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 Popular Associations of Right 
 
 AND Left in Roman 
 
 Literature 
 
 BY 
 
 AJSTHONY PELZER WAGENER 
 
 A DISSEETATIOF 
 
 SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OP UNIVERSITY STUDIES OF THE JOHNS 
 HOPKINS UNIVERSITY IN CONFORMITY WITH THE REQUIRE- 
 MENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 
 
 19 lO 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 BALTIMORE 
 
 J. II. FURST COMPANY 
 
 1912 
 
Popular Associations of Right 
 
 AND Left in Roman 
 
 Literature 
 
 BY 
 
 ANTHONY PELZER ^WAGENER 
 
 A DISSERTATIOIsr 
 
 SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES OP THE JOHNS 
 HOPKINS UNIVERSITY IN CONFORMITY WITH JHE REQUIRE- 
 MENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 
 
 1910 
 
 BALTIMORE 
 
 H. FURST COMPANY 
 1912 
 
\ 
 
CdS^ 
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Introduction 5 
 
 Bibliography 7 
 
 The Right Hand as the Active Agent 9 
 
 The Right Hand as a Pledge of Good Faith 13 
 
 The Right Hand in the Expression of Emotion 18 
 
 The Left Hand as the Dishonorable Member 22 
 
 Association of the Right with the Male, of the Left with the Female, . 31 
 
 In Dreams 31 
 
 In the Determination of Sex 34 
 
 Right Side as the Position of Honor 37 
 
 iiridi^La and iirapia-Tepa as Orders of Procedure 39 
 
 Superstitions Based upon the Derived Associations of Right and Left. 41 
 
 pes dexter and pes sinister 42 
 
 The Two Ways 43 
 
 Sneezing 44 
 
 Right and Left in Augury 47 
 
 Signa impetrita 47 
 
 Signa oblativa 50 
 
 Use of dexter, sinister and laevus with derived meanings 56 
 
 263332 
 
POPULAR ASSOCIATIONS OF RIGHT AND 
 LEFT IN ROMAN LITERATURE 
 
 INTEODUCTION 
 
 ^PopuL 
 
 lar associations with right and left are primitive and 
 universal. At all events, we may safely conclude that the 
 distinction between the right and the left first arose in con- 
 nection with the hands; and from the earliest period we find 
 men using one hand in preference to the other. Indeed, it 
 is an established fact that human beings are naturally right- 
 handed.-^ 
 
 This being the case, the right hand was the one naturally 
 employed for any action requiring skill, accuracy, or strength. 
 In contrast with the left, therefore, it came to be regarded 
 as the reliable member. " This distinction appears to be coeval 
 with the earliest use of language." ^ As the right was the 
 hand used by the majority of people, it was the regular one 
 to use; therefore anything done by it was done in the regular 
 and correct way. Hence the result was most likely to be 
 favorable. 
 
 Then by a simple step the right hand itself began to be 
 identified with the favorable, and therefore the lucky. From 
 the hand the transference of the association to the right in 
 general was quite easy. 
 
 The development in the case of the left proceeded upon lines 
 exactly parallel to those followed by the right, although tend- 
 ing in the opposite direction. Thus the idea of weakness, 
 uncertainty, and unreliability was ordinarily attached to the 
 
 *Sir Daniel Wilson, Left-Handedness (1891).. 
 ' Wilson, I. c, p. 76. 
 
'^•**r : : A Right and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 left. This would naturally suggest the unreliable and un- 
 trustworthy in a moral sense. -^ 
 
 As contrasted with the right, the employment of the left 
 hand was unusual and therefore unnatural. It is a well- 
 known fact that among the untrained or the primitive any 
 departure from regular custom is regarded with great sus- 
 picion. Hence an action performed with the left hand might 
 be looked upon, merely for that reason, as ill-omened. 
 
 As a final step, the left became practically synonymous with 
 the unfavorable and the unlucky. 
 
 Such in brief must have been the development of this con- 
 ception among the Romans, as well as among other nations 
 and races. That it took place quite early is proved by the 
 fact that in the oldest remains of Latin and Greek literature 
 we find the characteristics of favorable and unfavorable, lucky 
 and unlucky, firmly attached to right and left. 
 
 In this investigation the main lines of development leading 
 from the purely physical qualities belonging to the right and 
 left hands to the final association of the right with the favor- 
 able and the lucky, and the left with the unfavorable and the 
 unlucky, have been traced as far as was practicable. It must 
 be borne in mind, however, that this development cannot be 
 set forth chronologically. As the whole process was entirely 
 completed in primitive and pre-literary times, all the stages 
 represented in the literature exist side by side, at one and 
 the same time. 
 
 * Wilson, I. c, p. 75. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 BIBLIOGEAPHY 
 
 In the course of this investigation, examination has been 
 made of all existing Latin literature from its beginning 
 through the writers of the second century a. d. In addition 
 there have been consulted Prudentius; Claudian; Martianus 
 Capella; Pseudo-Pliny, De Medicina; Marcellus, De Medica- 
 mentis; and Pelagonius, Ars Veterinaria. 
 
 For comparison the following Greek authors were consulted, 
 chiefly by means of indices: Homer, Iliad and Odyssey; 
 Hesiod; Aeschylus; Sophocles; Herodotus; Euripides; Thucy- 
 dides; Aristophanes; Xenophon; Plato; Demosthenes; Aris- 
 totle; Plutarch; Athenaeus; Artemidorus; Geoponica (ed. 
 Beckh, Leipzig, 1895). 
 
 Catalogue of the Greeh Papyri in the John Rylands Library 
 (1911), :^o. 28, pp. 56 ff. 
 
 Diels, Die Fragmente der Yorsolcratiker, Berlin, 1903. 
 
 Melampus, ^HepX UaX/jLcov MavTLKrj/ Ahhandlungen der 
 
 Icdniglichen Preussischen Ahademie der Wissenschaften, 
 1907. 
 
 Greeh Papyri in the British Museum, 1, I^os. 46, 47, 121, 122, 
 123, 124, 125, pp. 64-125. 
 
 Meineke, Fragmenta Comicorum Graecorum. 
 
 Parthey, ^ Zwei griechische Zauberpapyri des Berliner Mu- 
 seums,' Ahhandlungen der honiglichen Ahademie der 
 Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 1865, pp. 109 ff. 
 
 Reiske, Indices Graecitatis in Singulos Oratores Atticos (which 
 includes Antiphon, Andocides, Lysias, Isaeus, Iso- 
 crates, Aeschines, Lycurgus, and Dinarchus). 
 
 Wessely, ' Griechische Zauberpapyrus von Paris u. London,' 
 Denhschriften der Jcaiserlichen Ahademie der Wissen- 
 schaften, Vienna, 1865, pp. 109 ff. 
 
8 Bight and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 The chief general works which were found to be of assistance 
 are: 
 
 Browne (Sir Thomas), Pseudodoxia Epidemica, Bk. 4, Ch. 4 
 
 and 5 (ed. by Charles Sajle, London, 1904). 
 Dieterich, Nehyia, Leipzig, 1893. 
 Frjklund, Les Changements de Signification des Expressions 
 
 de Droite et de Gauche dans les Langues Romanes et 
 
 Specialement en Frangais, Upsala, 1907. 
 Grimm, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Leipzig, 1853. 
 Teutonic Mythology (Trans, by Stallybrass), London, 
 
 1880-3. 
 Marquardt, Das Privatlehen der Romer, Leipzig, 1886. 
 
 Romische Btaatsverwaltung, ed. 1881. 
 
 Mommsen, Romische Staatsrecht, ed. 1887. 
 Preller-Jordan, Romische Mythologie, Berlin, 1881-3. 
 Ploss, Das Weib in der Natur- und Yolkerhunde, Leipzig, 1885. 
 Yaleton, ' De Modis Aiispicandi Komanorum,' Mnemosyne 17 
 
 (1889), pp. 275 ff. 
 Wilson (Sir Daniel), Lefthandedness, London and !N'ew York, 
 
 1891. 
 Wissowa, Religion und Kultus der Romer, Munich, 1902 (in 
 
 Mailer's Handbuch). 
 
 Other references will be found in the footnotes in connection 
 with special points. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 THE EIGHT HAND AS THE ACTIVE AGENT 
 
 / Being physically the superior, the right hand is the one 
 naturally employed in the performance of any work. In the 
 words of Vergil {Moretmn, 25) : ' laeva ministerio, dextra est 
 intenta labori.' So too in war it is the right hand which 
 carries the sword and other offensive weapons, while the pro- 
 tecting shield is entrusted to the left. Cicero had this in 
 mind when speaking of M. Caelius Rufus, the orator (Quin- 
 tilian, Inst. 6, 3, 69) : ^ Idem per allegoriam M. Caelium 
 melius obiicientem crimina quam defendentem, Bonam dex- 
 tram, malam sinistram habere dicebat.' Cf. Artemidorus, 
 Onirocritica 1, ch. 42 : arj/xaiveLv yap ecj^r] rrjv fiev Se^cav %6t/3a 
 T^ TTopc^o/jLeva T7]v 8e €VQ)w/jiov TO, ireTTopianeva, 97 fiev yap 
 TT/oo? TO Xa^elv eTOC/JLo^^, 97 Se i7rLT7J8eio<; tt/oo? to (f)v\d^at. Cf. 
 5, 92.1 
 
 From these two causes primarily arose the association of 
 the right hand with the active agent. Proofs of this are 
 numerous throughout the literature: 
 
 Horace, Epodes, 7, 9 : ^ sed ut secundum vota Parthorum 
 sua I urbs haec periret dextera ? ' 
 
 Vergil, Aen.j 11, 384: ^ quando tot stragis acervos | Teu- 
 crorum tua dextra dedit, passimque tropaeis | insignis agros.^ 
 
 Of similar nature are: Accius, Ex Incert. Fab., fr. 2,^ 
 Catullus, 33, 1; Varro, Sat. Men. 170, 13; Vergil, Aen. 1, 
 98; 334; 2, 425; 3, 670; 5, 692; 6, 370; 879; 7, 474; 498; 
 8, 354; 563; 567; 9, 320; 10, 279; 326; 333; 650; 773; 
 830; 847; 11, 118; 172; 178; 267; 339; 408; 12, 14; 50; 
 97; 428; 436; 538; 644; 659; Eel., 1, 35; Culex, 192; 256; 
 Tibullus, 3, 5, 9; Horace, Odes, 2, 17, 29; 3, 3, 52; Sat. 2, 
 
 *Cf. p. 31. 
 
 'Ribbeck, Sc. Rom. Poes. Frag., i, p. 254. 
 
10 Right and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 1, 54; Propertius 3, 27, 39; Livy 3, 57, 4; 6, 14, 4; 16, 2 
 7, 32, 12; 22, 5, 6; 29, 11; 23, 45, 9; 27, 45, 7; 34, 46, 10 
 35, 35, 17; Ovid, Met. 3, 305; 4, 175; 7, 342; 808; 8, 94 
 342; 395; 9, 29; 10, 198; 11, 23; 12, 114; 311; 606; 13 
 176; 355; 361; 14, 194; 539; Ar}i. 2, 9, 36; A. A. 1, 694 
 
 2, 78; 736; Her. 6, 12; 10, 102; 12, 115; 14, 50; Fast. 1 
 569; 2, 10; Trist. 5, 2, 16; 6, 14; Ih. 526; Pont. 2, 2, 13 
 4, 7, 19; Med. Fac. 64; Lucan, Phars. 2, 167; 3, 18; 326 
 740; 5, 355; 368; 7, 387; 8, 601; Seneca, Here. Fur. 157 
 518; 895; 968; 1005; 1010; 1197; 1281; 1318; Phaed. 60 
 396; 555; 680; 866; Oed. 257; 261; 1002; 1038; 1048 
 Agam. 50; 550; 628; 735; 890; 897; Phoen. 173; 437 
 Medea, 104; 645; 915; Thyestes, 57; 147; Troades, 165; 217 
 306; 328; 1097; 1155; Oet. 247; 297; 594; Here. Oet. 28 
 520; 870; 901; 908; 932; 951; 977; 988; 995; 999; 1001 
 1217; 1454; 1458; 1465; 1560; 1656; 1719; Petronius, 122 
 167; Valerius Placcus, Arg. 6, 339; Martial, 8y., 23, 2; 1, 21 
 1; 7; 7, 20, 16; 9, 61, 7; 11, 29, 1; 14, 208; Statins, 8ilvae 
 
 3, 4, 54; Silins Italicus, Pun., 5, 661; 6, 340; 9, 124; 10 
 257; 12, 670; 15, 385; 744; 16, 145; 17, 296; Juvenal, 15 
 67, Apuleius, Met. 1, 13, 48; 8, 8, 532; 12, 539; 540; 11 
 25, 807; De Deo Socratis, 131; Amm. Marc. 14, 5, 8; 16 
 12, 36; 12, 52; 25, 1, 15; 3, 7; Prudentius, c. Symm. 2, 35 
 Peristeph, 4, 9 ; 5, 300; Martianus Capella, 2, 135; 5, 425, 
 1. 13; Eibbeck, 8c. Rom. Poes. Frag. 1, p. 276, 'No. 15. 
 
 With his right hand Jupiter hurls the blazing thunderbolt. 
 Horace, Odes, 1, 2, 1 ; ' lam satis terris nivis atque dirae | 
 Grandinis misit Pater et rubente | Dextera sacras iaculatus 
 arces | Terruit urbem.' Vergil, Georg. 1, 328 : '^ ipse pater 
 media nimborum in nocte corusca | fulmina molitur dextra.' 
 Ovid, Met. 2, 60; 311; Am. 3, 3, 30; Fast. 1, 202; Rem. Am. 
 370; Martial 6, 83, 3. 
 
 The augur, when engaged in the performance of his office, 
 held the lituus in his right hand. Livy 1, 18, 7: 'augur ad 
 laevam eius capite velato sedem cepit, dextra manu baculum 
 sine nodo aduncum tenens, quern lituum appellarunt.' Cur- 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature. 11 
 
 tins Eufus, Hist. Alex. 4, 15, 27; cf. Apuleius, Met. 11, 6, 
 765; 12, 778. 
 
 The sceptre was usually held in the right hand, although 
 we find mention of the use of the left hand also. Ovid, Fast. 
 6, 37 : ^ cur igitur regina vocor princepsque dearum ? | aurea 
 cur dextrae sceptra dedere meae ? ' Vergil, Aen. 12, 206; 
 Ovid, Met. 3, 264; Am. 3, 1, 34; Seneca, Oed. 642; Left: 
 Ovid, Met. 7, 506 ; Am. 3, 1, 13 ; Valerius Flaccus, Arg. 2, 
 590. 
 
 Upon such associations as these must be based the explana- 
 tion of the specific mention of the right hand in certain con- 
 nections, such as: 
 
 In commanding silence : Persius, 4, 8 ; Lucan, Phars. 1, 
 297; Claudian, 15, 133. 
 
