Page:Modern Greek folklore and ancient Greek religion - a study in survivals.djvu/348

 the left by backbiting and slander. Again, if the palm of the right hand itch, it shows that a man will receive money; and reversely, if the left palm itch, he will have to pay money away. So too, if the sole of the right or of the left foot itch, it is a premonition of a journey successful or unsuccessful. Omens of this kind fall with uncomfortable frequency to the lot of those who have to find a night's lodging in Greek inns or cottages.

To the same category belong hiccoughing and sneezing. The hiccough ([Greek: loxyngas]), as also in Macedonia choking over food or drink, is a sign that some backbiter is at work, and the method of curing it is to guess his name. Sneezing is a favourable omen, but the particular interpretation of it depends on alternative sets of circumstances. If anyone who is speaking is interrupted by a sneeze, whether his own or that of another person present, whatever he is saying is held to be proved true by the occurrence. [Greek: Geia sou], cry the listeners, [Greek: kai alêtheia lés] (or [Greek: léei]), 'Health to you, and you speak (or he speaks) truth.' If however no one present is in the act of speaking when the sneeze is heard, the first phrase only is used, 'Health to you,' or by way of facetious variant, [Greek: na psophêsê hê pethera sou], 'May your mother-in-law die like a dog .' In either case the prayer for good health can benefit only the sneezer; but in the former, that member of the company who is speaking at the time may obtain corroboration of the statement which he is making from the omen produced by another. This part of the belief is very strongly held; and anyone who is in the unfortunate position of having his word doubted or of being compelled to prevaricate will be better advised to conjure up a sneeze than to expostulate or to swear.

Both these interpretations of sneezing date from ancient times. The old equivalent of 'Health to you' was [Greek: Zeu sôson], 'Preserve him, Zeus'; but such expressions are common to many nations and not distinctively Hellenic. The other interpretation of sneezing, as a confirmation of words which are being uttered, is of more special interest, and has been handed down from theis properly used only of the dying of animals.]