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out his right hand in entreaty: Vergil, Aen. 11, 414; Silius Italicus, Pun. 2, 413; Diphilus, Ewypapos, 2, 1, 23.1 Or the person supplicated was held fast by the suppliant: Valerius Flaccus, Arg. 7, 475: 'tum vero extremo percussa dolore | Arripit Aesoniden dextra, ac summissa profatur.' Or the feet of the supplicated were clasped by the suppliant: Seneca, Troad. 691: Ad genua accido | supplex, Ulixe, quamque nullius pedes novere dextram pedibus admoveo tuis '; Seneca, Troad. 708. Or the suppliant grasped the right hand of the person to whom the supplication was addressed. This right hand was either clasped or kissed. Livy, 30, 12, 17: itaque cum modo genua modo dextram amplectens in id, ne cui Romano traderetur, fidem exposceret'; Silius Italicus, Pun. 12, 591: 'ostentant parvos vagituque incita pulsant | corda virum armatis infigunt oscula dextris'; Euripides, Medea, 496: φεῦ δεξιὰ χεὶρ ἧς σὺ πόλλ ̓ ἐλαμβάνου, | καὶ τῶνδε γονάτων; Aristophanes, Frogs 754; ὦ Φοῖβε ̓́Απολλον, ἔμβαλέ μοι τὴν δεξιάν, | καὶ δὸς κύσαι καὐτὸς κύσον, καὶ μοι Oрáσov, πρòs Alós, os... ; Plautus, Curc. 339; Livy, 1, φράσον, | πρὸς Διός, 41, 2; 30, 12, 12; Ovid, Met. 7, 89; Curtius Rufus, Hist. Alex. 6, 7, 8; [Seneca], Oct. 627; Petronius, 121, 100; Pliny, Nat. Hist. 11, 250 (103); Statius, Achil. 1, 48; Theb. 9, 418; Silius Italicus, Pun. 6, 461; Il. Lat. 688; 2 Euripides, Hippolytus, 333; Hecuba, 342; Heracleidae, 844.

As in the taking of oaths, per dextram and πpòs deţiâs are also used in supplication. This latter use is much the more common. Plautus, Amph. 923: 'per dexteram tuam te, Alcumena, oro obsecro, da mihi hanc veniam, ignosce, irata ne sies'; Euripides, Iph. in Tauris, 1068: aλλà πρòs σe değiâs | σè kaì σ' iкvoûμai; Plautus, Capt. 442; Terence, And. 289; Sallust, Jug. 10, 3; Vergil, Aen. 4, 314; Horace, Epist. 1, 7, 94; Silius Italicus, Pun. 12, 577; Apuleius, Met. 4, 11, 261; 6, 2, 385; Euripides, Hippolytus, 605; Hecuba, 753; Iph. in Aulis, 709; Aristophanes, Thesmoph. 936.

1 Meineke,, l. c., 4, p. 395.

2 Baehrens, Poet. Lat. Min. 3, p. 41.

THE LEFT HAND AS THE DISHONORABLE MEMBER

In a manner parallel to that followed by the right hand, but developing, of course, in exactly the opposite direction, the left hand came to be associated with the unnatural, hence the dishonorable, and ultimately the unlucky or unfavorable. As proof of the character of dishonor which is attached to it, the explanation given by Pliny for the origin of the custom of wearing the ring on the left hand is important. That this was the practice in antiquity as well as in modern times is well attested. Petronius, Cena Trimalchionis, 32, 3: 'habebat etiam in minimo digito sinistrae manus anulum grandem subauratum extremo vero articulo digiti sequentis minorem, ut mihi videbatur totum aureum, sed plane ferreis veluti stellis ferruminatum'; also Horace, Sat. 2, 7, 9; Livy, 1, 11, 8-9; Ovid. Am. 3, 8, 15; Suetonius, Caes. 33, 6; Nero, 20, 23.

Pliny (Nat. Hist. 33, 1, 12) says: fabricae etiam deum fibulas et alia muliebris cultus sicut inauris in primordio factitasse, sine mentione anulorum. Et quisquis primus instituit cunctanter id fecit, laevis manibus latentibusque induit, cum, si honos securus fuisset, dextra fuerit ostentandus. Quodsi impedimentum potuit in eo aliquod intelligi, etiam serioris usus argumentum est, et maius in laeva fuisset qua scutum capitur.' According to this passage, the first person to introduce the custom of wearing rings was ashamed of it; and for that reason placed the ring on the left hand, as there it was not so prominent. It is further stated that had it been certain that the innovation was entirely honorable, the right hand would have been the one to receive the ring. The inference is evident that Pliny considered the left hand to be by nature suited for anything to which clung the slightest taint of dishonor. He adds that the custom may be attributed to the impediment to freedom of action caused by the presence of a ring, which is, of course, the true explanation. This, however, is aside from the question, and does not detract from the

main idea of the association between the left and the dishonorable.

Aulus Gellius (10, 10, 1) gives another explanation, which seems to be exactly opposite to that given by Pliny: 'Veteres Graecos anulum habuisse in digito accepimus sinistrae manus, qui minimo est proximus. Romanos quoque homines aiunt sic plerumque anulis usitatos. Causum huius rei Apion in libris Aegyptiacis hanc dicit, quod insectis apertisque humanis corporibus, ut mos in Aegypto fuit, quas Graeci avaтoμàs appellant, repertum est, nervum quendam tenuissimum ab eo uno digito de quo diximus, ad cor hominis pergere ac pervenire; propterea non inscitum visum esse, eum potissimum digitum tali honore decorandum qui continens et quasi conexus esse cum principatu cordis videretur.'

