SNEEZING.
(Vol. viii., p. 366.)
A collection of "facts, theories, and popular ideas" upon this subject would fill a volume. I send, however, a few extracts, &c., which may interest your correspondent Medicus:
"Et n'esternuay point regardant le soleil."
"And did not sneeze as he looked upon the sun."
Ronsard, tom. v. p. 158., quoted in Southey's
Common Place Book, 3rd series, p. 303.
Here, not to sneeze appears to be looked on as an ill omen.
Ammianus has an epigram upon one whose nose was so long that he never heard it sneeze, and therefore never said Ζεῦ σῶσον, God bless.—Notes on the Variorum Plautus (ed. Gronov., Lugd. Bat.), p. 720.
Athenæus, says Potter in his Archæologia Græca, proves that the head was esteemed holy, because it was customary to swear by it, and adore as holy the sneezes that proceeded from it. And Aristotle tells us in express terms that sneezing was accounted a deity: "Τὸν Πταρμὸν θεὸν ἡγούμεθα"—Archæol. Græc. (5th ed.), p. 338.
"Oscitatio in nixu letalis est, sicut
Sternuisse a coitu abortivum."
Quoted from Pliny by Aulus Gellius,
Noct. Att. III. xvi. 24.
Erasmus, in his Colloquies, bids one say to him who sneezes, "Sit faustum ac felix," or "Servet te Deus," or "Sit salutiferum" or "Bene vertat Deus."
"Quare homines sternutant?
"Respondetur, ut virtus expulsiva et visiva, per hoc purgetur, et cerebrum a sua superfluitate purgetur, etc. Etiam qui sternutat frequenter, dicitur habere forte cerebrum."—Aristotelis Problemata: Amstelodami, anno 1690.
Query whether from some such idea of the beneficial effect of sneezing, arose the practice of calling for the divine blessing on the sneezer?
When Themistocles was offering sacrifice, it happened that three beautiful captives were brought him, and at the same time the fire burnt clear and bright, and a sneeze happened on the right hand. Hereupon Euphrantides the soothsayer, embracing him, predicted the memorable victory which was afterwards obtained by him, &c.
There is also mention of this custom (the observation of sneezing) in Homer, who has introduced Penelope rejoicing at a sneeze of her son Telemachus:
"Οὐχ ὁράας ὅ μοι υἱὸς ἐπέπταρεν"
Sneezing was not always a lucky omen, but varied according to the alteration of circumstances—"Τῶν πταρμῶν οἱ μὲν εἰσὶν ὠφέλιμοι, οἱ δὲ βλαβεροί," "Some sneezes are profitable, others prejudicial"—according to the scholiast upon the following passage of Theocritus, wherein he makes the sneezing of the Cupids to have been an unfortunate omen to a certain lover:
"Σιμιχίδα μὲν ἔρωτες ἐπέπταρον."
If any person sneezed between midnight and the following noontide it was fortunate, but from noontide till midnight it was unfortunate.
If a man sneezed at the table while they were taking away, or if another happened to sneeze upon his left hand, it was unlucky; if on the right hand, fortunate.
If, in the undertaking any business, two or four sneezes happened, it was a lucky omen, and gave encouragement to proceed; if more than four, the omen was neither good nor bad; if one or three, it was unlucky, and dehorted them from proceeding in what they had designed. If two men were deliberating about any business, and both of them chanced to sneeze together, it was a prosperous omen.—Archæol. Græc. (5th ed.), pp. 339, 340.
Francis John Scott.
Tewkesbury.
The custom your correspondent Medicus alludes to, of wishing a person "good health," after sneezing, is also very common in Russia. The phrases the Russians use on these occasions are—"To your good health!" or "How do you do?"
J. S. A.
Old Broad Street.