 In making an address: Vergil, Aen. 12, 196; 579; Statins, 
 Theh.'12, 255; Silius Italicus, Pun. 2, 26; Apuleius, Met. 2, 
 21, 142 ; Orestis Tragoedia, 685.^ 
 
 In restraining: Vergil, Aen. 2, 592; 12, 311; Valerius 
 Flaccus, Arg. 3, 269; Suetonius, Til. 25, 22; Apuleius, Met. 
 1, 17, 57; 25, 76; 26, 79; Plato, Protagoras, 335 D. 
 
 In pointing out an object: Apuleius, Met., 1, 12, 46. ^ 
 
 Vengeance is inflicted upon an enemy with the right hand. ' 
 Seneca, Medea, 531 : ^ N^unc summe toto luppiter caelo tona | 
 intende dextram, vindices flammas para.' Prudentius, Cath, 
 5, 82 : ' qui domitam Pharon | plagis multimodis cedere prae- 
 suli I cogis iustitiae vindice dextera,' Seneca, Phoen. 91 ; 
 Silius Italicus, II Lat. 819 f Pun. 15, 793. 
 
 ^ Dextram conferre ' is used by Prudentius in the sense of 
 * join in battle with.' Psychomachia, 240 : ^ quam pudet, 
 o Mavors et Virtus, conscia, talem | contra stare aciem ferro- 
 que lacessere nugas, | et cum virgineis dextram conferre chor- 
 eis.' Cf. Plautus, Merc, 964; Amm. Marc. 16, 12, 37. 
 
 jSince it is with the right hand that any action requiring 
 
 ^Baehrens, Poet. Lat. Min. 5, p. 249, No. 55. 
 ' Baehrens, I. c, 3, p. 47. 
 
12 Right and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 strength is performed^, dextra is itself often identified with 
 strength or valor, Ovid, Met, 14, 108: ^ "magna petis," dixit 
 " vir f actis maxime cuius | dextera per ferrum, pietas spectata 
 per ignes." ' Vergil, Aen. 2, 291; Seneca, Here. Oet, 1174; 
 Silius Italicus, Pun. 9, 436; 13, 161; 184; 378; 452; 15, 
 92; 258; 733; 16, 32; 85; 550; 668; II. Lat. 275; 330 ;i 
 Juvenal, 3, 48. 
 
 Worthy of comparison is the use of the abstract noun ' dex- 
 teritas,' coined from dexter, with the meaning aptness or 
 readiness. Livy, 28, 18, 6 : ' tanta autem inerat comitas 
 Scipioni atque ad omnia naturalis ingenii dexteritas, ut . . . '■ 
 Livy, 37, 7, 15 ; Aulus Gellius, 13, 17, 1. 
 
 Dextra is twice found used for the whole man. This trans- 
 ference is quite natural. Still more common is dextrae equal 
 to milites. Since it is the most essential part of a soldier, 
 the entire man is, as it were, identified with his right hand. 
 dextra = vir. Silius Italicus, Pun. 7, 63 : '' certaverit unus | 
 ter centum dextris.' Lucan, Phars. 3, 310. 
 
 Quite similar is the occurrence of dextella and dextera in 
 the sense of ' right hand man.' Cicero, Att. 14, 20, 5 : ^ Quin- 
 tus filius, ut scribis, Antonii est dextella.' Elegia in Mae- 
 cenatem, 13: ^ ^ Regis eras, Etrusce, genus; tu Caesaris almi | 
 Dextera, Romanae tu vigil urbis eras.' 
 
 Dextrae =milites: Claudian, 5, 262: ^ Spernisne tuas, dux 
 optime, dextras | Quas tibi victrices totiens Bellona probavit.' 
 Livy, 23, 9, 6 ; Lucan, Phars. 4, 207 ; 7, 366 ; Silius Italicus, 
 Pun. 1, 348 ; 8, 402 ; 14, 238 ; 15, 495 ; 564 ; 16, 18. 
 
 Interesting in this connection as showing the belief in 
 the general superiority of the right over the left, are two 
 passages from Pliny, Nat. Hist. 9, 15, 50: ' thynni dextera 
 ripa intrant, exeunt laeva, id accidere existumatur, quia dextro 
 oculo plus cernant utroque natura hebeti '' ; and 17, 21, 153: 
 * sic palmites, nepotes, uvae, folia, pampini gignuntur, mir- 
 
 * Baehrens, I. c, 3, p. 21. 
 
 ^Baehrens, Poet. Lat. Min. 1, p. 126. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature. 13 
 
 umque firmiora esse in dextera parte genita.' Cf. Apuleius, 
 Apologia^ 61, 5. 
 
 By the recognition of this same idea is furnished also an 
 explanation for Seneca, Ep. Mor. 6, 1, 7 : ' Dubio et incipi- 
 ente morbo qnaeritur nomen, qui ubi talaria coepit intendere 
 et utrosque dextros pedes fecit, necesse est podagram fateri.' 
 
 Further evidence for the precedence taken over the left 
 hand by the right is furnished by the ancient system of finger 
 counting. In this units and tens were counted on the left 
 hand, hundreds and thousands on the right. ^ Juvenal, 10, 
 248 : ' Felix nimirum, qui tot per saecula mortem | Distulit 
 atque suos iam dextra computat annos.' ^ ISTestor, who has 
 lived three saecula (i. e. 100 years), is beginning to tell his 
 years on the right hand.' Plautus, Mil. 203; Suetonius, 
 Claud. 21, 32. 
 
 It is in these fundamental conceptions that the ultimate 
 reason for the association of the right with the lucky and 
 favorable and of the left with the unlucky and unfavorable 
 must be sought. From such a starting point the development 
 is natural and easily understood. 
 
 THE EIGHT HAND AS A PLEDGE OF GOOD FAITH 
 
 [The use of the right hand as a pledge of good faith is a 
 practice which belonged to the Romans in common with many 
 other peoples. The explanation of its origin is obvious. As 
 has been already noted, in fighting the weapons for attack 
 were carried in the right hand. When peace therefore was 
 made between two adversaries, in approaching one another the 
 right hand was naturally extended to show that it was weapon- 
 less and that no treachery was contemplated. Then to ratify 
 the truce the two right hands were clasped. Thus very easily 
 
 * Mayor, Note on Juvenal, 10, 249: Wilson, Note on Juvenal, 10, 249. 
 
14 Right and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 arose the conception that the right hand was the especial seat 
 of good faith, and whenever a sign of good faith was required, 
 the right hand was involved as its symbol. Pliny, Nat, Hist. 
 11, 45, 250: ^ inest et aliis partibus qnaedam religio, sicut 
 dexter a osculis aversa adpetitur, in fide porrigitnr.' Either 
 the actual physical hand was grasped, or it might be used in 
 a purely symbolical sense. Here may be mentioned the several 
 signs by means of which an enemy indicated his desire to 
 make peace. This might be done by simply stretching out his 
 right hand. Xenophon, Cyropaedia, 4, 2, 17-19 : etc tovtov 
 Tre/JLTrei rov erepov avrcop tt/oo? avrov^, rd^af; Xeyetv, el ^lXol 
 elaCvj 0)9 rd')(^L(7Ta viravrav ra^ 3ef ta? avareivavra^; • . . . Kal 
 OLX^Tai, 6 erepov tcov ayyeXcov tt/oo? avrois Kal tmv i^fierepcov 
 Ti9 aijv avTcpj ipovvre'^, el <^l\oi elalv, vTravTid^etv ra? Sefta? 
 avaTeivavra^ irdvTa^. ... ol he 'Tp/cdvLOL aKOvaavre<; roiv ayye- 
 \(DV rjcrdrjcrdv re Kal ava7rr}8r](TavTe<; eirl rov^ Xttitov^ Traprjaav 
 rd^ 8efta9, coa-jrep etpr^ro, irpoTeCvovTe';. Plutarch, Sulla, 467 C 
 / Or the right shoulder might be uncoveredj Caesar, B. G., 
 7, 50, 2 : ^ hi similitudine armorum vehementer nostros per- 
 terruerunt, ac tametsi dextris humeris exsertis animadverteban- 
 tur, quod insigne pacatorum esse consuerat, tamen id ipsum 
 sui fallendi causa milites ab hostibus factum existimabant.' 
 
 Or a branch of olive might be extended in the right hand. 
 Silius Italicus, Pun. 13, 68: ^ tum, pignora pacis | praetendens 
 dextra ramum canentis olivae.' 
 
 ( In all of these, of course, the object is to prove the absence of 
 weapons. 
 
 Other similar uses of the right hand are: 
 
 As a pledge of friendship and alliance: Yergil, Aen. 3, 83: 
 ^ iungimus hospitio dextras et tecta subimus ' ; Euripides, 
 I ph. in Aidis, 57: Kal viv elarfkOev rdSe, | 6pKov<i crvvd^jraL 
 Se^id^ re crvfji/3a\elv | /xvTjarrjpa^ dXXrjXoio-L; [Caesar], Bdl. 
 Alex. 24, 2; Vergil, Aen. 1, 408 ; 514; 6, 697; 8, 163; 
 169; 467; 9, 741; 11, 165; 292; Livy, 7, 42, 6; 22, 30, 
 6; 23, 9, 3; 25, 16, 13; Ovid, Met. 6, 447; 506; Her. 2, 
 31; 12, 90; Curtius Eufus, Hist. Alex. 6, 5, 4; 10, 11; Seneca, 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature. 15 
 
 Here, Fur, 371; Valerius Flaccus, Arg, 3, 18; 6, 12; T, 344; 
 Statins, Theh, 1, 470; 2, 149; 3, 699; 6, 268; Silius Italicus, 
 Pun, 6, 421; 8, 59; 11, 149; 13, 76; 15, 288; 16, 154; Sue- 
 tonius, Caes, 81, 22; Aulus Gellius, 12, 8, 3; Claudian, 3, 
 223 ; 13, 7 ; 15, 352 ; Maximianus, Elegiae, 3, 75 ; ^ AnthoL 
 Lat. 198, 1. 71 2; 208, 1. 47^; Baehrens, Poet, Lat, Min, 5, 
 p. 421, ]^o. 113, 1. 5; E'o. 118, 1. 86; Aristophanes, Frogs, 
 789; Xenophon, Cyrop, 4, 2, 7 and 13; 6, 10; 5, 2, 14; 6, 
 3, 13; Oec, 4, 25. 
 
 iJ^he right hand was given to ratify a treaty or an agreement, 
 and also as a pledge of reconciliation. Livy, 3, 2, 3 : ^ legatos in 
 concilium gentis missos nuntiare iussit Q. Fabium consulem di- 
 cere se ex Acquis pacem Romam tulisse, ab Roma Acquis bellum 
 adferre eadem dextera armata, quam pacatam illis antea de- 
 derat ' ; Plutarch, Crassus, 562 F: ^ovprjva^ he . , , rrjv he 
 he^LCLV TTpovTetvev, i/caXet he top K-pdaaov eirl avfji/Sdaetf; ; Cor- 
 nelius ISTepos, 2 (Them.) 8, 4; Livy, 1, 1, 8 ; C\irtius Rufus, 
 Hist, Alex. 6, 7, 35; 8, 12, 10; Sophocles, Philoct, 942; 
 Euripides, Medea, 898 ; Xenophon, Anah. 1, 66 ; 7, 3, 1 ; Cyrop, 
 3, 2, 14; 8, 8, 2; Hist, Graec, 4, 1, 15 and 29; Plutarch, 
 Flamininus, 372 A. 
 
 Hence the use of dextra data, dextrae datae, in the sense 
 of treaty or agreement. Vergil, Aen, 10, 515 : ^ Pallas, Evan- 
 der, in ipsis | omnia sunt oculis, mensae, quas advena primas | 
 tunc adiit, dextraeque datae ' ; Vergil, Aen. 4, 307; 7, 366; 
 Livy, 30, 13, 8; 41, 25, 1. 11; Ovid, Met, 14, 297; Silius 
 Italicus, Pun, 17, 67. 
 
 The data or datae is frequently omitted, and dextra or 
 dextrae is given the same signification. Livy, 29, 24, 3: 
 * litteras dat ad regem, quibus etiam atque etiam monet eum, ne 
 iura hospitii secum neu cum populo Romano initae societatis 
 neu fas, fidem, dexteras, deos testes atque arbitros conventorum 
 fallat' ; Vergil, Aen., 6, 613; Valerius Flaccus, Arg. 7, 651; 
 
 * Baehrens, Poet. Lat. Min. 5, p. 336, No. 57. 
 ' Baehrens, I. c, 4, p. 195. 
 "Baehrens, I. c, 4, p. 239. 
 
16 Right and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 Statius, Theh. 3, 165; Silius Italicus, Pun, 11, 545; Tacitus, 
 Ann. 2, 58, 1. Ae^td is similarly used in Greek. Homer, 
 Iliad, 2, 340 : iv irvpl 8r} jSovXai re yevoiaro fJLrjBed r' av8pa>v, \ 
 airovSai r^ aKprjToi Kal he^iaC, rj^ eTreinO fiev \ Luoan, Phars. 2, 
 126 ; Homer, Iliad, 4, 159 ; Xenophon, Cyrop. 6, 1, 11 ; 
 Oxyrhynchus Papyri, 3, l^o. 533, 1. 18; Fayum Towns and 
 Their Papyri (1900), E'o. 124, 1. 13. 
 
 As the right hand was so closely associated with peace, when 
 one party wished to enter into concord and alliance with 
 another, right hands were sometimes sent hy envoys as sym- 
 bolic of this desire. These hands were probably actual repre- 
 sentations. Tacitus, Hist. 2, 8, 12 : ^ centurionemque Sisen- 
 nam, dextras, eoncordiae insignia, Suriaci exercitus nomine 
 ad praetorianos ferentem, variis artibus adgressus est, donee 
 Sisenna clam relicta insula trepidus et vim metuens aufuger- 
 et ' ; Xenophon, Anah. 2, 4, 1 : ev he ravrai^ a^iKvovvTai tt/oo? 
 ^Kpialov Kol ol aSeX^ol koX ol dXkoL avaj/caloL Kal Tr/ao? tov9 
 avv iK€LVQ) Hepacov rtve^, irapeOappwov re kol 3efia? ivLOL<; irapa 
 paa-Lk€(0^ €cf>€pov fir) /JLvrjaL/caKrja-eiv fiaanXea, avTol^ rrjf; crvv 
 "Kvpco iirLaTparela^i Cornelius IsTepos, 14 (Datames), 10, 1 & 2 ; 
 Plutarch, Antonius 932 E. 
 
 When dying, Darius ordered his right hand to be carried 
 to Alexander. Curtius Rufus, Hist. Alex. 5, 13, 30: ^ Dex- 
 tram deinde protendit, eamque Alexandre, fidei regiae pignus, 
 ferri iubens, apprehensa Polystrati manu animam efflavit.' 
 
 !So also the same act served as a sign of hospitality. Taci- 
 tus, Hist. 1, 54, 1 : ^ Miser at ci vitas Lingonum vetere insti- 
 tute dona legionibus dextras, hospitii insigne.' 
 
