VI INTRODUCTION

of symbols of divînity; to-day they are maînly horns, crescents and hands with outstretched fingers. Thèse préventives were placed everywhere ; they were painted on the walls of the houses, on household utensils, they were attached to cattle and to the children. Almost ail the houses in Naples hâve, at the présent day, horns placed in many places, for the same purpose. The longer they are, the more efficacious. People believing in Xh^jettatura never go without some amulet, which they wear on their watchchains, bracelets, and often concealed under their clothing.

Jettatori may be generally recognized by certain exterior signs, especially by their eyes, as having something outside the common. Thus, for example, the Albinos. When a per son is cross-eyed, or has red eyes, or blear eyes, or simplj' is in the habit of looking at things fixedly, he may be lookec? upon 2lS 2l jeitatore. Other physical peculiarities may be added to thèse marks, as for example being hunchbacked, or being thin and pale.

Sometimes \)[\t jettatori make use of their power in order to frighten credulous people for the purpose of gaining something for themselves. But the majority of the so-called jettatori bear their name without their knowledge, and exercise their power involuntarily. The most celebrated historical jettatore was Pope Pius IX, who reigned from 1 846-1 878. He was bigle^ that is, his right eye looked too much towards the left, his left eye too much towards the right. The most complète treatise on the jettatura and ail relating to it, was written by Nicolo Valette, a Neapolitan.

Like almost ail superstitions, the belief in the jettatura is based upon a true phenomenon. We see every day that hypnotistn is the control one person has over some other, by means of the eye. But formerly this influence had not been studied scientifically, and the masses imagined that it was some supematural power. Thence a number of mishaps and misfortunes that could not be explained by any natural