The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-12-01
SALUTING A SNEEZER
A CUSTOM THAT BELONGS TO EVERY
NATION AND CLINE.

There Are Many and Varied Answers
to the Question, Why Do We Do Itf
That Was Asked by Piiny Some
Nineteen Centuries Ago.
"Why do we salute the sneezer" ask
I'd Pliny nineteen centuries ago. We
Etill ask the question, and one won
ders if Pliny could collect so many
ingenious replies as the ana of the
twentieth century furnish.
In Cations 1883 edition of 1.-THE
Golden Legende" is an account of q
pestilence in Rome in the time of Greg
DRY the Great, from which many died
suddenly. In this manere, sometyme
snesying they dcyed, so that when any
persone was herd snesying, anone they
that were by said to hymn, God helpe
you, or Cryst helpe, and yet endureth
the custome." As Pope Gregory reign
ed in the sixth century Plinys query
far antedates the explanation in THE
Golden Legende."
In the Buddhist Scriptures, dating
at least go B. c., it is related that
Buddha, when preaching one day to
LIS dloClDltS, dll
exclaimed: MAY the Blessed Lord
live! May the welcome one liver thus
seriously interrupting the discourse.
Buddha said, Tell me, when person
sneeZes, if the bystanders say, May
you live Will he live the longer or
die the sooner for it ?' Certainly not,
lord" So he forbade them to say it.
DIT -
priests did not thus salute them, and
Buddha revoked his command.
The Talmudic tradition is that the
custom dates from Jacob. Before his
time man did not die of disease but
when his appointed time was come he
snecZcd once and was dead. Jacob pc
titioned for exemption from this law,
and his prayer was granted on condi-
ton that among all nations a sneeze
should be hallowed by the words, "God
bless you"
The Greeks traced the custom back
to the myth of Prometheus, who made
an image OF clay and wished to give it
life. From the sun he stole reedful
of rays, and, fastening back to his
nostrils, producing Il snceZe-a phe-
nomenon we may at any time produce
by standing in the sun. At this sign
of life in his creation Prometheus ejac-
ulated a blessing and q prayer for its
preservation, and this response to a
sneeze has been handed down through
all generations.
leo IN, tl,n g.tn Q hun watt
child restored to life by the prophet
Elisha do we find the idea that this
convulSive effort of nature Is the first
sign of life. The child sneeZed seven
times, and the child opened his eyes"
According to Scottish folklore, a new
born child is under the fairy spells I'M
til it snc2=Cs. Aristotle mentions the
practice of physicians who, when death
seems near, give medicines to induce
snce:ing. hoping thereby to arouse the
failing faculties. Aristotle seems to
have given much attention to omens
Of s:lccZing. He says Il SnecZe on the
right hand brings god fortune; on the
left hand it bctokcIs i'll.
In the Odyssey, when Penelope calls
Oll liS tlDSNIlb osSSS ~ PUNISH "1Oh5-
Telcmachus then sneczed aloud.
The smiling queen the happy omen bless
ed,
$50 may these impious fall by fate op-
pressed"
st. Augustine records that when the
ancientS arose in the morning If they
sneeZed while putting on their shoes
they Immediately went back to bed
again in order to get up more aus
piciOusly and so escape misfortunes
Likely to occur during the day. If q
Hindoo sneeZcs while performing his
morning ablutions in the Ganges he
touches his forehead, nose, chin and
checks with the tips of his fingers and
recommences his prayers from the very
beginning. In illness sneeZing is con-
sidercd a good omen, sign of return
ing health. Howell in 1863 said, He
that hath sneeZed twice, turn him out
of the hospital" Among the ancients
If any one sncezed directly after din
ner dish was brought back and tast-
ed to avert misfortune.
The custom of saluting belongs to
every nation and cline. In Ethiopia
when the king sneezed those about
him saluted so loudly that they were
heard and echoed through the whole
city. In 1912 De Soto had an inter-
view in Florida with Il cacique who
during conversation happened to
sneeze. All his attendants bowed their
heads, opened and Glazed their arms
and saluted the prince with May the
sun guard you, slime on You, defend
you, prosper you" and similar phrases.
An Italian chill 5 primer of 1868 says,
Being prompt in saluting any one
who may sneeZe and returning thanks
to any who on such an occasion may
have wished you WE'LL
An epigram in the Greek anthology
shows it was customary 20 say God
bless you" The ancient Romans said
"Salve." The modern Roman of the
lower class says, "Figli maschf' (May
you have male children. The north
Germans say, Your good health" in
| Vienna, "God be with you;' III Ireland
the peasant says, God bless your hon
Or" Long life TO your honor The
Russian form is TO your good health"
or How do you do:" English folklore
| Is full Of rhymes about sneezing on
certain days. In Devonshire they say:
Sneeze on Sunday morning fasting,
You'll enjoy your own true love everlast-
ing.
This is but one of the many that are
| In use all over the land.