The Evil Eye in the Mediterranean

The Evil Eye in the Mediterranean The Evil Eye in the Mediterranean
by Gitana, Jan 2005

Ever since ancient times, people of the Mediterranean region have believed in “the evil eye.”[1] One who has fallen under the curse may have symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, headaches, muscle aches, weakness, shortness of breath, and rapid heartbeat. It can be a frightening feeling, especially because there seems to be no “rational” explanation for the symptoms. In particularly strong curses, one may lose all property of value.

In general, the evil eye is thought to happen unintentionally, caused by feelings of jealousy, but some maintain that it can be intentional as well. The intentionally-given evil eye is known as “moral” and the unintentionally-given is called “natural.” It is the natural kind that is thought to be the most powerful. In fact, one theory is that all forms of magic are based in envy.[2] Those most often blamed for cursing others are strangers, people with blue eyes, people with facial abnormalities, and old women. This belief can be found in the writings of Herodotus, Ovid, Plutarch, and other classical authors, as almost all of them make some reference to it. Plutarch, explaining Democritus’ (Atomic philosopher born mid-5th cent. BC) theory, said,

eidola

Heliodorus, bishop of Tricca, Thessaly wrote often of the evil eye in the 4th cent. CE. He said, “When anyone looks at what is excellent with an envious eye he fills the surrounding atmosphere with a pernicious quality, and transmits his own envenomed exhaltations into whatever is nearest to him.”[4] One Latin word for the evil eye, invidia, also means envy.[5]

Classical mythology contains stories of the evil eye. One such example is the story of Narcissus, the beautiful young boy who held himself in very high esteem. He is thought to have “fascinated” himself by looking at his own reflection in the water. The self-inflicted curse turned him into the flower we now call by his name. Some explain that he was being punished for his hubris or conceit. However, one’s hubris attracts the envy of another; in this case, it was from the self-same person. We may also cite the story of Medea, who wins a battle with the giant by controlling her feeling of hatred and projecting them toward her enemy.[6]

The most common way to protect yourself from the evil eye is by wearing amulets or charms. They work by attracting the attention of the person with the evil eye to the charm, rather than to the person. Plutarch, in his Symposia, says that charms against the evil eye or other witchcraft work because they are ridiculous, and therefore distract the witch from accomplishing their goal of cursing.[7] Some of the earliest charms are very ugly, featuring images of the Medusa’s head or other frightening faces.[8]

By far the most common amulet is an eye itself. The ancient Phoenicians made animal heads out of blue pottery, which also had an enlarged eye on the side. Almost no explanation need be given for the use of the eye in ancient Egypt. The “Eye of Horus” is used extensively as a symbol of protection. The protective symbol of the eye was even painted onto ships in ancient Greece, and surviving art attests to this. There is a vase in the British Museum which shows Ulysses tied to the mast of his boat which has a large eye painted on it. In modern-day Greece and Turkey, a glass blue-eyed bead, called a mataki, is worn, usually as a necklace or pinned to the clothing. These beads are commonly sold in the markets.

Another very common object depicted on charms was the phallus, or symbolic representations of one. Roman blacksmiths often wore phallus amulets to protect themselves, as iron was thought to attract the evil eye.[9] Phallic symbols, and even phallus worship, was very common in ancient Egypt. In fact, the ankh is thought to be symbolic of the sexual act itself, and is a very powerful amulet. Today, women in Cyprus wear ankh amulets both to protect themselves from the evil eye, and to conceive. The mano fica has continued to be a common charm from ancient to modern times.[10] We have an ancient Phoenician example of the mano fica, which is made by making a fist with the thumb stuck between the index and middle fingers. The Romans called it the manus obscæna.[11] It should be noted that this is not just an amulet, but also a hand gesture that can be made at any time one feels it necessary. Related to this is another hand gesture, the mano cornuta or “horned hand.” This is made with the right hand, and extending your index and little fingers out, while bending the others to the palm, to form “horns.” You can simply make this gesture with your hand at your side or in your pocket if you need to be discrete. If not, by raising your hand, or even pointing it at the threatening person or thing it becomes more powerful. This hand gesture was also used by the ancient Greeks.