 Finally, then, the right hand in itself is a symbol and a 
 pledge of good faith, Cicero, Phil. 11, 2, 5: * dexterae, quae 
 fidei testes esse solebant, sunt perfidia et scelere violatae ^ ; 
 Euripides, Medea, 20 ; MrjSeca 8' y hvar'qvo^ riri/JLaa-fievr) | ySoa 
 fikv opKov^y avaKoXel he he^ia^ | ttCcttlv fieyiaTi^v ; Vergil, 
 Aen. 4, 597; Livy, 1, 21, 4; 28, 35, 1; Curtius Eufus, Hist. 
 Alex. 4, 14, 25; 6, 10, 14; Seneca, Medea, 248; Valerius 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature, 17 
 
 Flaccus, Arg, 5, 494; Silius Italicus, Pun, 11, 252; Pliny, 
 Pan, 66, 24; Aristotle, Rhet,, A, 14, 5. 
 
 Thus in making a promise the right hand was given as a 
 pledge of its fulfilment. Cicero, Phil. 10, 4, 9 : ^ quae quidem 
 nunc M. Bruti imperio, auctoritate, copiis non instructa solum, 
 sed etiam ornata tendit dexteram Italiae suumque ei praesi- 
 dium pollicetur ' ; Livy, 1, 7, 11 : ^ dextra Hercules data 
 accipere se omen impleturumque fata ara condita ac dicata 
 ait ' ; Plutarch, Pelopidas, 292 C: rod 8e IleXoTriSov rrjv ho^av 
 avTTjv Kol Tovvo/Jba 8e8oLKOt)<; aTrrjVTrjcrev &)? fCpeLcraovc ical 
 8e^LCt)o-dfJL€vo<; koX 8er)6eU o) fioXoyrjae Trjv fiev apxv^ toI<; 
 Tov TeOvrjfcoTo^ aSe\(^ot9 Bta<f>v\d^€LP ; Livy, 1, 58, 7; 30, 12, 
 18; 40, 46, 40; Sophocles, Philoct. 1398; Euripides, Helen, 
 838. 
 
 This was part of the symbolism by which an oath was 
 regularly ^accompanied. Tacitus, Ann. 2, 71, 20 : ' iuravere 
 amici dextram morientis contingentes, spiritum ante quam 
 ultionem amissuros'; Demosthenes, Kara MetStov, 553, 12 
 (Reiske) : rrj 8^ varepaia iraXiv av . . . elcreXdcov 0LKa8e ©9 
 eKelvov Kal i(f)e^rj^ ovrcocrl KaOi^oixevo^, Trjv 8e^iav i/JL^aXcbVy 
 irapovTODv ttoWcov . . . (ofivve jxev . . . ; Tacitus, Ann. 11, 9, 11. 
 
 So also the right hand was sometimes sworn by, per dextram. 
 Vergil, Aen. 1, 2Z4:: ' fata per Aeneae iuro dextramque poten- 
 tem, I sive fide seu quis bello est expertus et armis.' 
 
 It is called upon as a witness. Vergil, Aen. 9, 287: ^ banc 
 ... linquo (nox et tua testis | dextera) quod nequeam lacri- 
 mal perferre parentis.' 
 
 As one of the ceremonies which took place during the cele- 
 bration of a marriage, the right hand of the bridegroom was 
 joined with that of the bride. ^ Claudian, Epith. Laurentii 
 (71), 64: ^ Surge age iam iuvenis: dextram complectere spon- 
 sae ' ; Euripides, Iph. in Aulis, 831: KA. fjbelvov tl <f>eih- 
 7ei9 ; 8e^Ldv r' efxy %e/3l | (rvva'^ov, apxv^ fiatcapLCov vvfMcpev- 
 
 ■ j> 
 ^Marquardt, Privatleben der Romer, 1, p. 50. 
 
18 Right and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 /jLciTcov. AX. TL <^rj^i iyco aoi Se^tdp; Vergil, Aen. 4, 104; 
 Claudian, 31, 128; 40, 53; Epithalamium Laurentii Aliaque, 
 66; 1' Xenophon, Cyrop. 8, 4, 25 and 26. 
 
 THE EIGHT HAND IX THE EXPEESSIOX OF 
 EMOTION 
 
 In tlie expression of varying emotions the right hand played 
 an important part. The right hand was grasped or kissed 
 as a mark of reverence :/ Lucan, PJiars, 2, 113: ^ Spes una 
 salutis I oscula pollutae fixisse trementia dextrae ' ; cf . Florus, 
 Epitoma, 2, 9, 16. Xenophon, Cyrop, 3, 2, 14: aKovaavre^ 
 8e ol HaXBaloL ravra TroWa fiev iTratvea-avre^, iroWa Be Se- 
 ^Lcoadfievot cd')(ovTo oLKaSe; Vergil, Aen. 7, 266; Silins Itali- 
 cus, Pun. 18, 183; Suetonius, Nero, 13, 8; Claudian, 15, 231; 
 20, QQ; 24, 6; 26, 619; Anthol Lat. 206, 1. 88; Euripides, 
 Ivh. in Aulis, 866 ; Parthey, I. c. 1, 1. 77. 
 [ Clasping the right hand was a sign of deep affection : Ver- 
 gil, ylen. 8, 558 : ^ tum pater Evandrus dextram complexus 
 euntis | haeret ' ; Xenophon, Hist. Graec. 5, 1, 3 : 6 Be TeXeurta? 
 fiafcapLCOTaTa Srj aireirXevorev OiKaSe. r)vifca yap eVi OoXarrav 
 Kare^aivev, eir' oXicov opfJLco/JLevo^, ovSeh eicelvov tojv o-rpaTtcoTMV 
 09 ovfc iSe^LQxraTo ; Vergil, Aen. 9, 250 ; Seneca, Phoen. 450 
 Tacitus, Ann. 15, 71, 1;^ Xenophon, Cyrop. 5, 3, 20; 5, 7 
 7, 5, 53 ; Sophocles, Track. 1181 ; ^ Euripides, Heraclidae, 307 
 Ipli. in Aulis 339; 471; Aristophanes, Clouds, 81.^ 
 
 Grasping a right hand indicated joy : Xenophon, Hist. Graec. 
 7, 2, 9 : ewOa Brj OedaaorOai Traprjv errl tt}? a(i)T7jpia<; rov<; jxev 
 dvBpa^ Se^LovfJievov^ aWi]\ov<i Ta<; Be yvval/ca^ irielv re <j)€pov(Ta<i 
 . . . ; Plutarch, Agesilaus, 612 C. 
 
 ^ Baehrens, Poet. Lat. Min. 3, p. 299, No. 42. 
 
 * Here the idea of reverence also is probably involved. 
 «Cf. Iliad, 6, 233. 
 
 * Cf . Note of Blaydes. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature, 19 
 
 According to Plutarch (de Project, in Yirt. 85 C), a mes- 
 senger indicated the fact that he was bringing joyful news 
 by stretching oat his right hand : ^AXe^avSpo^ fiev yap m 
 eoLKev, djjeXov IScov nrepixcip^ irpoadeovTa, /cal ttjv Be^tdv tt/oo- 
 reCvovra . . . 
 
 One gave the right hand to express gratitude; one clasped 
 the right hand of one's benefactor: Livy, 28, 9, 6: ^ non salu- 
 tabant modo universi circumfusi sed contingere pro se quis- 
 que victrices dextras consulum cupientes, alii gratulabantur, 
 alii gratias agebant, quod eorum opera incolumis res publica 
 esset'; Plutarch, Alexander, 690 A (ch. 43): aW ^AXe^av- 
 8po(; aTToSwaet aot rrjv X^P^^ ' *AXef az^S/^o) Se ol Tr]<; et? /jLrjrepa 
 Kal ryvvatKa fcal 7ral8a<; tov<; e/xou? eirieLKeCa^, w ravTrjv SlSco/jlc 
 TTjv Se^taj. Sia aov, Livy, 26, 50, 9; Ovid, Met. 8, 421; So- 
 phocles, Oed. at Colonus, 1130; Plutarch, de Adul. et Am. 63 E. 
 C Grief might be expressed by striking the breast or the fore- 
 head with the right hand, or even by simply stretching it out. 
 Seneca, Troades, 106 : ' iam nuda vocant pectora dextras ' ; 
 Apuleius, Met. 1, 7, 31-32: ^ iam adlubentia proclivis est 
 sermonis et ioci et scitum et cavillum, iam dicacitas < in > 
 timida cum ille imo de pectore cruciabilem suspiritum ducens 
 dextra saeviente f rontem replaudens : " me miserum,'' infit ' ; 
 Vergil, Aen. 10, 821 ; ^ at vero ut voltum vidit morientis et 
 ora I ... ingemuit miserans graviter dextramque tetendit ' ; 
 Plutarch, Eunienes 587 D: nrvOopievo^ he ttjv Kparepov reXev- 
 rrjv Kal irpoaeXdaa^, o)? elhev ifiirveovTa Kal (rvvievra, KaraPm 
 airehaKpvae Kal rrjV he^tav eVeySaXe, Kal iroWa fjuev iXoiSoprjae 
 TOP NeoTTToXe/JioVj iroXXd Se eKelvov fxev (LKTiaaro ttj^ 'tvxv^ ? 
 Seneca, Troad. 117; Martial, 2, 11, 5; Apuleius, Met. 1, 7, 
 31-32. 
 
 Similar is the expression of anger. Apuleius, Met. 6, 9, 
 396: ^ quam ubi primum inductam oblatamque isibi conspexit 
 Venus, latissimum cachinnum extollit et qualem solent furen- 
 ter irati, caputque quatiens et ascalpens aurem dexteram . . .' 
 
 So too, to show anger towards the gods, right hands were 
 
20 Right and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 raised to the skj. Lucan, Phars, 8, 148 : ^ sic litore toto | 
 plangitur, infestae tenduntur in aetliera dextrae.' 
 
 Right hands were clasped at parting. Hence, the relatives 
 and friends of a dying man grasped his right hand when 
 bidding him the last farewell; Livy, 26, 14, 4: ' inde misso 
 convivio dextris inter se datis nltimoque complexu conlacri- 
 mantes suum patriaeque oasnm alii, nt eodem rogo crema- 
 rentur, manserunt, alii domos digressi sunt ' ; Xenophon, 
 Cyrop. 8, 7, 26: el' tl^ ovv v/jlcov r) 8e^id<; ^ovXerai ttj^ iiJLrj<i 
 d'\jraa6aL, ^ o/jl/jlu rovfJLOv ^oovro^ ere Trpoaihelv edeXei, irpoaLTCo • 
 . . . TavT elircov /cat 7rcivTa<i Be^LCO(Tdfievo<i iveKaXv-xjraTO, koI 
 ovTco^ erekevTrjaev, Ovid, Met. 6, 494; Euripides, AlcestiSy 
 193; Iph. in Aulls, 679 ; Xenophon, Cyrop. 7, 3, 8. 
 
 An old and well-established custom was that of giving the 
 right hand in greeting. Ovid, Met. 7, 494 : ' Aeacidae longo 
 iuvenes post tempore visum | Agnovere tamen Cephalum, dex- 
 trasque dedere, | Inque patris duxere domum ' ; Demosthenes, 
 De Corona, 332, 8 (Reiske) : ovk iirl puev tol<; erepcov evTV- 
 yrjfjbaa-i ^aihpo^ iyoi) /cal y€<y7)9co<; tcara ttjv ayopav Trepiep- 
 ^ofiaL, rr)v Se^cav irporeivcov koX evayyeXt^o/jievo^ tovtol^^ oik; 
 dv eKelcre dirayyeXelv occofjuac; Plautus, Men. 138; AuL 116; 
 Lucretius, 1, 316; Vergil, Aen, 3, 610; 8, 124; Horace, Ep. 
 
 1, 6, 51; Livy, 45, 12, 1. 7 and 1. 17; Curtius Rufus, Hist, 
 Alex. 6, 5, 2; Seneca, Here. Fur. 297; Valerius Flaccus, Arg. 
 
 2, 638; Silius Italicus, Pun. 6, 397; Martial, 2, 21, 1 ; Homer, 
 Iliad, 10, 542; Xenophon, Anah. 7, 4, 19; Cyrop. 6, 3, 36; 
 Hist. Graec. 4, 1, 15; Plutarch, Pompey, 658 C; Cato Minor, 
 765 C ; Comp. Lys. cum Sulla, 478 A ; Crassus, 550 E ; de Gen, 
 Socr. 597 F. 
 
 In making supplications or prayers the right hand played 
 a conspicuous part. Statins, 8ilvae, 1, 2, 67: 'at tandem 
 lacrimis, et supplice dextra | et votis precibusque viri concede 
 moveri ' ; Ovid, Met. 3, 721 ; Petronius, 121, 100 ; Valerius 
 Elaccus, Arg. 4, 11; Statins, Silv. 5, 1, 258; Achil. 1, 365; 
 Theh. 11, 688 ; Tacitus, Ann. 12, 19, 1. 
 
 According to circumstances the suppliant merely stretched 
 
Eight and Left in Roman Literature, 21 
 
 out his right hand in entreaty: Yergil, Aen. 11, 414; Silius 
 Italicus, Pun, 2, 413 ; Diphilus, l^coypacj^o^:, 2, 1, 23.^ Or 
 the person supplicated was held fast by the suppliant : Valerius 
 Flaccus, Arg, 7, 475 : ^ turn 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 ' ; Sen- 
 eca, 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, Mem exposceret ' ; Silius Italicus, 
 Pun. 12, 591: ^ ostentant parvos vagituque incita pulsant | 
 corda virum armatis infigunt oscula dextris ' ; Euripides, 
 Medea, 496: (f)€v Se^ca %€t/o ^9 av ttoXX' iXafjL^dvov, | Kal 
 TMvSe yovdrcou; Aristophaues, i^V-o^s 754; & ^ol^' "AttoWov, 
 efx^aXe fJLOL ttjv Be^tdv, | koI So? Kvcrat KavTo<; Kvaov, fcal fiot 
 <j)pd<T0Vj I 7r/309 Afco9, 09 . . . ; Plautus, Cure. 339 ; Livy, 1, 
 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); Statins, Achil. 1, 48; Theh. 9, 418; 
 Silius Italicus, Pun. 6, 461 ; U. Lat. 688 ; ^ Euripides, Hippo- 
 lytus, 333 ; Hecuba, 342 ; Heracleidae, 844. 
 
 As in the taking of oaths, per dextram and tt/oo? Be^id'; are 
 also used in supplication. This latter use is much the more 
 common. Plautus, AmpJi. 923 : ^ per dexter am tuam te, Alcu- 
 mena, oro obsecro, | da mihi banc veniam, ignosce, irata ne 
 sies ' ; Euripides, Iph. in Tauris, 1068: aXkd irpo^ ere Se^idf; | 
 o-e fcal a Ifcvovfiac; Plautus, Capt. 4:4:2; 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; Hecuha, 753; 
 Iph. in Aulis, 709 ; Aristophanes, Thesmoph, 936. 
 
 * Meineke,, I. c, i, p. 395. 
 
 'Baehrens, Poet. Lat. Min. 3, p. 41. 
 
