Chap. 2.] WONDERFUL FORMS OF DIFFERENT NATIONS. 127 



there are among the Triballi and the Illyrii, some persons of 

 this description, who also have the power of fascination with 

 the eyes, and can even kill those on whom they fix their gaze 

 for any length of time, more especially if their look denotes 

 anger ; the age of puberty is said to be particularly obnoxious 

 to the malign influence of such persons. 63 



A still more remarkable^ circumstance is, the fact that these 

 persons have two pupils in each eye. 54 Apollonides says, that 

 there are certain females of this description in Scythia, who 

 are known as Bythia3, and Phylarchus states that a tribe of the 

 Thibii in Pontus, and many other persons as well, have a 

 double pupil in one eye, and in the other the figure of a horse. 55 

 He also remarks, that the bodies of these persons will not sink 

 in water, 56 even though weighed down by their garments. 



53 This power of the eye is referred to by Virgil, Eel. iii. 1. 103 : 



u What eye is it that has fascinated my tender lambs ?" 



The evil eye is still an article of belief in Egypt and in some parts of the 

 East. Witchcraft, in various forms, was greatly credited in the most en- 

 lightened parts of Europe, not more than two centuries ago, and is not yet 

 excluded from the vulgar creed. B. 



54 It is well known that nothing of this kind was ever observed in any 

 human eye, nor have we any method of accounting for the origin of this 

 singular notion. B. Brand, in his Popular Antiquities, says that he 

 has no doubt whatever that the common expression " no one can say * black 

 is my eye'" [or rather "black is the white of my eye"] meaning that no 

 one can justly speak ill of me, was derived from the notion of the en- 

 chanting, or bewitching, eye. He quotes from Reginald Scott's " Dis- 

 covery of Witchcraft :" " Many writers agree with Virgil and Theocritus 

 in the effect of bewitching eyes, affirming * that in Scythia there are wo- 

 men called the Bythiae, having two balls, or rather blacks, in the apples of 

 their eyes.' These, forsooth, with their angry looks, do bewitch and hurt, 

 not only young lambs, but young children." See Brand's Popular An- 

 tiquities, vol. iii. pp. 4446. See also Ennemoser's Hist, of Magic, 

 vol. ii. pp. 160, 161. Bohris Editions. 



55 Some of the commentators have supposed, that Pliny, or Phylarchus, 

 from whom he borrows, was misled by the ambiguity of the Greek term 

 tTTTroc, which signifies either a horse, or a tremulous motion of the eye. 

 But, even admitting this to be the case, the wonder is scarcely diminished ; 

 for we have the double pupil in one eye, while this supposed tremulous 

 motion is confined to the other. B. 



56 In all ages, it has been a prevalent superstition, that those endowed 

 with magical qualities will not sink in water, encouraged, no doubt, by the 

 cunning of those who might wish to make the charge a means of wreak- 

 ing their vengeance. If they sank, they were to be deemed innocent, but 

 were drowned ; if, on the other hand they floated, they were deemed guilty, 

 and handed over to the strong arm of the law. In reference to this usage, 



