CHAPTER VI

SUPERSTITIONS

Their origin and persistence—Beautiful thought of the Roman pontiff, St. Gregory—Observation of numbers and of days—Abstinence of the magi—Opinions of Porphyry—Greek and Roman superstitions—Mythological data on the secret properties of animals—A passage from Euripides—Reasons of Pythagorean abstinence—Singular excerpt from Homer—Presages, dreams, enchantments and fascinations—Magical whirlpools—Modern phenomena—Olympius and Plotinus 158