22 Bight and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 THE LEFT HAND AS THE DISHONOEABLE 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 modem times is 
 well attested. Petronius, Cena Trimalchionis, 32, 3 : ^ habebat 
 etiam in minimo digito sinistrae manus anulum grandem sub- 
 auratum extremo vero articulo digiti sequentis minorem, ut 
 mihi videbatur totum aureum, sed plane ferreis veluti stellis 
 f erruminatum ' ; 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: ^ f abricae etiam deum 
 fibulas et alia muliebris cultus sicut inauris in primordio f acti- 
 tasse, 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 mains in laeva fuisset qua scutum 
 capitur.' According to this passage, the first person to intro- 
 duce 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 dis- 
 honor. 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, how- 
 ever, is aside from the question, and does not detract from the 
 
Bight and Left in Roman Literature. 23 
 
 main idea of the association between the left and the dis- 
 honorable. 
 
 Aulus Gellins (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. Romanes quoque homines aiunt sic 
 plerumque anulis usitatos. Causum huius rei Apion in libris 
 Aegyptiacis banc dicit, quod insectis apertisque humanis cor- 
 poribus, ut mos in Aegypto fuit, quas Graeci dvaTOfia^ appel- 
 lant, repertum est, nervum quondam 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 con- 
 sider 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 espec- 
 ial 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 E,omanae, quarum in more ferrei erant et vir- 
 tu tis 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. E'il equidem. 
 
 So. Cedo manum ergo. 
 Pae. Estne haec manus ? 
 So. IJbi ilia altrast furtifica laeva ? ' 
 
24 Right and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 Ovid, Met. 13, 110: ^ E'ec 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 Eomans usually reclined on the left 
 side.^ 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 popu- 
 lar 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.' 
 
 The same explanation may possibly be applied to Martial, 
 11, 73, Iff.: ^ 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 accinota flagello | 
 Tisiphone quatit insultans, torvosque sinistra | intentans an- 
 guis vocat agmina saeva sororum.' So, too, the Furies are 
 said to carry their torches in their left hands: Seneca, A gam. 
 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 ingredi- 
 ents with her left hand. Seneca, Medea, 680 : ^ et triste laeva 
 
 * Cf . Ellis, Note on Catullus 12, 1 : ' Marrucine Asini, manu sinistra | 
 non belle uteris in ioco atque vino: | tollis lintea neglegentiorum.' 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature. 25 
 
 congregans sacrum manu | pestes vocat . . .' Similarly tlie 
 priest when preparing the charm which shall cause the earth 
 itx) open and reveal the lower world, pours a libation with his 
 left hand. Seneca, Oed. 565: ' libat et niveum insuper | lactis 
 liquor em, 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 in- 
 stances, however, the application of a magical compound to 
 the left hand or the left side of the body is required. Greeh 
 Papyri in the BHtish Museum 1, I^o. 121, p. 105, 1. 665 ff . ; 
 1^0. 122, p. 118, 1. 65 ff.; No. 125, p. 124, 1. Iff.; Wessely, 
 I. c, p. 138, p. 468 if. ; Cf. Greeh Papyri in the British 
 Museum, 1, ISTo. 121, p. 95, 1. 339 ff. On the other hand, 
 the use of the right hand is specifically mentioned: Greeh 
 Papyri in the British Museum, 1, ]^o. 121, p. 90, 1. 186 ff.; 
 p. 101, 1. 522 ff. ; Wessely, I, c, p. 45, 1. 41 ; p. 62, 1. 698. 
 
 The right side of the body: Greeh Papyri in the British 
 Museum, 1, E'o. 121, p. 105, 1. 652 ff. ; Parthey, I, c, 2, 1. 23; 
 1. 39. 
 
 In direct accordance with such practices is the important 
 role 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 exam- 
 ple, to render certain plants efficacious, one must pluck them 
 with the left hand: Pliny, Nat. Hist. 27, 36: 'Aster ab ali- 
 quis bubonion appellatur, quoniam inguinum praesentaneum 
 remedium est, cauliculus foliis oblongis duobus aut tribus, in 
 oacumine capitula stellae modo radiata bibitur et adversus 
 serpentis. Sed ad inguinum medicinam sinistra manu de- 
 cerpi iubent et iuxta cinctus adligari prodest et coxendicis 
 dolori adalligata ' ; Marcellus, Med. 26, 41 : ' Artemisia 
 herba est, quam Gallice bricumum appellant; hanc ubi nasca- 
 tur require et inventam mane ante solis ortum sinistra manu 
 extrahes et ex ea nudos renes praecinges; quo facto singular! 
 
26 Right and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 et praesentaneo remedio uteris ' ; Vegetius, 4, 3, 12 ; Oolumella, 
 6, 5, 3; Pliny, Nat. Hist. 27, 117; Pseudo-Pliny, Med. 3, 23 
 (20, 126) ; Marcellus, Med., 32, 5; Pelagonius, Art. Vet. 22. 
 
 In the same manner some animals, if caught with the left 
 hand, are beneficial: Pliny, Nat. Hist. 30, 26: ^sunt qui et 
 araneum animal ipsum sinistra manu captum tritumque in 
 rosaceo et in aurem infusum cuius a parte doleat prodesse 
 arbitrentur ' ; Marcellus, Med. 2, 4: ^ Emicranium statim 
 curant vermes terreni pari numero sinistra manu lecti et in 
 limine cum terra de limine eadem manu triti et cum aceto 
 Optimo eadem manu fronti vel temporibus inliti cum dolor 
 urgebit' ; Marcellus, Med. 8, 51-52. 
 
 Differing but slightly is Marcellus, Med. 33, 64: ' Muli- 
 erem, quam tu habueris, ut numquam alius inire possit, facies 
 hoc: Lacertae viridis vivae sinistra manu caudam curtabis 
 eamque vivam dimittes; caudem, donee inmoriatur, eadem 
 palma clausam tenebis et mulierem verendaque eius dum cum 
 ea cois tange.' Cf. ih. 33, 6. 
 
 In the application of remedies the left hand is sometimes 
 used to render them more effective: Marcellus, Med. 8, 190: 
 ' Varulis, id est hordiolis oculorum, remedium tale facies : 
 Anulos digitis eximes et sinistrae manus digitis tribus oculum 
 circum tenebis et ter despues terque dices: rica, rica, soro. 
 Si in dextro oculo varulus erit natus, manu sinistra digitis 
 tribus sub divo orientem spectans varulum tenebis et dices ' ; 
 Marcellus, Med. 28, 74: ^ Item ad rosus tam hominum quam 
 iumentorum praecantio sic. Pollice sinistro et duobus mini- 
 mis digitis ventrem confricans dices.' 
 
 Sometimes, in fact, the left hand itself effects the cure: 
 Marcellus, Med. 14, 52 : ' Uvam to to anno non dolebit, qui 
 cum primum uvam viderit procedentem, sinistra manu digito 
 medicinali et pollice granum vulsum sic transgluttierit ut den- 
 tibus non contingat.' 
 
 The same point of view is responsible for the application 
 of a remedy to the left side of the body: Pliny, Nat. Hist. 20, 
 8, 77: ^ (Seris) cum polenta silvestrium radices stomachi 
 
Bight and Left in Roman Literature, 27 
 
 causa sorbentur, et cardiacis inlinuntur super sinistram mam- 
 mam et ex aceto, omnes hae et podagricis utiles et sanguinem 
 reicientibus, item quibus genitura fluat, alterno dierum potu ' ; 
 Marcellus, Med, 17, 42 : ^ Ad singultus inhibendos festucam, 
 quam bibens in calice acceperis, protinus supercilio sinistro 
 imponito ; continuo remedium experieris ' ; Marcellus, Med, 
 17, 42; 44; 29, 26; Pelagonius, Art. Yet, 103; 104; 186; 
 214. 
 
 So also a similar explanation is applicable to the statement 
 made by Aulus Gellius, quoting from Pliny, that tbe left foot 
 of a chameleon, when treated in the proper fashion, will pro- 
 duce invisibility : Aulus Gellius, 10, 12, 5 : ^ Sed redeo ad 
 Plinium. Sinistrum pedem ait chamaeleontis ferro ex igui 
 calefacto torreri cum herba quae appellatur eodem nomine 
 chamaeleontis et utrumque macerari unguento conligique in 
 modum pastilli atque in vas mitti ligneum et eum, qui vas ferat, 
 etiamsi is in medio palam versetur, a nuUo videri posse/ 
 
 As an exact opposite to all these usages is the requirement 
 made by Pliny, when speaking of the power to effect certain 
 cures resting in the hand of a dead person, that the left hand 
 must be turned away: Nat, Hist., 28, 45: ^ Immatura morte 
 raptorum manu strumas, parotidas, guttura tactu sanari ad- 
 firmant, quidam vero cuiuscumque defuncti, dumtaxat sui 
 sexus, laeva manu aversa.' The reason for this requirement 
 may rest in the fact that the left hand is ill-omened, and in 
 the desire to remove anything which may be unfavorable to 
 the success of the cure. 
 
 However, it is not the left alone that we find used in con- 
 nection with remedies such as the foregoing; but also the 
 right hand and the right in general are quite as frequent. 
 Their choice is due obviously to the general characteristic of 
 good luck attached to the right. 
 
 Simples must be gathered with the right hand: Marcellus, 
 Med. 29, 43 : ' Herbam nepetam dextra manu colliges, in 
 quantum suffioere posse credideris eamque ad levitatem con- 
 
28 Eight and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 teres et cum vino dulci ac vetere vel Libycensi colico ieiuno 
 per triduum dabis.' 
 
 The two middle fingers of the right hand when bound 
 together keep off catarrh or inflammation of the eyes. Here 
 the tying of the fingers typifies the binding of the disease. 
 There is also a probable connection between the middle finger 
 and the nose: Pliny, Nat, Hist, 28, 42: ^ PoUex in pede 
 praeligatus proximo digito tumores inguinum sedat, in manu 
 dextra duo medii lino leviter conligati distillationes atqu© 
 lippitudines arcent ' ; Marcellus, Med, 10, 71 ; Pseu.do-Pliny, 
 Med. 1, 11 (28, 42). 
 
 As a cure for sneezing or hiccuping, among other things, 
 Pliny prescribes the transfer of the ring from the left hand 
 to the middle finger of the right: Pliny, Nat, Hist, 28, 57: 
 ^ Sternumenta pinna gravedinem emendant et si quis mulae 
 nares, ut tradunt, osculo attingat, sternutamenta et singultum. 
 ad hoc Varro suadet palmam alterna manu scalpere, plerique 
 anulum e sinistra in longissimum dextrae digitum transferre, 
 in aquam ferventem manus mergere ' ; Marcellus, Med, 18, 
 44. 
 
 Trimalchio performs the same act as a charm to avert the 
 evil omen of the crowing of a cock: Petronius, Cena Trimal- 
 chionis, 74, 1 : ^ Haec dicente eo gallus gallinaceus cantavit. 
 qua voce confusus Trimalchio vinum sub mensa iussit effundi 
 lucemamque etiam mero spargi, immo anulum traiecit in 
 dexteram manum, et " non sine causa," inquit " hie bucinus sig- 
 num dedit; nam aut incendium oportet fiat, aut aliquis in 
 vicinia animam abiciet." ' 
 
 Blows from the right hand of the Luperci were supposed 
 to produce fruitfulness in women: Ovid, Fast. 2, 425 : ^ ISTupta, 
 quid expectas ? non tu pollentibus herbis, | ISTec prece, nee 
 magico carmine mater eris, | Excipe fecundae patienter ver- 
 bera dextrae | lam socer optatum nomen habebit avi.' 
 
 The healing power supposed to rest in the right hand is 
 shown clearly in a dream described by Artemidorus (Oniro- 
 critica 5, 89) : eSo^e rt? voacav tov <TT6fia')(pv koX <rvPTayrjf; 
 
Bight and Left in Roman Literature, 29 
 
 Beofievot; irapa rod ^AaKXrjTTLOV ek rb lepov rod 6eov ela-ievaiy 
 Kal Tov Oeov ifcretvavTa r^? Sefta? eavrov ')(^6ipo<; tou<? SaKTvXov; 
 irapex^LV avro) eadieiv. cjioivLica'^ irevre iadlcov iOepairevOr) * Kal 
 yap at tov ^oCvlko^ jSaXavot al airovBalaL Bd/crvXoi, /caXovvrac. 
 
 It is often necessary to apply the remedy to the right half 
 of the body of the patient : Marcellus, Med. 22, 41 : ' Lacertam 
 viridem prende et de acuta parte cannae iecur ei tolle et in 
 phoenicio vel panno naturaliter nigro alliga atque ad dextram 
 partem lateris ant brachii laboranti epatico suspende, sed vivam 
 lacertam dimitte et dicito ei ' ; Pelagonius, Art. Vet. 154: 
 ^ Item ad eos qui tardius meiant. porros decoques et sucnm 
 eornm exprimis ad sextarium et commisces vini veteris et olei 
 acetabulum et dabis per narem dextram et deambulet ' ; Mar- 
 cellus, Med. 10, 81; 22, 24; 26; 34; Pelagonius, Art Vet. 
 142; 278; 458; Pseudo-Pliny, Med. 3, 15. 
 
 Marcellus (Med. 33, 8) gives the composition of a plaster 
 which the user is to apply to the great toe of the right foot 
 as an aphrodisiac. When he desires to cease, it must be 
 transferred to the same position on the left foot : ^ Ut in 
 venerem, cum volueris, sis paratus, remedium tale facies . . . 
 Haec omnia separatim trita simul miscebis et iterum simul 
 teres ; inde emplastrum facies vel pittacium et pones in dextri 
 pedis pollice, cum uti volueris venere, et cum cessare volueris, 
 ad sinistri pedis pollicem transferes ' ; cf. Parthey, I. c. 1, 1, 
 334 if. 
 
 An instance of the use of a part of an animal taken from 
 its right side is Marcellus, Med. 33, 6 : ^ Venerem concitant 
 passeres in cibo sumpti vel ova eorum, item gallinaceus testis 
 dexter in arietina pelle collo subligatus mire prodest.' 
 
 In Pliny (Nat. Hist. 24, 19, 172) the patient to whom a 
 certain ointment is applied is required to spit to his right 
 three times. Pliny adds that the remedy is said to be more 
 efficacious if three men of three nationalities anoint themselves 
 towards the right (^ dextrorsus ') : ^ iuxta hanc viduam vite 
 nascitur herba quam Galli rodarum vocant . . . qui perunctus 
 est despuit ad suam dextram tema. efficacius remedium esse 
 
30 Bight and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 aiunt, si tres quoque trmm nationum homines perunguant 
 dextrorsus.' 
 
 Still another requirement made bj Marcellus is that the 
 patient shall receive the medicine from his right and hand 
 back the cup to his left. In this manner the medicine comes 
 from a favorable direction: Marcellus, Med. 25, 11: ^ Sed qui 
 aocipiet stans accipiat et contra orientem bibat et cum a dextra 
 parte potionem acceperit, ad sinistram retro ut non respiciat 
 reddat calicem ei, qui dederit potionem; hoc per triduum 
 faciet.' 
 
