Ancient Rome and Modern Italy 41 



and put a dummy in his place. The stout lad from Cappadocia 

 never got back his natural color, and, a few days later, he died 

 raving mad. Those who listened to this tale expressed alike their 

 wonder and their full belief. They kissed the table, and prayed 

 the hags of night to stay in their own haunts when the time came 

 for the party to go home from the dinner. 208 



The Italian word Strega clearly goes back to the Latin. It 

 means not only a witch but also a vampirical monster possessed 

 of the various powers which evil spirits commonly enjoy. 209 In 

 speaking of an anemic child a superstitious mother will say that 

 it is stregato, in other words, that a Strega has been working her 

 bloodthirsty will upon it. 210 Fortunately there is always avail- 

 able a plant that is thought to be almost a panacea in folkmedi- 

 cine, rue, the "herb of grace." This has great magic power. 

 Mothers have only to eat some of it on Ascension Day to keep 

 away all the bloodsucking streghe that molest Italian babies. 211 

 Incidentally we may remark that the mild cordial that is also 

 called strega got its name from being a product of Benevento, 

 which for ages has been the reputed gathering-place of witches. 

 But Italians may use the word also for the wise woman who tells 

 fortunes at a fair, or, at any time, in some public -piazza, as I have 

 seen her do, holding spellbound a wondering crowd. 



Colitis and rickets are among the ailments of children for which 

 ignorant Italians will hold witches and warlocks responsible. A 

 skin eruption can be blamed on the meanness of some witch, who, 

 finding baby's diapers or swaddling-band left out to dry after 

 nightfall has urinated on them. The coming of Ave Maria should 

 bring indoors every stitch of his clothing. 212 



About two parts of their anatomy other than their sexual or- 

 gans superstitious people have felt some special concern from the 

 most remote times, the hair of the head and the nails. 213 This 

 seems to have been partly because their readily recognizable 

 growth suggests the existence of a special amount of life and vi- 

 tality in them, partly because when they have been trimmed, 

 the cuttings are thought to be so representative of their former 

 owner that one can work the injuries of witchcraft against him by 

 using them in magical operations. 214 He must, therefore, dis- 

 pose of them in such a way that no enemy can get possession of 

 them. 215 The teachings of superstition may furthermore require 