Similar to this is the general use of hand images as a means of protection. They were thought of as a “natural” amulet, because they symbolized a higher power, and human intelligence. Images of the open hand occur in Egypt from about 1,500 BC, and represent divinity. There also are surviving amulets from Etruscan tombs dated from 1,000 to 500 BC that are made out of bronze plate. They have holes in them, and obviously are meant to be suspended, perhaps as necklace charms. We also have a 6 inch bronze hand statue from the Temple of Dionysos at Taranto. In later years the use of the hand as a protection against evil continued to be used by the Christian Church. One such example is the “benediction hand” made by extending the first and second fingers while bending the ring and little fingers to the palm.[12] This image is often called the mano pantea. Amulets with hands making this gesture are still sold in Italy, and some even have carved into them “Mano Pantea. Contro il Fascino.”[13] Islamic images also make use of the hand, as in the case of Tunisia; these images have an open hand with a crescent above the index and middle fingers and a Star of David above the ring and little fingers. Modern versions are called a hamsa meaning “five” for the five fingers of the hand. They are also called the “Hand of Fatima.” Oftentimes these hands have an eye in their centers, thereby multiplying the protective power that each symbol would have if it stood alone.

A crescent moon is the 3rd most common charm against the evil eye. It is also represented by horns, and this may explain why so many ancient goddesses wear horns on their head. Ancient Hera statues with a crescent moon were used in houses to guard against the evil eye. Many figures of the Christian Mary have a crescent moon on them. Even saying the word “horns” is thought to protect you against the evil eye. In Italy, a charm against the evil eye is often called un corno no matter what shape it has.[14] Ancient Greek helmets had both horns and crescent moons on them.[15] In Turkey, two boars’ tusks are fashioned together to form a crescent of sorts, and are used as charms on horses. Use of the horseshoe over doorways is also related to this, due to their shape. A common saying in 18th C. England was “That the horseshoe may never be pulled from your threshold.”[16]

The Greeks and Romans also used spitting to keep away the evil eye. One must always spit three times (as three is a lucky number). This practice is thought to be rooted in unconscious biological reflexes. It keeps perceived toxins from entering the body, in a fashion similar to coughing, sneezing, or blinking, only it is done deliberately. Pliny says that after urinating you should spit three times into it. He also says that you should spit into your right shoe before putting it on, and while passing a building or other place that has a negative history, all as a means of protection.[17] You should also spit three times after receiving a compliment, to keep away the curse. In modern-day Greece, you must spit three times before looking at an infant’s face, and if you praise any child, you must spit three times into their face so as to not give them the evil eye. Perhaps the practice of covering an infant’s head while outside is a remnant of this belief.

The cricket is thought to give the evil eye, but may also protect from it, if its image is used as an amulet. Due to this belief, Pisistratus set one on the top of the Athenian Acropolis for protecting the agora. Some have argued that because the cricket’s body & limbs are so thin, it looks like a skeleton, and is therefore connected with Kronos or Saturn. Some charms have monsters on them, which are combinations of body parts of different creatures. These amulets are often called grillo in modern-day Italy, which means “grasshopper.”[18] Many feature the Medusa’s head. About this, Lucian says, “It was an amulet against the evil eye: What could be more potent than the face of the Queen of Hell?”[19] Even Athena put Medusa’s head on her aegis to be used as an amulet. Many soldiers depicted in ancient vase paintings have images on their shields that repel the evil eye, such as the charms we are describing here. Ulysses had a dolphin on his shield. The Romans later believed that the dolphin was especially powerful against the evil eye.

Other things that protect from the evil eye are: garlic, amulets of elephants, tortoises, crocodiles, snakes, seahorses, keys, mirrors, bells, multi-colored ribbons, wearing veils, the numbers three, seven, eight, and nine, and sometimes thirteen. Magic squares are also used as amulets against the evil eye, especially the Square of Mercury. One is to write the enemy’s name underneath the square and that person will have no effect on you.