 Sometimes the remedy must be applied to the same side of 
 the body as that which is diseased; sometimes to the opposite 
 side: Marcellus, Med. 24, 23: ^ Observandum autem erit, ut 
 si in latere sinistro dolor fuerit, in manu sinistra habeatur 
 anulus, aut in dextra, si dextrum latus dolebit ' ; Marcellus, 
 Med. 8, 142; 29, 26; Marcellus, Med. 12, 48: ^ Si tibi 
 partis sinistrae dens dolebit, cubito dextro calidam fabam 
 coctam tritam impone et diligenter liga. Si vero partis dex- 
 terae sive superior sive inferior dens dolebit, cubito sinistro 
 ligato similiter fabam et hoc per triduum facito ' ; Marcellus, 
 Med. 9, 111; Pseudo-Pliny, Med. 1, 6 (28, 60). 
 
 Finally both hands are applied to both sides of the body: 
 Marcellus, Med. 18, 4: ' Ad cervicum dolores remedium physi- 
 cum sic: leiunus dextram manum saliva tange et dextrum 
 poplitem perfrica, deinde sinistra manu sinistrum et hoc ter 
 per singulos poplites facito ; statim remediabis ' * Marcellus, 
 Med. 12, 46. 
 
 Returning to the association between the left and charms 
 of any kind, there are several statements in the Geoponica 
 of Cassianus Bassus which show its full development. Thus 
 the left hoof of a black ass is a charm to ward off enchantment's : 
 Geoponica^ 15, 8, 1. 
 
 Similarly the left horn of a bull when burnt drives off 
 mildew from the fields: Geoponica, 5, 33, 1. 
 
 When attacked by a hyena it is necessary to advance on his 
 left side, as otherwise it will be impossible to kill him: Geo- 
 ponica, 15, 1, 12. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature, 31 
 
 Due probably to the same general idea is the statement 
 that a snake can be pulled out of a hole only with the left 
 hand: Geoponica, IS, S, 6; cf. Pliny, Nat, Hist. 28, 3, 33: 
 ^ Minus miretur hoc qui sciat vestem a tineis non attingi 
 quae fuerit in funere, serpentis aegre praeterquam laeva manu 
 extrahi.' 
 
 Suetonius states that E"ero possessed as a charm the skin 
 of a snake, which had been found on his couch, enclosed in 
 a golden bracelet. This he wore on his right arm. The con- 
 nection with what has been already seen in regard to certain 
 remedies is plain: Suetonius, Nero,, 6, 23. 
 
 ASSOCIATION^ OF THE RIGHT WITH THE MALE, 
 OF THE LEFT WITH THE FEMALE 
 
 In Dreams. 
 
 Artemidorus in his Onirocritica explains the significance of 
 the appearance of the right and the left in dreams. In general 
 the right is connected with the male, the left with the female. 
 Thus in the case of the right and left hands: Onirocritica, 
 1, 2 : . . . Beha '^elp eU irarepa vlov (f>i\ov aSe\(j)6v, apco-repa 
 Xelp et9 yvvac/ca fcal fiTjrepa koI ^iXr^v koL Svyarepa teal 
 
 Artemidorus himself gives the explanation for this inter- 
 pretation, which is in direct line with characteristics of the 
 right and left hands already discussed.^ lb. 1, 42: arj/xatpecv 
 fyap e(f)7j rrjv fxev Be^cav X^^P^ ^^ TropL^ofxeva rrjv 8e eucovv/jLov ra 
 TreTTopia-pbeva • r] fiev yap ttjOo? to \a8elv erot^Lto?, 97 he eTnTTj- 
 3et09 Trpo? TO ^vkd^at. eaTi he TraXaia hiaipeo-i^ /cal a\ri6r)<^ 
 Kol 7]he. (TTj/jLaLveL 97 fjuev he^ta ;^el/) vlov TraTepa <^i\ov koI ov 
 ev TTj avvrjOela KaTaxpoaP'^.voL XejojuLev otc r/ he^ia x^^P ^'^'^^ 
 Tov helvo^ ' 7] he €V(ovv/jlo<; yvvat/ca pLrjTepa ahe\(f>rjv 6vyaTepa 
 
 ^Cf. p. 9ff. 
 
32 Right and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 Sov\r]v. oTTorejpa? ovv dv tl^ ^o^JJ ci(f)rjpria6aLy (TTep7]6rjaeTaC 
 
 TLVO^ T03V vtt' aVTYj^ aTJfMaLVO/iieVCOV. 
 
 Interesting as being in exact accord with this explanation 
 is a dream recorded by Artemidonis, in which a sick man 
 beheld Cerbems shaking his right paw at him as a sign that 
 he was ready to receive him into Hades. In this same passage 
 there occurs the use of the right hand as a favorable sign and 
 of the left as the reverse : Onirocritica, 5, 92 : Nocrwz^ tl^ v^S- 
 aro T(p ^apaTTLSi, el fieXXet acodrja-eadai, ttjv Be^cav avrw xelpa 
 ovap €7nael(TaLy el Se fJirj, rrjv aptarepdv. /cal 8r) eSo^ev elaLOVTt 
 avT(p TO lepov tov l^apaTrcBo^ rov K.ep^epov ttjv X^^P^ '^V^ 
 Be^tdv eTTicreieLV avrat. rrj iinova-ri aireOavev eLKora)^ • dpdeiar)<; 
 yap tt}? Sefta? eroiixo^ rjv irapahe^acrOaL avrov 6 KepySe/oo?, oairep 
 o\e6po<i elvai vevojjacrTaL. 
 
 This same significance belongs to other parts of the body 
 also when they occur in dreams, as well as to the hand. Thus 
 the eyes: Omrocr^^^ca^ 1, 26: o fxev 8efto? o^6aXfxd<^ cnfjfxaCvei 
 vlov Kol dhe\(^6v /cal irarepa. 6 he dptaTepo<; Ovyarepa Kal 
 d8e\(f)rjv /cal fiyrepa • 8vo he vlodv bvrcov tj Ovyarepcov hvo rj 
 Bvo dSe\<j)o!)v 6 fiev Sefto? tov Trpea^vTepov vlov t) dBeX(f>ov rj 
 OvyaTepa Tr)v TrpeafivTepav, 6 he evd)vvjio<^ OvyaTepa ttjv ve(o~ 
 Tepav Kal dhe\(f)ov /cal vlov tov^ ve(OT€pov<^. 
 
 Here also the second contingency emphasizes the superiority 
 of the right over the left as representing those persons by 
 nature stronger or more important: cf. Onirocritica, 5, 37; 
 Onirocritica, 1, 31 (the teeth) ; Onirocritica, 1, 21 (the 
 head). 
 
 With regard to the walls of a house, the right is interpreted 
 as meaning the children and the left as meaning the wife, 
 while the middle one stands for the master of the house: 
 Onirocritica,, 2, 10 : tolx<ov he 6 /nrjv ttjv Ovpav e^f^v tov heairoTrjv 
 arffiaLveL, 6 he ttjv Bvplha ttjv hecnroLvav. oirov he /jlt) €(ttc 
 6vpl<fj 6 fJLev /JL€(T0(; TOV heairoTT^v 6 he he^io^; to, Te/cva 6 he 
 €vd>vvfio^ TTJV yvvacKa. 
 
 Closely related to the foregoing is the method of foretelling 
 future events by means of the involuntary movement of various 
 
Bight and Left in Roman Literature. 33 
 
 parts of the body. A reference to this occurs in Plautus, 
 Pseudol. 106: ' Atque id fnturum unde nnde dicam nescio | 
 nisi quia f uturum est : ita supercilium salit ' ; cf . Theocritus^ 
 3, 37 ff. : aXkeTat 6(^Ba\fjb6^ /jlov 6 ^efto? • dpd y ' IBrjo-co | 
 avrdv. 
 
 In the complete elaborations ^ of this system, however, the 
 regular distinctions between the right and the left as lucky 
 and unlucky, or as referring, one to the male, the other to 
 the female, do not seem to hold good. Thus, while the move- 
 ment of members on the right side of the body generally fore- 
 tells the occurrence of some favorable event, the same is true 
 also of members on the left side. 
 Bight : 
 
 Melampus, I, c. (6) 224, 5; (13) 224, 23; (49) 227, 10; 
 (72) 229, 1; Eylands, I, c. 1. 14; 97, etc. 
 Left: 
 
 Melampus, I. c. (14) 224, 25; (16) 225, 1; (75) 229, 6; 
 (88) 230, 6, etc. 
 
 So, also, the movement of members both on the left and 
 right sides denotes misfortune: 
 Left: 
 
 Melampus, Z. c. (7) 224, 7; (11) 224, 19; (44) 227, 2; 
 Eylands, L c. 1. 19 ; 113 ; etc. 
 Bight : 
 
 Melampus, L c. (15) 224, 27; (74) 229, 7; (78) 229, 14; 
 Eylands, I. c. 1. 135, 168; etc. 
 
 The distinction made by Artemidorus between the right 
 as referring to males, the left to females, is rare. 
 Bight: 
 
 Eylands, I, c. 1. 135. 
 Left: 
 
 Eylands, L c, 1. 93; 102; 156; 201; 228. 
 
 * Cf. Melampus, Ilepi HaX/icDj' Mavrt/ciJ, Diels, I. c; ' Catalogue of the 
 Greek Papyri in the John Rylands Library,' I. c. 
 
34: Bight and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 In the Determination of Sex. 
 
 Ciloselj associated with dreams of the nature just discussed, 
 on account of the significance attributed to right and left in 
 both, are the ideas which were held with regard to the deter- 
 mination of the sex of an embryo. Varro gives the following 
 directions for telling the sex of a calf yet unborn from the 
 actions of the bull: De Be Bustica 2, 6, 13: ^ tum denique 
 tauros in gregem redigo. mas an femina sit concepta, significat 
 descensu taurus, cum init[si], quod, si mas est, in dexteriorem 
 partem abit ; si femina in sinisteriorem.' The same statement 
 is repeated by Columella, De Be Bustica, 6, 24, 3 ; and by 
 Pliny, Nat. Hist. 8, 45, 176. Similarly Geoponica, 17, 6, 
 where are added directions for producing the sex desired: 
 Ot irpoyivayo-Keiv OeXovre^, irorepou appev rj OtjXv re^erac rj 
 ^L^ao-delcra /Sot)?, TraparrjpeLTCoaav • iav fiev el<; ra Se^ca fiepr) 
 6 /Soi)? KareXSyj appev to T€')(^6r)a6iJ,evov reKiJuaipeaOco • av Be 
 €7rl ra apia-repd, OrjXv. el Se /cal /SovXrjdeLrj^ appev Te)(^Orjvai,f 
 T(p Kaipat Trj<; o')(eia^ rbv aptarepov 6p')(^LV anroBrjaov * el Si 
 OrjXvy Tov Be^tov; cf. ib., 18, 3, 7. 
 
 The essential idea in all these, and the one which calls for 
 our attention, is the connection between the right side and 
 the male, the left and the female. We have already seen it 
 occurring in the explanations given by Artemidorus of the 
 meaning of certain dreams. The association in all cases must 
 be attributed to exactly identical causes, going back to the 
 general attributes of the right and the left which we have 
 already eonsidered. 
 
 In explanation of Columella, de Re Bustica, 6, 24, 3, Schnei- 
 der ^ writes: ' Orta est opinio ex alia aeque falsa, dextrum 
 testiculum et ovarium feminarum a natura foetibus masculis, 
 sinistra femineis destinata fuisse.'" Of the truth of this state- 
 ment we have numerous proofs.^ Thus with regard to the 
 
 * Scriptores Rei Rusticae, 2, p. 339. 
 2 Ploss, I. c, 1, p. 373. 
 
Eight and Left in Roman Literature, 35 
 
 parts of the uterus of the mother, Galen {In Epid, 6, 48 [lY, 
 A, 1002 K] ) quotes a line from Parmenides : ^ to /levToc 
 appev iv rcot Se^ccji, jxepet t-Q? /jLiJTpa^; KviaKeaOai koX oXXol 
 TOiv TraXaiordrcov avSpcov elprjicaaiv. 6 fiiv <yap HapfJievcBrj^: 
 ovTco^i €(f>7j ' Se^CTepolcnv jxev Kovpov^y XaLolat Si Kovpa^, 
 Further Aetius (5, 7, 4 [D 420] ^ adds that the semen from 
 the right side of the male enters the right side of the uterus, 
 and that from the left enters the left side. If, however, the 
 semen from the two sides become interchanged in their descent, 
 the resulting offspring will be female : ^Ava^ayopa^; Uap/jLevLSrj^ 
 TO, fiev etc TOiv Se^LCJv (so. aTrep/nara) fcara^dWeaOac ek ra 
 Se^ta fJLeprj Trj^i iJbr}Tpa<^ ra etc tmv apLO-repMv €t9 ra apccTTepd, 
 el 8' ivaWayeiT) tcl t^? /caTa^oXrj'^j ^ivecrOaL drfkea. 
 
 This would seem to show that the sex of the child was con- 
 sidered as not dependent solely upon the mother. In fact, 
 Aristotle {Be Animal, Gen, 4, 1, 763 b) states a theory that 
 it depended also upon the side of the father from which the 
 semen came; that from the right side producing a male, that 
 from the left a female : irorepov he kov irplv S'1]\tjv ttjv hiac^o- 
 pav elvai 7rpo<; ttjv alaOrjaLV rjfioov to jxev drjXv to 8' dppev eaTiv 
 iv Trj fi7]Tpl XaffovTa Tr)V SLa(f)Opav t] irpoTepov, afM<f>ta^7]TelTai. 
 (fyao-l yap ol jxiv iv rot? airepiiacnv elvai TavTrjv ttjv ivavTicoacv 
 ivdxy^ olov * Ava^ayopa'i Kal eTepoi tcov (j)V(TLoX6yoov ' ycveaOaL 
 T€ yap iic Tov dppevo<; to airepfia, to Be OrfXv irape')(eLV tov 
 tottov, ical elvai to fxev dppev iic tcov Se^ccov to Be drjXv eK tcov 
 dpcaTepcov, Kal rtj? vo-Tepa^ to, /jLev dppeva iv roZ? Seftot? elvat. 
 TCL Be drjXea iv Tok dpiaTepol<^ ; Censorinus, De Die Natali, 6, 
 6 : ^ ex dextris partibus profuse semine mares gigni at e laevis 
 f eminas Anaxagoras Empedoclesque consentiunt ' ; Censorinus, 
 1. c, 5, 2; Aristotle, De Gen. Animal, 4z, 765. 
 
 So, too, with respect to which of the parents the child should 
 resemble, the side from which came the semen and the side 
 of the uterus played an important part: Censorinus, De Die 
 
 ^Diels, Frag. d. Vorsokr., p. 128, fr. 17. 
 *Cf. Diels, I. c, p. 116, § 53. 
 
