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A supposed power
bestowed on a person whereby his/her glance brings sickness, bad luck,
calamity or death.
In witchcraft
and black magic it is said that certain individuals have
the power to cast evil spells or to project evil thought
forms simply by looking at another person. The idea of this evil power is
practically universal, and there exists in virtually every language an
comparable term the boser Blick in German, malocchio in Italian, mauvais
veil in French; and from the Latin fascinum, which was originally
associated with the idea of binding, is derived the English 'fascinate',
which was originally connected with such ideas as binding by means of
diabolical powers or pact.
The fact of the evil
eye has given rise to numerous protecting devices against it. These
incorporate a wide range of
magical signs and
amulets, reflective surfaces, and, in particular, a number of
obscene or phallic figures and amulets which are intended to ward off evil such as the corno, a curved horn, and the peculiar gesture involving a
clenched hand with the thumb stuck through the middle and fourth fingers.
Images of eyes are also used to avoid evil (see
eye of horus),
on the grounds of sympathetic magic, and many of the more
ancient gems and symbols are designed with this in mind.
The opposite of good. What
hinders the realization of the good. Wickedness; wicked; arising from or
caused by real or supposed wickedness. What is very harmful. A source of
wickedness, sorrow and distress; someone or something set on doing wicked
things or whose actions are extremely wicked, harmful and/or destructive.
The sum of everything that is bad, wrong, wicked and immoral. |