The contradiction is, however, easily removed when we consider that Gellius approached the problem from an aspect entirely different from that of Pliny. He starts with the supposition that by placing a ring upon the left hand an especial honor was conferred upon it. Pliny's hypothesis, on the other hand, is exactly opposite. Gellius was, therefore, trying to find an explanation for the left hand, which he knew to be essentially dishonorable, being honored in this manner. Pliny (Nat. Hist. 33, 1, 9) supports Gellius in this view: 'Manus et prorsus sinistrae maximam auctoritatem conciliavere auro, non quidem Romanae, quarum in more ferrei erant et virtutis bellicae insigne.'

The association between the left hand and stealing, Plautus calls it furtifica laeva,' serves still further to show its general ill-repute and connection with dishonorable actions. Plautus, Pers. 225:

'Pae. Ecquid habes?

So. Ecquid tu?

Pae. Nil equidem.

So. Cedo manum ergo.

Pae. Estne haec manus?

So. Ubi illa altrast furtifica laeva?'

Ovid, Met. 13, 110: 'Nec clipeus vasti caelatus imagine mundi conveniet timidae nataeque ad furta sinistrae "; Martial, 12, 29, 3; Prudentius, Psych. 458.

The explanation has been offered that the movements of the left hand would be more easily concealed at meals than those of the right, as the Romans usually reclined on the left side.1 This fact may have been of some influence; but the origin of the association seems to be due in large measure to the general characteristics attributed to the left hand in popular belief.

A direct development from the preceding is the use of sinistrae' in the sense of accomplices in thieving. Catullus 47, 1: Porci et Socration, duae sinistrae | Pisonis, scabies famesque mundi.'

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The same explanation may possibly be applied to Martial, 11, 73, 1 ff.: 'Venturum iuras semper mihi Lygde, roganti Constituisque horam constituisque locum. Cum frustra iacui longa prurigine tentus | Succurrit pro te saepe sinistra mihi’; cf. also Martial, 9, 41, 1, and 11, 58, 11.

In Vergil (Aen. 6, 570), Tisiphone brandishes her snakes with her left hand: 'continuo sontis ultrix accincta flagello | Tisiphone quatit insultans, torvosque sinistra intentans anguis vocat agmina saeva sororum.' So, too, the Furies are said to carry their torches in their left hands: Seneca, Agam. 759: 'Instant sorores squalidae | sanguinea iactant verbera fert laeva semustas faces.' Both of these passages show clearly the general view with regard to the left hand.

It is but natural, in view of its especial characteristics, that the left hand should be the one connected with charms or with whatever might be associated with magic or sorcery of any kind. Thus Medea, when preparing the magic potion in which to dip the robe which she sends to Creusa, collects the ingredients with her left hand. Seneca, Medea, 680: 'et triste laeva

1 Cf. Ellis, Note on Catullus 12, 1: 'Marrucine Asini, manu sinistra | non belle uteris in ioco atque vino: | tollis lintea neglegentiorum.

priest when preparing the charm which shall cause the earth to open and reveal the lower world, pours a libation with his left hand. Seneca, Oed. 565: 'libat et niveum insuper | lactis liquorem, fundit et Bacchum manu | laeva canitque rursus ac terram intuens graviore manes voce et attonita citat.'

In the Greek Magic Papyri, contrary to what might be expected, the use of the left hand is not prescribed as essential in the performance of the charm described. In several instances, however, the application of a magical compound to the left hand or the left side of the body is required. Greek Papyri in the British Museum 1, No. 121, p. 105, l. 665 ff.; No. 122, p. 118, l. 65 ff.; No. 125, p. 124, l. 1 ff.; Wessely, l. c., p. 138, p. 468 ff.; Cf. Greek Papyri in the British Museum, 1, No. 121, p. 95, 1. 339 ff. On the other hand, the use of the right hand is specifically mentioned: Greek Papyri in the British Museum, 1, No. 121, p. 90, 1. 186 ff.; p. 101, 1. 522 ff.; Wessely, l. c., p. 45, l. 41; p. 62, l. 698.

The right side of the body: Greek Papyri in the British Museum, 1, No. 121, p. 105, l. 652 ff.; Parthey, l. c., 2, 1. 23; 1. 39.

In direct accordance with such practices is the important rôle given to the left hand and to the left in general by certain writers who deal with medicine and medical matters, chiefly Pliny, Pseudo-Pliny, Marcellus, and Pelagonius. For example, to render certain plants efficacious, one must pluck them with the left hand: Pliny, Nat. Hist. 27, 36: 'Aster ab aliquis bubonion appellatur, quoniam inguinum praesentaneum remedium est, cauliculus foliis oblongis duobus aut tribus, in cacumine capitula stellae modo radiata bibitur et adversus serpentis. Sed ad inguinum medicinam sinistra manu decerpi iubent et iuxta cinctus adligari prodest et coxendicis dolori adalligata'; Marcellus, Med. 26, 41: 'Artemisia herba est, quam Gallice bricumum appellant; hanc ubi nascatur require et inventam mane ante solis ortum sinistra manu extrahes et ex ea nudos renes praecinges; quo facto singulari