36 Right and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 Natali, 6, 8 : ^ ' ceteruin Parnienidis sententia est cum dex- 
 terae partes semina dederint, tunc filios esse patri consimiles, 
 cum laevae, tunc matri ' ; Aetius, 5, 11, 2 [D 422] : Uap/nevi- 
 Brj<; orav fiiv airo rod Se^cov fJL€pov<; t?}? fi7]Tpa<; 6 70V09 airoiC' 
 piOrjij Tol^ irarpdaLVj orav he airo tov apiarepov^ rat? /jLrjTpdcnv 
 (so. o/jLOta rd re/cva yiveaOai). 
 
 From Lactantius we obtain still another idea, which differs 
 slightly in detail from those already given, but which rests 
 upon the same fundamental principle. In the preceding state- 
 ments the semen from the right side of the male was considered 
 as entering the right side of the uterus in order to produce a 
 boy and the same with the left for a girl. Lactantius, however, 
 states that if the male semen, th^t is from the right side, 
 enters the left side of the uterus a male will still result, but 
 he will have certain feminine characteristics. Similarly feiDale 
 semen, that is from the left side, falling on the male side of 
 the uterus, will produce a female, but with masculine charac- 
 teristics: Lactantius, De Opificio 12, 12:^ ^ dispares quoque 
 naturae hoc modo fieri putantur: cum forte in laevam uteri 
 partem masculinae stirpis semen inciderit, marem quidem 
 gigui opinatio est, sed quia sit in femina parte conceptus ali- 
 quid in se habere femineum supra quam decus virile patiatur, 
 vel formam insignem vel nimium candorem vel corporis levi- 
 tatem vel artus delicatos, vel staturam brevem vel vocem gra- 
 cilem vel animum imbecillum vel ex his plura. item si partem 
 in dexteram semen feminini generis iniluxerit, f eminam quidem 
 procreari, sed quoniam in masculina parte concepta sit, habere 
 in se aliquid virilitatis ultra quam sexus ratio permittat, aut 
 valida membra aut immoderatum longitudinem aut fuscum 
 colorem aut hispidam faciem aut vultum indecorem aut vocem 
 robustam aut animum audacem aut ex his plura.' 
 
 Aristotle (De Animal Gen, 4, Y65) opposes all these views, 
 and declares that they have been proved false by actual obser- 
 
 *Cf. Diels, I. c, p. 116, § 54. 
 » Diels, I. c, p. 116, § 54. 
 
EigM and Left in Roman Literature, 37 
 
 vation and experiment. He states, however, that a possible 
 cause for a child being a male or female is the difference in 
 the amount of heat and cold involved. This, he adds, might 
 account for the theory of the right and left, as the right side 
 of the body is naturally warmer than the left, and therefore 
 the semen from that side would be warmer and hence more 
 liable to produce a male: (765 b.) rd fxiv ovv Oep/JLorrjra koX 
 '\lrv')(poT7)Ta alriav oXecrOai tov dppevo<; koI tov OrjXeo^ fcal to 
 TTjv ctTTOKpLaiv UTTO T(ov Se^LCJv yivecrOai t] toov apicrrepcoVj ej^et 
 TLva Xoyov. depfiorepa yap ra he^ta rod or(o/jLaTO<; rcov apia-r- 
 epcjVy Kol TO airepfia to Treire fifjuevov depfioTepov, tolovtov 5e to 
 (tvv€(tt6<;, fyovc/Jioi)T€pov Se to avve(TT0<^ fxaXkov} 
 
 EIGHT SIDE AS THE POSITION OF HONOE 
 
 The right side is the position of honor : Suetonius, Tiberius, 
 6, 20 : ^ Dehinc pubescens Actiaco triumpho currum Augusti 
 comitatus est, sinisteriore funali equo cum Marcellus Octaviae 
 filius dexteriore veheretur ' ; Sallust, Jug, 11, 3 ; Suetonius, 
 Nero, 13, 12; Euripides, Orestes, 474: dyeTe fie- tt/oo? yap 8e 
 Se^cdv avTOv OeXco | crra? daTrdoraadaL, ')(^p6vio^ elacSoDv (f>L\ov, 
 
 Erom a statement of Xenophon, however, we would have to 
 conclude that among the Persians the usual practice was re- 
 versed, and that the left side took precedence over the right: 
 (Cyrop. 8, 4, 3) ft>9 5' rjXOov ol KXrjOevTe^ iirl to SetTrvov, ov^ 
 OTTOV ervxev e/cacTTOV iKdOc^ev, aW 6v fiev fidXtaTa iTLfia, irapd, 
 Trjv dpuaTepdv %eipa, ft)? eueTrifiovkevTOTepa^; TavTr)<; ov<n}<^y ^ 
 tt)? he^id^j TOV Se SevTcpov irapd tyjv Se^idvj tov 8e TpLTOV 
 irdXiv irapd ttjv dpiaTepdv, tov Be TCTapTov irapd ttjv Se^tdv. 
 
 According to Fryklund,^ ^^ Le cote do la main droite est le 
 cote de la main adroite, forte, veritable, le cote de la main 
 qui promet, etc. et par la le cote d'honneur et de preference. 
 L'origine est peut-etre religieuse cf. Schrader {Reallexihon der 
 
 * Cf. Diels, I. c, p. 175, § 81. 
 » I. c, p. 56. 
 
38 Right and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 indogermanischen Altertumskunde) , p. 309: * Fiir den Siiden 
 wie fiir den I^orden Europas wird von den Alten die Sitte 
 bezeugt, sich bei dem Oebet zu den Gottern nach der rechten 
 Seite zu werden. In merkwiirdiger iibereinstimmung hat 
 sich hieraus bei Indern und Kelten die Gewohnheit entwickelt 
 einer zu ebrenden Personlicbkeit die rechte Seite zuzuwen- 
 den.' '' The custom, however, which made the right side the 
 position of honor, probably had its origin merely in the general 
 precedence, due to its associations, of the right. Instead of 
 being the cause, it is more likely that the religious practice 
 was a secondary outgrowth of this very usage. 
 
 An instance of the practice of turning towards the right 
 when praying to or addressing the gods is found in Plautus, 
 Cure. 70 : ^ si deos salutas, dextrovorsum censeo ' ; cf . Pliny, 
 Nat. Hist. 28, 25; also Plutarch, Caynillus, 131 F: ravr' elirobv, 
 KaOdirep earl *Pa)/iatot9 eOo<; iirev^afiepoL'^ Kal irpoaKwrjaaaiv 
 iirl Se^ca e^eXiTTeiv, ia(j)ci\rj TrepLo-rpe^ofjLevo^i ; Plutarch, Plato, 
 203 B.^ 
 
 Here might be mentioned the habit of placing the right 
 hand on the mouth at the completion of a prayer. This must 
 have indicated reverence: Pliny, Nat. Hist. 28, 25: ^ In ado- 
 rando dextram ad osculum referimus totumque corpus cir- 
 cumagimus, quod in laevom fecisse Galliae religiosius credunt,' 
 Quite similar is Apuleius, Met. 4, 28, 300 : ' multi denique 
 civium et advenae copiosi, quos eximii spectaculi rumor stu- 
 diosa celebritate congregabat, inaccessae formonsitatis admira- 
 tione stupidi et admoventes oribus suis dexteram pri<m>ore 
 digito in erectum pollicem residente <ea>m ut ipsam prorsus 
 deam Venerem religiosis <venerabantur> adorationibus ^ ; cf. 
 Ovid, Her. Y, 130. 
 
 The right hand was used in offering libations to the gods: 
 Yergil, Aen. 8, 273: Square agite, o iuvenes, tantarum in 
 munere laudum | cingite fronde comas et pocula porgite 
 
 *Cf. K. O. Miiller, Die Etrusher, 2, p. 144; Valeton, De Mod. Auspio. 
 Bom., pp. 297 and 314. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature. 39 
 
 dextris, | communemque vocate deum et date vina volentes ' ; 
 Vergil, Aen. 8, 278; Ovid, Met, 14, 276. 
 
 Significant are the lines from Septimius Serenus 6,^ where 
 when the offering is made to the gods of the lower world, the 
 left hand is used : ' inf eris manu sinistra | immolamus 
 pocula.' 
 
 iirtSe^ca AND irrrapiaTepa as Okdees of Proceduke 
 
 In Athenaeus we find the expression iTrtSe^ca iriveiv. Thus 
 10, 464:^ 7r/309 0^9 XeKreov ore Tpoiroi elal iroaecov Kara iroXei^ 
 tSiOLj 0)9 K.pLTLa<; 'jTapC(TT7)(7LV iv rrj AafceSaifJLOvicov UoXcreLa 
 Sea TovTcov ' 6 fxev Xto9 koX Sdaio^ eic fieydXcov kvXCkcov 
 eTTthe^ia * o 8* A.TTiKO^, eK fiiKpSiv iinBe^ia • Se 0eTTaX£/co9, 
 eKTrcofiara TrpoirCvet otw av ^ovXcovrac fieydXa Aa/ceSacfjLovLoi, Se 
 TTjv irap^ avT^ €Ka<TTo<^ irivei, 6 Se 7rat9 o olvo')(oo^, oaov av 
 airoTTirj. rov 8' iTTiSe^ia iriveiv /jivrj/jLovevec koI ^ Kva^avhpihri<i 
 iv ^AypoLfcoL';, ovr(o^ A. rCva Brj irapeaKevaafjLevoc ttlvccv rpoTTOV | 
 iare vvvl; Xe^ere. B. rcva rpoirov irlveiv | rjixel'^ ; tolovtov olov 
 av Kal crol 80/cfj. | A. ^ovKeaOe Byirov rov iinhe^La TrciTep, | 
 Xeyetv iirl tm ttlvovtc ; B. rov eTriSe^ia Xeyetv ; "AwoXkoVj 
 wairepel TeOvrj/cort ; cf. Athenaeus, 13, 600 e. 
 
 For an explanation of the nature of this manner of drink- 
 ing, it would be well to compare two other passages: Homer, 
 Odyss. 21, 141 : opwaO' e^eiTj^ iirtSe^ia 7rdvT€<; iralpoL, | ap^d- 
 fievoc rod ')(^copov oOev re irep olvoxoevei : Plato, Symposium^ 
 223 : i^eyp6fju6vo<; 8e ihelv rois p^ev aXXoi'9 KaOevhovra^ Kal 
 Oi')^op,evov^, ' AydOcova 8e fcal ^ ApLaT0(j>dv7] Kal ^coKparr) ert 
 pLOvov^ eypr)<yopevai, Kal iriveiV eK (fadXr)^ pueydXr]^ iirl he^id. 
 
 By comparing these two passages with those from Athenaeus 
 just quoted, we see that the method represented by iwiBe^ca 
 irCveiv was probably one in which the banqueters drank in 
 turn, starting from the man occupying the chief position at 
 the table, then passing to the person on his right, then to the 
 
 ^ Baehrens, Poet. Lat. Min. 6, p. 385. 
 'Ed. Schweighauser, 4, p. 200. 
 
40 Right and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 one on the right of the latter, and so on.^ In the Symposium 
 (L c.) there was but one vessel, which was evidently passed 
 between the three men. It is not necessary, however, to sup- 
 pose that this was always the case, although the custom might 
 well have originated in some such practice of passing a single 
 drinking cup around the whole company. The reason for its 
 being passed from left to right is evidently because thus the 
 guests would drink in the order of precedence, as we have 
 already seen that the right hand side was the most honored. 
 Thus drinking einhe^La may have been especially suited to 
 solemn occasions and have been used chiefly when it was 
 desired to impart a spirit of solemnity. Plato in the Sympo- 
 sium {I, c.) would then have intended to impart a ludicrous 
 effect.2 
 
 Homer (Iliad, 1, 597) proves that this same order was fol- 
 lowed in filling the cups: avrap 6 roh aWoLcn 0eol<; ivBe^ia 
 iracnv I olvo')(^6ei, yXvKV veKrap anro KpTjrrjpo^ acfivo-acov. 
 
 With such an origin the einhe^La became a regular order 
 of procedure in other matters besides drinking: Homer, Iliad, 
 7, 183 : /crjpv^ Be ^epcov (/cXrjpov) av' opuXov diravry | Sel^^ 
 ivSe^La iracTLV apLcrrr^eacnv * A^xaiSiv ', Plato, Symposium, 177 D: 
 hoKel yap fxot ')(^privai eKacTTOV 7]fX(f)v \6yov elirelv eiraivov 
 *'Fip(OTO(; eirl he^ici m av SvvrjTac koXXlo-tov . . . ; ib. 214 B 
 and C; 222 E. 
 
 As iirtSe^ta stood for the correct way of doing anything, 
 so iirapio-Tepa came to have the opposite meaning of doing a 
 thing in the wrong way: Aristophanes, Birds, 1567: ovto^, tC 
 Spa<; ; e7r' apiarey ovTQ)<i a/XTreJj^et ; | ov fiera^aXel^ dolfjLaTiov 
 S)8' iirl Se^id;^ Cf. Herodotus, 2, 36. 
 
 Interesting in this connection, as showing the general idea 
 of ill-omen attached to anything which departed from the 
 regular and usual, is the practice which was frequently fol- 
 
 ^ Cf . Schweighauser, Athenaeus, Vol. 11, p. 29; note on 10, 464. 
 " Jevons, ' Indo-European Modes of Orientation,' Classical Review, 10 
 (1896), p. 23 holds a diflFerent view. 
 • Cf. Blaydes, note on this passage. 
 
Bight and Left in Roman Literature, 41 
 
 lowed of writing the tablets used in the execution of defixiones 
 iirapLaTepa : ^ Wuensch, Defixionum Tahellae Atticae, N'os. 10b; 
 20-22; 24-32; 35-37; 40-44; 46; 57; 58; 66-68; 84; 96; 97; 
 109; 138; 139; 160; 169; 174; 175; 178; 179; 181; cf. 
 Parthey, I. c, 1, 1. 248 ff. 
 
 In the celebration of the marriage rites fire and water were 
 carried around ^ dextrum in orbem ' : Valerius Flaccus, Arg, 
 8, 245 : ^ ignem Pollux undamque iugalem \ praetulit, et 
 dextrum paterae verguntur in orbem.' 
 
 In marching around a tomb, however, exactly the opposite 
 course was followed. This was due to the association of the 
 tomb with the Di Inferi: Statins, Theh, 6, 200: ^ lustrantque 
 ex more, sinistro | Urbe rogum.' In order to remove the 
 feeling of ill-omen naturally arising from this act, the proces- 
 sion was made to return dextri gyro: Statins, Theh. 6, 221. 
 ' hie luctus abolere, novique | Puneris auspicium, vates 
 (quamquam omnia sentit | Vera) iubet; dextri gyro et vibran — 
 tibus hastis | Hac redeunt.' The connection between these 
 acts and the practices which have been just discussed is plain. 
 
 So also the ceremony of dextratio was observed by the 
 Fratres Arvales when collecting the offering of first-fruits. 
 These they received in their left, and at once passed on to 
 their right hands: 0. I. L. 6, 1, ISTo. 2104 a, 1. 26 ff.^ 
 
 SUPEESTITIONS BASED UPOIST THE DEEIVED ASSO- 
 CIATION OP EIGHT AND LEFT 
 
 There are a few superstitions or superstitious usages con- 
 nected with the right and left which it is impossible to explain, 
 except by supposing that they arose after the idea of lucky or 
 favorable had become firmly attached to the right, and the 
 reverse to the left. They are therefore directly dependent 
 upon this association. 
 
