eye is termed by the modern Greeks xxxo Ma-n,1 which is equi-
valent to the Bao-zavog, or irovypog o<pQa,\pog of the ancients.2
Superlative praise was exceedingly dreaded by the ancients, as it
is also at the present day, of which Virgil3 furnishes an instance :—
" Aut si ultra placitum laudarit, baccare frontem
Cingite, ne vati noceat mala lingua future"
The word prarfiscine* was used in order to counteract the bad
effects of this praise, and to shew that it was sincere, and not in-
tended in a contrary sense. In the mountainous parts of Italy,
where ancient customs are preserved, the person who is the object of
praise in general says, on such occasions—" Si mal occhio non ci
fosse ;" meaning, that the praise would be acceptable if sincere, and
unattended with envy.
The first place where I discovered this superstition was in the
island of Corfu. I was taking a view near a cottage, into which I
was kindly invited, and hospitably entertained with fruit and wine.
Two remarkably fine children, the sons of my host, were playing
about the cottage; and as I wished to pay a compliment to the
parents, I was lavish in my praises of their children. But when I
had repeated my admiration two or three times, an old woman,
1 From O^ia-iov.
1 The superstition of the Evil Eye is also mentioned by many other authors, particularly
Plautus Asinar. act 2. sc. 4. line 84. Aul. Gellius Noct. Att. b. 16. c. 12. Gratius.
Marcellus on Physic. Chrysostom Orat. Tertullian de Virg. Veland. c. 14. and 15.
Erasm. Chiliad. 1. Cent. 35. Cornel. Agrip. b. 1. Turneb. Adversar. b. 9. c. 28. Faber
Thesaur. p. 901. See. Alsarius de Fascino, Antiq. Roman, a Gramo, torn. 12. p. 885.
Potter, Antiq. b. 2. c. 18. And observations on an antique bas-relief, &c. by James
Millingen, Esq. F. S. A. London, Jan. 1818, from the Archax>logia, vol. 19.
3 Eclog. 7. v. 27.
4 Plautus, loc. cit.—Prafiscine, or PraMiscini, adv. a word used to prevent exception.—
Morell. Diet.
F2
Evil Eye is termed by the modern Greeks xxxo Ma-n,1 which is equi-
valent to the Bao-zavog, or irovypog o<pQa,\pog of the ancients.2
Superlative praise was exceedingly dreaded by the ancients, as it
is also at the present day, of which Virgil3 furnishes an instance :—
" Aut si ultra placitum laudarit, baccare frontem
Cingite, ne vati noceat mala lingua future"
The word prarfiscine* was used in order to counteract the bad
effects of this praise, and to shew that it was sincere, and not in-
tended in a contrary sense. In the mountainous parts of Italy,
where ancient customs are preserved, the person who is the object of
praise in general says, on such occasions—" Si mal occhio non ci
fosse ;" meaning, that the praise would be acceptable if sincere, and
unattended with envy.
The first place where I discovered this superstition was in the
island of Corfu. I was taking a view near a cottage, into which I
was kindly invited, and hospitably entertained with fruit and wine.
Two remarkably fine children, the sons of my host, were playing
about the cottage; and as I wished to pay a compliment to the
parents, I was lavish in my praises of their children. But when I
had repeated my admiration two or three times, an old woman,
1 From O^ia-iov.
1 The superstition of the Evil Eye is also mentioned by many other authors, particularly
Plautus Asinar. act 2. sc. 4. line 84. Aul. Gellius Noct. Att. b. 16. c. 12. Gratius.
Marcellus on Physic. Chrysostom Orat. Tertullian de Virg. Veland. c. 14. and 15.
Erasm. Chiliad. 1. Cent. 35. Cornel. Agrip. b. 1. Turneb. Adversar. b. 9. c. 28. Faber
Thesaur. p. 901. See. Alsarius de Fascino, Antiq. Roman, a Gramo, torn. 12. p. 885.
Potter, Antiq. b. 2. c. 18. And observations on an antique bas-relief, &c. by James
Millingen, Esq. F. S. A. London, Jan. 1818, from the Archax>logia, vol. 19.
3 Eclog. 7. v. 27.
4 Plautus, loc. cit.—Prafiscine, or PraMiscini, adv. a word used to prevent exception.—
Morell. Diet.
F2