One who falls under the curse can have it removed, usually by having a special prayer recited over them. The Greek Orthodox Church does recognize the existence of the evil eye, although they call is Vaskanía. They maintain that only a priest, or other official of the Church, is able to lift the curse.

Another way to lift the curse, which can be performed by anyone, is the following: the wise woman takes a glass of water and small amount of olive oil to the one who is cursed. Dipping her finger in the oil, she makes the sign of the cross (or other religious symbol) on the forehead of the one who is cursed. One drop of the oil used is allowed to fall into the glass of water. The cross is made in the same manner again, and a second drop of oil falls into the water. This is done a total of four times. After the fourth drop falls in the water, it is examined. If the drops join together in an egg-shape, then the person indeed has the evil eye. Then, prayers are said, and the crosses are made with the oil again, four times. However, this time the oil drops that fall into the water should not come together. This is the sign that the curse has been lifted.

Another method, of Romani origin, is thus: “A jar is filled with water from a stream, and it must be taken with, not against, the current as it runs. In it are placed seven coals, seven handfuls of meal, and seven cloves of garlic, all of which is put on the fire. When the water begins to boil, it is stirred with a three-forked twig, while the wise woman repeats: --

If a horse, cow, or camel is afflicted with the evil eye, the usual way to lift the curse is to take some milk from the animal, and give it to the source of the curse to drink.[21] It should be noted that there are many more ways to prevent the evil eye than there are ways to remove the curse once you have it.

This short article is by no means an exhaustive survey of the subject. A similar essay could have been written focusing on any part of the world, as the belief in the evil eye occurs in every continent. If interested in the subject, I encourage you to read the books cited here, or any others on this “fascinating” subject.

Endnotes:
1. The evil eye is called kakò matí in Greek, mal occhio or affascinamento in Italian, ayin horeh in Hebrew, and ayin harsha in Arabic.
2. Georg Luck, “Witches and Sorcerers in Classical Literature,” in Witchcraft and Magic in Europe: Ancient Greece and Rome, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1999, p. 99.
3. Plutarch, Quaest. Conv. 5.7. Eidola means “sights” or “images” coming from the Greek eido “to see.”
4. As quoted in Frederick Thomas Elworthy, The Evil Eye: The Origins and Practices of Superstition, The Julian Press, New York, 1958, p. 8.
5. The more common Latin term, however, is fascinatio from which our word “fascinate” comes. These Latin words actually pre-date any words meaning “magic.”
6. As told in Argonautica by Apollonius of Rhodes, 3rd cent. BC.
7. This is a very common belief, that witches, vampires, and other evil or otherwise unwelcome people are easily distracted by complicated patterns, such as Celtic knot work, by nonsensical words, or by sexual symbolism, which will be discussed later in the article.
8. Our word “mask” is derived from the Greek word baska or baskanía which means both “envy” and “amulet.” Baskanôn means “one who has/gives the evil eye.” The masks used in ancient theater were thought to protect the actors from someone in the audience who could possibly give them the evil eye.
9. There are numerous examples of prohibition of iron in the Bible, ancient Greek and Roman texts, and also from India. Interestingly, iron is also used as a means of protection against evil spirits.
10. Mano fica means “fig hand.” Here, “fig” is slang for sex.
11. Manus obscæna means “obscene hand.”
12. This is how the gesture is done by the Catholic Church. The Orthodox Church, however, only bends the ring finger.
13. Translation: Mano pantea. Against the evil eye.
14. Un corno means “a horn.”
15. Elworthy, p. 201
16. Elworthy, p. 218
17. As noted in Elworthy, p. 419
18. Elworthy, p. 144
19. As quoted in Elworthy, p. 158
20. Charles Godfrey Leland, Gypsy Sorcery and Fortunetelling, Citadel Press, New York, 1962, pp. 51-52.
21. Elworthy, p. 9

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