Chap. 2.] WONDERPUL rOBMS OF DIFEERENT IS^ATIONS. 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.^'^ 
A still more remarkable circumstance is, the fact that these 
persons have two pupils in each eye.°^ Apollonides says, that 
there are certain females of this description in Scythia, who 
are known as Bythiee, 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. 
He also remarks, that the bodies of these persons will not sink 
in water, even though weighed down by their garments. 
53 This power of the eye is referred to by Virgil, Eel. iii. 1. 103 : 
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. 
5* 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 Bythise, 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. 44 — 46. See also Ennemoser's Hist, of Magic, 
vol. ii. pp. 160, 161. Bohn'^s Editions. 
Some of the commentators have supposed, that Pliny, or Phylarchus, 
from, whom he borrows, was misled by the ambiguity of the Greek term 
tTTTTOc, 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. 
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, 
