Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-27
OMENS In A SNEEZE.
Curious SuperstitiOns of the Past
That Linger to This Day.
WITH SOME A SIGN OF HEALTH.
origin Of the Saving Explanations That
Follow the Explosion.
BELIEFS AMONG SAVAGE PEOPLES


WRITTEN FOR THE pIsPArcHJ
The whole civilized world has inst gotten
through sneezlng. 1t was not such terrible
epidemic as cholera, but nevertheless il left
behind its victims by the score. and even
hundreds. In other days. and even now, in
some parts of the world, this would be
singled out as mark of divine wrath. There
is Jewish legend from the Talmud that be-
fore the time of the patriarch Jacob men
never sneezed but once, and then they died.
he was the first to die without sneezing.
and hence all men are commanded to uotice
a sneeze as having been the earliest signal
of death. It is certain that it has always
been regarded as ominous, and many still
say that it heralds cold when you sneeze.
The ancient Greeks and Romans consid-
cred 1t ominous. It was auspicious when
heard to the right, but an unlueky omen
when to the left. Aristotle makes a sneeze
unlucky from night to morning, but q good
omen from morning to night, during the
daytime. Zenophon, in his "Anabasis,"
tells US that, while haranguing his troops,
and just as he was claiming the protection
of the gods for righteous cause, someone
sneezed. The soldiers Immediately con-
cluded that it was a good omen, and e1-
claiming "We have reason to hope for our
preservation" addressed their hymns to
Jupiter, who had given them so favorable
sign. Homer, long before this, had alluded
TO the favorable omen:
Telemachus then sneezed aloud;
CONSTRAINED his nostril, echoed through the
crowd
The smiling Queen the happy omen bIess'd.
An old author says that the ancients, il
they sneezed while putting on their shoes,
Immediately went to bed again. If any one
sneezed after dinner, dish was brought
back and tasted BY each one at the table, to
avert disaster.
A BUDDHIST TRADITION.
This idea of the ominous character of q
sneeze led in remote ages to custom yet
prevalent in many parts of the world-that
of making some sort of saving exclamation
when anyone sneezes. Probably the oldest
notice OF this custom Is preserved in an
ancient Buddhist tradition: Zone day
Buddha, while seated in the midst of a
large congregation of disciples, to whom he
was preaching the law, chanced to sneeze.
| Thereupon the priests, exclaiming, MAY
the blessed Lord live; may the welcome one
| liyeP made a loud noise and seri-
ously interrupted the discourse. Ac-
cordingly Buddhs addressed them
as follows: Tell me, priests, when
| person sneezes, if the bystanders say may
you live! will he live the longer or die
the sooner for it?' Certainly not, Lord
Then. if anyone sneeze, you are not to say
to him, "May you livel'' and if any of you
shall say it, let him be guilty of trans
gression.' From that time forth, when the
priests sneezed, and the bystanders e1-
claimed, May YOU live, sirs,' the priests,
fearful of transgressing, held their peace.
People took offense at this, and said: What
do these priests of Sakya mean by not utter
ing word when we say May you live
longP The matter came to Buddha's ears,
and lie gave them permission to say Long
life to youP"
AMONG THE OLD ROMANS.
The Romans were particularly careful
about the auguries attached to sneezing.
Tiberius, when he sneezed during chariot
ride in the streets, was saluted with loud
cries of "Long live the Emperor" Cicero,
it is said. sneezed when at the theater, when
the people, Senators and all, rose to their
feet and said, glove bless you." Cesar is
said to have finally decided to cross the
Rubicon oy a lucky sneeze. 1t was said that
Cupid sneezed whenever a beautiful girl
was born. Il was therefore the greatest COM
pliment that signing lover could pay his
mistress for him to say: Love has sneezed
for you ~
Catholic authorities have referred the
origin of the custom to an ordinance of
Pope Gregory, "who was said to have in
stituted short benediction to be used on
such occasions at a time when, during
pestilence, the crisis was attended by sneez-
ing and in most cases followed by death"
There is still respect paid to a sneeze at the
Vatican, if we may believe the following
anecdotes: A gentleman had been presented
with his little son to His Holiness the Pope.
He wished to secure q medal for the lad,
and for this purpose attended a meeting Of
the Cardinals. The boy happened to sneeze,
when all the Cardinals rose and saluted
him. Pleased with this he took occasion to
sneeze again and again, until his father was
forced to take him away.
IN MERRIE OLD ENGLAND.
An old rhyme records the various omeus
concerning sneezing, current in Englanda
century ago:
To sneezs ON Monday hastens anger,
Tuesday, kiss stranger,
Friday, give gift
Saturday, receive gift.
Sunday. before you break your fast,
The Germans, like the Romans, think 1t
an ill-omen to sneeze while you are putting
your shoes on. A very singular notion cur
rent In one part of Germany is that If the
husband sneeze before getting up in the
morning he must lie down again for three
hours, or the wife will have the mastery for
q whole week. 1t is also said that it is a
sign of the truth OF your words if any one
sneezes when you are telling anything. In
Esthonia, if two wives sneeze at the same
time it is said to be an indication that their
children will be sons; if their husbands, then
daughters will comprise their families.
In Holland it was formerly said that If M
one said "God bless you" when you sneezed,
witches would soon harm you. Shetland
ers have curious way Of proguosticating
the weather by observing persons when
Italians wish some favorable
thing when anyone sneezes. The Siamese
say tbat the judges in the lower regions re-
cord the sins of men in huge ledgers, and
when Frazommappatur, the Chief Judge,
examines this, and comes to the page where
The day when each man shall die is recorded.
that man sneezes, and hence sneezing is .
bad omen.
sNEEZNG AMONG sAvAGEs.
Many savages have similar notions about
.neezing. Zulus think it sign of demonia-
,al possession. When De Soto, in 1912, in
.erviewed the Cacique Guachoya, that po-
tentate happened to sneeze.. All the attend
ants stretched out their arms and cried out
such phrases as MAY the sun be with you"
Savages oil a certain African country have
most curious way of greeting a sneeze from
heir Sovereign's royal nose. They imme-
1iately turn their backs to him and slap the
right thigh heartily.
A New Zealand priest names a child by