 * Dizionario Epigrafico di Antichita Romane, Vol. 2, p. 1587. 
 
 * Cf. Henzen, Acta Fratrum Arvalium, Comment., p. 30. 
 
42 Right and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 One of these is the common use of the phrase pes dexter 
 and of its opposite pes sinister. Their origin lies in the custom 
 of entering a temple or house with the right foot first: ^ 
 Petronius, Cena Trimalchionis, 30, 5 : ^ His repleti volupta- 
 tibus cum conaremur in triclinium intrare, exclamavit unus 
 ex pueris, qui super hoc officium erat positus : ' dextro pede.' 
 Sine dubio paulisper trepidavimus ne contra praeceptum ali- 
 quis nostrum limen transiret. ceterum ut pariter movimus 
 dextros gressus, servus nobis despoliatus procubuit ad pedes 
 ac rogare coepit, ut se poenae eriperemus ; rettulimus ergo dex- 
 tros pedes dispensatoremque in atrio aureos numerantem depre- 
 cati sumus, ut servo remitteret poenam.' 
 
 Bj conforming with this requirement the visitor made his 
 entrance under the most favorable circumstances and good luck 
 was assured. 
 
 From Vitruvius we learn that this custom was of weight in 
 the very construction of a temple: (de Architectural 3, 4, 4) 
 ^ Gradus in fronte constituendi ita sunt uti sint semper im- 
 pares. ISTamque cum dextri pede primus gradus ascendatur 
 item in summo templo primus erit ponendus.' With this as 
 its foundation, the phrase ^ pede dextro ' came to be used for 
 any action begun or performed under favorable auspices: 
 (Juvenal, 10, 5) ^ quid tarn dextro pede concipis ut te | con- 
 atus non paeniteat votique peracti ' ; Silius Italicus, Pun. 7, 
 1Y2 ; Prudentius, c. Symm. 2, 79. 
 
 For dexter is sometimes substituted another word equivalent 
 to its derived meaning of favorable: Vergil, Aen. 8, 302; 10, 
 255 (pede secundo) ; Horace, Epist. 2, 2, 3 (pede fausto) ; 
 Ovid, Fast. 1, 514 (felici pede) ; Her. 21, 69-74. 
 
 So sinistra pede is used for unfavorable auspices : Apuleius, 
 Met. 1, 6, 27: ^ sed ut fieri adsolet, sinistro pede profectum 
 
 ^Sutphen, A Collection of Latin Proverhs, p. 361. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature. 43 
 
 me spes compendii frustrata est ' ; Ovid, Met, 10, 452, has 
 the same reference : ^ ter pedis ofTensi signo est revocata, ter 
 omen. | funereus bubo letali carmine fecit; Ovid, Trist, 1, 
 3, 55 ; Am. 1, 12, 3 ff. ; Epist. 21, 69. 
 
 The Two Ways 
 
 ( The figurative use of the two ways, the one for the righteous, 
 the other for the wicked, is very old. Thus we find it in Hesiod, 
 Works and Days 287 if. : ttjv fiev roc KaKorrjra teal IXaBov 
 ecTTcv eKeaOai | prjlBia)^' okLyrj fxev oSof;, fidXa 8' iyyvOi 
 vaiei. I T?)? S' aperrj<i ISpcjra Oeol irpoirdpoiOev edrj/cav | aOdva- 
 Tot ' /JiaKpo<i Be fcal 6p6iO<^ oI/jlo<; €9 avrrjv | fcal rpr)xv^ to 
 irpodTOV ' eirrjv 8' et9 aKpov ifcrjraL | prjlBLr] Srj eTretra TreXet, 
 ^aXeTrr; irep iovaa. The same idea is repeated in Xenophon 
 (Memorabilia J 2, 1, 21) where is recounted the Apologue of 
 Hercules by Prodicus. 
 
 As is natural, the path of virtue is the one leading to the 
 right; the path of vice, the one leading to the left: (Antho- 
 logia Latina, 148, 1. 3)^ ^ l!Tam via virtutis dextrum petit 
 ardua collem | Difficilemque aditum prime spectantibus 
 offert, I Sed requiem praebet fessis in vertice summo ' ; Pru- 
 dentius, c. Symm. 2, 882: ^ Simplicis ergo viae dux est Deus: 
 ille per unam | ire iubet mortale genus, quam dirigit ipse | 
 sublimem dextro celsa ad f astigia clivo ' ; Prudentius Hamar- 
 tigenia, 888. The idea pervades, also, the whole body of the 
 late moral and apocalyptic literature.^ 
 
 Taylor ^ states that the figure of the two ways, however 
 ancient, must be a development from that of the one way, 
 which a man walks in with guidance, and is in danger of 
 missing without it. However, as Dieterich thinks, the idea 
 was more probably transferred from the two roads which were 
 
 ^ Baehrens, Poet. Lat. Min. 4, p. 150, 
 
 2 Dieterich, NeJci/ia, pp. 191, 192, 193; Taylor, 'The Two Ways in 
 Hermes and Xenophon,' Journal of Philology, 21 (1893), p. 243 ff. 
 'I. c, p. 256. 
 
44 Bight and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 supposed to exist in Hadeis., the one on the right leading 
 to Elysium, the one on the left leading to Tartarus. Ver- 
 gil, Aen. 6, 540: ^ hie locus est partis ubi se via findit in 
 ambas: | dextera quae Ditis magni sub moenia tendit, | hac 
 iter Elysium nobis; at laeva malorum | exercet poenas et ad 
 impia Tartara mittit ' ; Plato, Republic, 614 B and C : e<^^ 8e, 
 iTrecSr) ov ifc^rjvai T7]v '^vxrjv, iropevea-dai jnera iroWcoVj Kol 
 a(f)iKvelcr6aL crc^a^ et? tottov nva Bac/jLovLOVj iv S tt}? re 77)9 
 8v elvai ^acryLtara e^o/xeVo) oWrfKoLv Kal rod ovpavov av iv 
 TM dvco aXka /caTavrt/cpv * Bifcaara^ Be fxera^v tovtcov KaOrjcrOaLy 
 ov?, iTrecSr] hiahLKdaeiav, tov<; /lev hiKaiov:; KeXevetv iropevecrOai 
 Tr}V et? he^idv re koX dvco hid rod ovpavov, arjjJLeia TrepLd-yjravTa^ 
 TMv SeSi/caa-fievcov iv rw irpoaOev, tov<; Be dBUov^ rrjv et? apiaTepdv 
 re Kal Kdrco, e^ovra^ Kal tovtov^ iv tw oircaOev crrjfjLela irdvTWV 
 ciSv STTpa^av. 
 
 The letter Y, or rather its old form N (i^) was selected by 
 Pythagoras to embody the image of the two paths. Hence 
 it is called his letter: Persius 3, 56:^ ^ et tibi quae Samios 
 diduxit littera ramos | surgentem dextro monstravit limite 
 coUem ' ; cf . Persius 5, 34. " The stem stood for the uncon- 
 scious life of infancy and childhood, the diverging branches 
 for the alternative offered to the youth, virtue or vice ' ( Con- 
 ington) ; cf. Scholia on Persius 3, 56 : ' quae Pythagoras Samo 
 insula praecepit, qui Y ad modum humanae vitae figuravit 
 . . . et in sinistra parte rami velut vitia sunt, quae devexior 
 facilem ad se praestat ascensum. est altera dextera in qua 
 virtutis opera oelebrantur, arduum ac difficilem limitem 
 pandens. quam qui evaserint quieta sede excipiuntur.' 
 
 Sl^EEZING. 
 
 Sneezing was from very early times regarded as an important 
 omen. It is found in Homer (Odyss. IT, 541) : *n? ^dro 
 Tr)Xefia)(^o<; Be fiey^ hrrapev, dp,(f>l Be Bcofjua | a-fiepBaXeov Kovd- 
 
 * Notes on this passage by Gildersleeve, Jahn, and Conington, in their 
 editions of Persius. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature, 45 
 
 ^Tjcre' ryeXacro-e Se YlrfveXoTreta, | a2^jra 8' dp^ Ev/JLaiov errea 
 irrepoevra TrpoarjvSa • | "E/9;^eo fiot, rbv ^elvov ivavTLOV coSe 
 KaXeaaov. | ov)^^ opda^ 6 /jlol u/o? iireiTTape Trdcnv eireaaLV ; 
 Ovid {Her. 18, 152) proves that it was lucky even in itself, 
 without any reference to the side from which it came : * Ster- 
 nuit et lumen (posito nam scribimus illo) | sternuit et nobis 
 prospera signa dedit ' ; Propertius, 2, 3, 24 ; Herodotus, 6, 107 ; 
 Aristophanes, Birds, 720 ; Xenophon, Anah, 3, 2, 9 ; Aristotle, 
 De Animal. Hist. 1, 492 b; Prohl. 33; Theocritus, 7, 96; 18, 
 16. Plutarch, TTiemistocles, 119 A: tovtov^ lSoov Evcjypav- 
 tlStj^; 6 [xdvTi^^ Q)<; dfia fiev aveXafji-^lrev m rcov lepojv fieya 
 Kal irepi(f)avh Trvp, d/iia 8e TTTapfio^ i/c t(Ov Se^ccov ia-rjjjLrive. 
 Here the sneeze is on the right side, exactly as we would expect 
 from what has been already observed with regard to the char- 
 acteristics of the right. 
 
 A perfect parallel, although not quite as elegant, is Aristo- 
 phanes, Knights, 638 : ravra (fypovTi^ovTv /jlol | ifc Sefta? dire- 
 iraphe Karairvtyoiv avrjp. | Kccyclo irpoo-eKvaa. 
 
 Plutarch {De Gen. 8oc. 581 A) shows that sneezing on the 
 left was sometimes regarded as unfavorable: dXXd fir)v, e<^?;, 
 Kol avTo<^ (o TaXa^ihcope MeyaptKov nvo^ TJKOVcra, ^ep-^icDvo^ 
 8e ifcelvo^j on to ^coKpdrov; SaifJLovLov TTTap/jLO^; rjv, 6 re Trap^ 
 avTov KOL 6 nrap' dXXcov • irepou fxev irrapovro'^ i/c Sef ta?, el'r^ 
 oiriaOeVy elr' e/JL7rpoa6ev, op/mdv avrov iirl ttjv irpd^LV * et 8' ef 
 dpiarepd'^y dTrorpeTreaOat • rcov 3' avrov TTTapfioiv rov /juev ert 
 fjLeXXovTO^ /3e/3aioOi/, rov 8' tjSt} irpda-aovTO'i €7re%€tz^ Kal KcoXveiv 
 TTJV opfxrjv. 
 
 A great deal of difficulty has been found in the interpre- 
 tation of certain passages in the forty-fifth poem of Catullus 
 (45, 1. 8) : ' Hoc ut dixit, Amor, sinistra ut ante, | Dextram 
 sternuit approbationem ' ; the same is repeated in lines 17 and 
 18 ; and in lines 19 and 20 is added: ^ I^unc ab auspicio bono 
 profecti | Mutui animis amant amantur.' 
 
 There are two points here which afford trouble to the com- 
 mentators. First, why sinistra and dextram should both be 
 used; and secondly, what the phrase ut ante refers to. With 
 
46 Bight and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 the latter we are not concerned. Instead of dextram the 
 reading dextra is also found in the manuscripts; Ellis, how- 
 ever, seems to be correct in adopting dextram, and this reading 
 furnishes a very simple interpretation.^ 
 
 By some commentators it is supposed that the idea of un- 
 lucky or unfavorable is contained in sinistra. This view may 
 be dismissed at once. Ellis holds that the notion is that of 
 incomplete as opposed to complete approval. He translates: 
 " When he had said this Love sneezed his good-will on the 
 right as he had sneezed his good-will on the left before.'^ 
 The explanations, as a whole, seem to be rather forced, and 
 there is really a much simpler one. It is first necessary to 
 recognize that sinistra and dextram as used here come from 
 two entirely distinct spheres, and that we have here a mixture 
 of two elements; namely, those of augury and of popular 
 usage. As is well known, and as will be seen later, the favor- 
 able side for the Romans when interpreting omens was the 
 left. Therefore as Love is to give a favorable omen, Catullus 
 causes him to sneeze on the left side of the two lovers. This 
 much is plain. If now we remember the meaning which is 
 so often attached to dexter, namely that of favorable or lucky, 
 the passage becomes clear at once. 
 
 In short, dextram does not have here its primary meaning 
 of right at all, but simply its later derived meaning of favor- 
 able. Thus sinistra and dextram agree perfectly, both ex- 
 pressing the idea that Love was favorable to the two lovers. 
 Might not ut ante refer to the previous relations of the lovers, 
 not merely to the particular moment described in the poem? 
 Love had always been favorable to them, and therefore might 
 readily be said to have hitherto always sneezed on their left, 
 that is given them signs of his approval. We would, then, 
 
 ^ Each editor of Catullus has advanced a separate explanation of his 
 own for this passage. The principal ones may be found in the note of 
 Ellis on Catullus 45, 11. 8-9, also in his Excursus on 45, 8-9 (Commentary 
 on Catullus, 2nd Ed., p. 162 ff.); also in Friedrich, Catullus, note on 
 45, 11. 8-9. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature. 47 
 
 translate these two lines literally: When he had said this, 
 Love on the left, as hitherto, sneezed his approval. 
 
 EIGHT AND LEFT IN AUGURY 
 
 / The entire subject of augury has been very thoroughly 
 studied, but as the right and the left played such an important 
 part in the practice of augury it seems necessary to give a 
 brief review of results already obtained. I. M. J. Valeton, 
 in his article entitled De Modis Auspicandi Romanorum,^ pre- 
 sents the most plausible solution of the much discussed ques- 
 tions which arise, and in the main his conclusions will be 
 adopted. 
 
 SiGNA Impetrita 
 
 /The chief point in which the use of right and left in augury 
 differs from that which we have already seen, is the fact that 
 the meaning of favorable is connected with laevus and sinister. 
 This is due, however, to their association with a certain 
 portion of the sky, which in turn must be traced to the position 
 assumed by the augur when observing omens. Grimm ^ states 
 that the primitive Aryan turned toward the east. The abode 
 of the Aryan's gods was to the north, and the north was to 
 the left, therefore north and left were lucky. The Komans 
 preserved this view. But the Greeks and other Aryan peoples 
 in historic times regarded the right as lucky; therefore they 
 must have turned their right sides to the lucky north, that 
 is they must have faced west. Still another view is held, 
 namely that the east was lucky; therefore the Greeks, in order 
 to have it on their right, faced north, while the Romans faced 
 
 ^Mnemosyne, 17 (1889), pp. 275-325. 
 
 ' Oeschichte der deutschen Sprache, pp. 980-6. 
 
