Daniel had an historic dream about four beasts which indicated four kingdoms (Dan. vii.). Whether his “visions” were also dreams is uncertain (see chs. viii. x.).
It would require many pages to do justice to this subject. Bland, in his Popular Antiquities, iii. 134, gives “A Dictionary of Dreams” in alphabetic order, extracted from The Royal Dream-Book.
Drinking-Horns. King Arthur had a horn from which no one could drink who was either unchaste or unfaithful. The cuckold’s horn, brought to King Arthur’s court by a mysterious boy, gave warning of infidelity, inasmuch as no one unfaithful in love or unleal to his liege lord could drink therefrom without spilling the liquor. The coupe enchantée possessed a similar property.
Eagle. Tarquinius Priscus was assured that he would be king of Rome by an eagle, which stooped upon him, took off his cap, rose in the air, and let the cap fall again upon his head.
Aristander assured Alexander of his victory over Darius at the battle of Arbĕla, by the flight of an eagle.--Lloyd, Stratagems of Jerusalem, 290.
Ear (The). If the left ear tingles or burns, it indicates that some one is talking evil of you; if the right ear, some one is praising you. The foreboded evil may be averted by biting the little finger of the left hand.
Laudor et adverso, sonat auris, lædor ab ore;
Dextra bono tinnit murmure, læva malo.
R. Keuchen, Crepundia, 113 (1662).
Epitaphs (Reading). If you would preserve your memory, be warned against reading epitaphs. In this instance the American superstition is the warning-giver, and not the act referred to.