Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-21
On Charms
And Philters,

From the beginning of history man
has believed In magic. There have bcsn
buyers and sellers OF charms from the
earliest axes. once IN awhile the name
~ uorccrcr or aurccrcsa sprang into
evil fame. Thus We read NJ Apuieiu.
who was accused u unlawful practices
acquired from eastern magiclnna In the
second century. and ~ Locustn. whose
house on the Palatinc hill was well
known as the scene Of cruel expert.
mcnts on slaves iiy such she became
expert In preparing poisonous drngn.
Hut an attempt 10 poison Nero brought
about her own ruin and death.
AZ one time Roman ladies' dnhbied in
occult arts. As far back as 900 years
before the Christian era there was A
club Of Roman married ladies' who used
a. moot u'i'ier the guidance ~ n certain
Hloroninn Spaffn. a fortune teller.
They used % cbncoct charms Of al
kinds. love drafts and polaonH, which
they began TO administer somewhat too
freely To friends nnd enemies. Dlscov.
cry followed. Sparta and three of her
cnnfcdctntes were hanged. while no
fewer than 40 matronu were punished
by public whipping and hanlshmont
Precious stones have always been con.
Wdcfed aa tnllsmans. The jasper was
favorable To public speakers. II loosen.
cd the tongue and gave a ready fow %
words. orators wore lt.nbout their per.
sons. The amethyst was looked upon
as sure preventive OF drunkcnness.
ana the sncrcd ngntc Insured the wearer
against snake bites.
All sorts OF herbs were used In
charms. Certain plants made people In
sympathy with each other The citron.
Tor Instance. with III heart shaped leaf
was Clearly intended 10 draw hearts 10.
Eether while nsnrum twiid gingef) on.
ahlcd lovers or friends TO talk 10 each
other NJ distance. n each friend
were provided with n leaf 81 the plant.
the faintcst whisper OF one would be
heard by the other. although miles
apart. Ncrvaln Inspired ardent pos.
sion. Olive leaves insured peaceful
hfe. Opium was used Ia cause n sleep
which should simulate death, an *.
podlcnt often resorted 10 by unfortu.
nate lovers. while henbane caused wild
and terrifying visions.
woman TO whom this last drug was
administered described how small oh.
tcciH became suddenly enormous and
threatened to crush her and how ah. felt
her head and body separating from
each other. The ranuncuius. or "snr.
donic herb" inspired sort ~ forced
gaycty. with convulsive laughter. The
term "sardonio laughter" has come
down 10 us In consequence. hut rose
leaves had the power To loosen charms
and unhind spells II was said that the
color Of the rose came from the blood Of
Venus, who priokcd her foot on a thorn.
while the rose itself Hprang from the
blood Of Adonlr. Later on. In the mid.
die ages. knights would battle In rose.
water In order 20 acquire 'gcntlenes,
and true courage"
The myrtle was sacred 10 love and
Venus ana therefore had power 10 pre-
serve the charms of beauty A plant
named sylphion. however, possessed the
wonderful property Of making old mon
young and was sold for It's weight In
gold. In Rome II was kept In the state
treasury In the form OF u realnous gum.
julius Caesar sold LOO pounds ~ II In
order TO make good the costa OF ciyil
war.
AZ FIRST only herbs were used In the
connection Of charms. but later on the
more violent mineral polsona were
ufaWn into the service OF the charm
brewers. Arsenic was literally used NJ
a secret poison under the later Roman
ompcrora.
In the middle ages the art does not
seem TO have progrcssed-there was
return TO vegetable polsons-but with
lhe renaissance and during the six
tenth .nd seventeenth centuries magic
OF All sorts blossomed and nourlshed.
Italy was the mother country Of most
OF the adopts In poisoning and well
earned her name OF 'Venenosa italia"
France was her apt pupil. a sorccress
named Mircille was put 10 death IN 1879.
ana the number OF her followers and
fellow workers was said TO be 10000.
Arsenic again became the basis Of NIL
nhlltera. perfumes and poisonous drinks,
whole chapter OF Ambrose Pare's
work on polsons Ii devoted TO arsenic.
The aniidote. he thinks. 10 Maiyolale
wine.
Magic unguenta were made by which
persons were enabled 10 leave their
bodies for time and 10 on to Join tho
witches Sabbath.
Pills for sending wolves TO sleep"
are not so astounding In their effects.
Al least, when we hear that they were
compounded OF aconitc, arsenic, quick
lime, powdered glass, bitter almonds
ind honey we are not surprised that
The wolves felt badly" after eating
hem.
The number OF poisoned Victims In
hose days was enormous. the polsons
were so much more efficacious than the
ihiltersl