48 Bight and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 south. Einally it is held by some writers that both these 
 manners of orientation existed side by side.^ 
 
 The space marked out in the air by the augur when prepar- 
 ing to observe his omens was known technically as the templum. 
 Regell ^ thought that there were among the Romans themselves 
 two forms of this templum, the one facing the east, in which 
 birds were observed; the other facing the south for the obser- 
 vation of thunder. As Valeton proves, however, signs were 
 observed either in a templum facing the east or without any 
 at all, while looking in every direction ; but never while facing 
 the south. The manner of procedure followed by an augur 
 when demanding certain signs from the gods is shown well 
 in Livy, 1, 18, 6 ff. : ^ (ITuma) de se quoque deos consuli 
 iussit. Inde ab augure (...) deductus in arcem, in lapide 
 ad meridiem versus consedit. Augur ad laevam eius capite 
 velato sedem cepit, dextra manu baculum sine nodo aduncum 
 tenens, quem lituum appellarunt. Inde ubi prospectu in urbem 
 agrumque capto deos precatus regiones ab oriente ad occasum 
 determinavit. Dextras ad meridiem partes, laevas ad sep- 
 temtrionem esse dixit, signum contra, quoad longissime con- 
 spectum oculi ferebant, animo finivit; tum lituo in laevam 
 manum translato dextra in caput E'umae imposita precatus 
 ita est : " luppiter pater, si est fas hunc Numam Pompilium, 
 cuius ego caput teneo, regem Romae esse, uti tu signa nobis 
 certa adclarassis inter eos fines quos feci.'' Tum peregit 
 verbis auspicia, quae mitti vellet; quibus missis declaratus 
 rex l^uma de templo descendit.' 
 
 This practice was followed by all succeeding augurs. That 
 is all who sought either celestial signs or signs from birds faced 
 the east steadfastly. The cause was simple, says Valeton, 
 since to primitive man it would seem natural that the gods 
 should send signs from the part of the sky from which rose 
 
 ^ Wissowa, Religion der Romer, p. 452 ; Jevons, ' Indo-European Modes 
 of Orientation/ Classical Review, 10 (1896), p. 23. 
 ^Jahrh. fiir Class. Philol, 1881, pp. 593-637. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature, 49 
 
 the sun, the stars, and indeed the whole movement of the uni- 
 verse; of. Dionysius, Antiquit, Rom. 2, 5, 245. 
 
 The templum was always divided into two parts, right and 
 left. To these v/ere given special names: the right side, that 
 is towards the south, being called the antica; the left side, 
 towards the north, the postica: (Festus, 220) ^ et dexteram 
 anticam, sinistram posticam dicimus ' ; Servius, Vergil^ Eel. 
 9. 15. In interpreting signs which had been asked for, how- 
 ever, these parts of the templum did not form the basis for 
 their being judged favorable or unfavorable. The augur 
 asked that the gods should send the sign from a certain direc- 
 tion. If this was done the omen was favorable: (Cicero, Div. 
 1, 39, 85) ' quid augur (habet) cur a dextra corvus, a sinistra 
 cornix faciat ratum.' The comix will be favorable not because 
 it appeared from the left, but because it was asked from the 
 left. When good signs are called sinistra, i. e. fausta, they 
 have not received this name from the left nor from the right 
 part of the templum. Cf. Festus, 339 : ^ sinistrae aves sinis- 
 trumque est sinistimum auspicium, id quod sinat fieri ' ; 
 Servius, Aen. 2, 693 ; Plutarch, Qu. Rom, 282 E. 
 
 Thus Cicero himself states that sinister is applied to all 
 favorable omens whether they appear from the left or right: 
 {Div. 2, 39, 82) " baud ignoro, quae bona sint, sinistra nos 
 dicere, etiam si dextra sint '' ; Festus, 351. 
 
 So, too, when the gods wished to emphasize their approval 
 and sent other signs besides those asked for, these were called 
 sinistra and laeva in whatever part of the templum they ap- 
 peared. To summarize, therefore, all signs seen in a templum, 
 whether asked or voluntary, which are favorable are called 
 sinistra and laeva with no reference to the parts of the tem- 
 plum: Plautus, Pseud. 762; Ennius, Ann. 3, fr. 7, 1. 156;^ 
 Cicero, Leg. 3, 3, 9; Div. 2, 35, 74; Fam. 6, 6, 7; Lucan, 
 Pilars. 1, 601 ; Pliny, Pan. 5, 3. 
 
 Varro (L. L. 7, 7) speaks of another form of templum: 
 
 ^Ed. MliUer. 
 
 4 
 
50 Right and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 'Eius templi (caeli) partes quattuor dicuntur, sinistra ab 
 oriente, dextra ab occasu, antica ad meridiem, postica ad sep- 
 tentrionem.' These words, according to Valeton, are to be 
 referred to the gods themselves, not to a second method of 
 orientation. The Komans agreed that the gods dwelt in the 
 northern part of the heavens, and therefore the term laevus 
 was applied to the east. Festus, 339: ' Varro 1. 5 epistolica- 
 rum quaestionum ait ; '' sl deorum sede cum in meridiem spectes 
 ad sinistram sunt partes mundi exorientes, ad dexteram occi- 
 dentes factum arbitror, ut sinistra meliora auspicia quam 
 dextra esse existimentur." ' 
 
 SiGTTA Oblativa 
 
 In cases where signs were sent by the gods of their own 
 volition, without any especial request, there were tv/o methods 
 of deciding whether they were favorable or the reverse. They 
 might be judged either from the region or part of the sky 
 in which they appeared, or from their position relative to 
 the obsei-ver, that is whether they were seen on his right or 
 left hand. In the case of the former, all signs which were seen 
 in the eastern portion of the sky were to the Romans sinistra, 
 i. e. fausta. This applied to birds, thunder, and lightning. 
 Statins, Theh. 3, 491: ^ Si datur et duris sedet haec sententia 
 Parcis | Solvere Echionias Lernaea cuspide portus, | Signa 
 feras, laevusque tones, tunc omnis in astris | Consonet arcana 
 volucris bona murmura lingua. | Si prohibes, hie necte moras 
 dextrisque profundum | Alitibus praetexe diem.' 
 
 In this example we have dextris with the meaning ^ unfavor- 
 able ' as opposed to sinistris, and referring to the . western 
 part of the sky: Ovid, Fasti, 4, 833: Uonitru dedit omina 
 laevo I luppiter, et laevo fulmina missa polo. | augurio laeti 
 iaciunt fundamina cives ' ; Pliny, Nat. Hist. 2, 54, 142 : 
 ^ Laeva (fulmina) prospera existimantur, quoniam laeva parte 
 mundi ortus est' ; Ennius, Ann. 3, fr. Sal. 154; fr. 6, yS, 
 1. 155; 1 Cicero, 5, Marius, ^o. 19, 1. 9 ff.; ^ Cicero, Div. 2, 
 
 ^Ed. Muller. 
 
 * Baehrena, Poet. Lat. Min. 6, p. 305. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature, 51 
 
 39, 82; Phil. 2, 38, 99; Vergil, Aen, 2, 692; 9, 631; Ovid, 
 Trist, 1, 9, 49. 
 
 The reason for the east, and therefore the left, being the 
 place for favorable omens has been already istated. When, 
 therefore, dexter, laevus, or sinister are used in connection 
 with the celestial signs, thej must always be referred to the 
 east or the west, never to the right or left hand sides. 
 
 With the Greeks also there existed the idea that the east 
 was the best portion of the sky. With them, however, in 
 direct opposition to the Romans, favorable omens appearing in 
 the east were described by the epithet 8efto9, while apiarepo^ 
 was applied to the unfavorable. Cicero, Div. 2, 39, 82 : ' Quae 
 autem est inter augures conveniens et coniuncta constantia? 
 Ad nostri augurii consuetudinem dixit Ennius: tum tonuit 
 laevum bene tempestate serena. At Homericus Aiax apud 
 Achillem querens de ferocitate Troianorum nescio quid hoc 
 modo nuntiat; prospera luppiter his dextris fulgoribus edit. 
 Ita nobis sinistra videntur Graiis et barbaris dextra meliora. 
 Quamquam baud ignoro quae bona sint sinistra nos dicer e 
 etiam si dextra sint. Sed certe nostri sinistrum nominaverunt 
 extemique dextrum quia plerumque id melius videbatur.' 
 
 In order to explain this difference, numerous theories have 
 been advanced.-^ The explanation generally adopted is a differ- 
 ence in orientation, i. e., the Romans faced east, while the 
 Greeks faced west. The difficulty then arises of accounting 
 for the origin of this change. Valeton, however, offers an 
 explanation which is exactly in line with what we have seen 
 to be the case with regard to the right in general. He says: 
 ' Auspicia oblativa, si in Oriente videbantur fausta erant 
 Graecis. Haec ratio vero, ut apud Romanos, apud eos quoque 
 coniuncta fuit cum altera ratione, qua signa bona quaedam 
 plurimi aestimabantur si a dextra manu superveniebant ; utra- 
 que apud Graecos simul viguit. Haec ratio autem, quae ad 
 dextram manum pertinebat . . . ab initio . . . fere adhibita 
 
 * Cf . Grimm, I. c; Jevons, I. c. 
 
52 Right and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 esse videtur ad signa aut domi aut sub divo in proxima vicini- 
 tate accepta, inprimis quae ad singulos homines referenda esse 
 viderentur; haec signa enim, domestica praesertim, faciliorem 
 habebant interpretationem ex parte corporis quam ex regione 
 caeli. Altera ratio vero quae ad Orientis praestantiam per- 
 tinebat inprimis adbibebatur ut videtur, ad signa aeria et 
 caelestia, ad ea praesertim quae magnae alicui hominum multi- 
 tudini (cuius neque dextra pars certa erat neque laeva) appare- 
 bant. Sed utramque rationem ita coniungere et quasi con- 
 glutinare Graecis placuit, ut eodem vocabulo uterentur ad 
 utrumque genus locorum designandum. AeftoV dictus est et 
 locus Orientalis et locus a dextra manu; apLcrT€p6^ cum regie 
 Occidentalism turn locus a laeva manu. Causa huius metonymiae 
 simplex et clara est ; rb he^iov, quod erat nomen loci quo signa 
 domestica et ad singulos bomines pertinentia accipiebant vim 
 insignem et plerumque salutarem, transferebatur ad eam 
 regionem caeli, qua eandem vim habere credebantur signa 
 caelestia et aeria et ad magnas multitudines hominum per- 
 tinentia; ita regio Orientalis ra Se^td dicta i. e. loca pulchra 
 sive meliora.' 
 
 Homer, II. 13, 821 : 5)9 dpa ol elirovTL eTreTrraro he^Lo<; 
 6pVL<;, I atero? vyjn7r6Tr)<; • ivl 8' ta;^e \ao<; 'A^atwz/ ddp(7vvo<; 
 oi(ov(p. Homer, Od. 20, 242 : avrdp 6 toIctlv dpiaTepo^ rfkvOev 
 6pvL<;, I al€Tb<; ir^nrenf)^ , ep^e hi Tprjpcova TreXecav. Homer, 11. 
 10,274; 12, 201; 219: 239; 24, 294; 320; Od. 2, 154; 
 15, 160; 525; 24, 312; Plutarch, Tib. Gracchus, 832 C. 
 
 A rainbow, if seen in a dream on the right hand side, is 
 declared by Artemidorus a good omen; if seen on the left, 
 a bad one. The right and left sides, however, must be judged 
 with reference to the sun: (Onirocritica, 2, 36) 'If>t9 Be^ta fiev 
 6pco/jL€VTj dyaOrj, €V(opvfJLO<; 8e irovrjpd. Se^idv Se koI evcovvfjLov 
 ov 7r/oo9 Tov opodvra 'x^prj voelvj dXkd 7rpo<; top rfKiov. 
 
 Lightning flashing towards the right, that is the east, was a 
 favorable omen: Homer, II. 9, 236: Zew 3e a-</)t KpoviSfj^ 
 ivSe^ia cr7]fjLaTa <^aCv(ov | da-TpdiTTei. IL 2, 353 ; Plutarch, De 
 Gen. Soc. 594 D. 
 
Right and Left in Roman Literature, 63 
 
 Pythagoras considered that there were certain parts of the 
 universe per se dexteras, and others per se laevas. Aristotle, 
 De Caelo, 284 b : tlv&; elcriv oi (f>a(TLv elvai ri Se^cov koI apicr- 
 repov Tov ovpavov, KaOdirep ol KaXovjjLevoL Tlv6ay6p€Loc ; Aris- 
 totle, fr. 200 : to ovv Se^cov /cal dvco /cal ep^irpoaOev dyaOov 
 ifcaXovv (ot Ilvday6p€L0c)j to Be dpcaTepov koX kcltco Kal oinaOeu 
 KUKOv eXeyov. 
 
 Aristotle claimed that the east was called the right part of 
 the universe, because from it began the motion of the universe ; 
 (De Caelo 285 b) Be^cov yap i/cdo-Tov Xeyo/nev, oOev rj a/3%^ 
 tt}? KaTCL TOTTOv KLVTjoreG)^ ' TOV 8' ovpavov cip'X^rjv rr)"? 7r€pi<f>opd<: 
 66ev at dvaToXal twv da-Tpcov, coaTe tovt'' dv ecr} Be^cov, ou 8' 
 at hvaei^, dpLCTTepov. Plutarch, Be Plac, PML, 888 B. 
 
 Signs were also judged from their position with regard to the 
 observer. In this method those occurring on the right were 
 favorable, while those occurring on the left were unfavorable. 
 The reason is obvious, and in line with the usual custom, apart 
 from augury. Propertius, 5, 1, 67 : ' Roma, f ave, tibi surgit 
 opus, date Candida cives | Omina et inceptis dextera cantet 
 avis ' ; Ovid, Her. 2, 115 : ' Cui mea virginitas avibus libata 
 sinistris | Castaque f allaci zona recincta manu ! ' Cicero, 7, 
 Ilias, jN"o. 25 : ^ " prospera luppiter his dextris fulgoribus 
 edit ' ; Varro, De Re Rustica 3, 17, 10 ; Plautus, Amph. 333 ; 
 Xenophon, Cyrop. 2, 1, 1 : avT0L<; aero? Se^to? (f)aveh ; Anah, 
 6, 1, 23; Cyrop. 7, 1, 3 ; Pausanias, 4, 21, 7 : koI — Tja-TpaTTTe 
 yap T0VT0L<; KaTa Se^La — d'ire(f)aLV€v "E/ta? o fidvTi^ &)? atatov 
 €17} TO (rrj/jLelov. 
 
 Pliny states that a wolf stopping suddenly was a most 
 powerful omen for those making a journey, provided he met 
 them on their right hand side: (Nat. Hist. 8, 83) " eundem 
 (lupum) in fame vesci terra, inter auguria, ad dexteram 
 commeantium praeciso itinere si pleno id ore fecerit, nullum 
 ominum praestantius." 
 
 An eagle appearing suddenly from the right side is declared 
 
 ^ Baehrens, Poet. Lat. Min. 6, p. 307. 
 
54 Right and Left in Roman Literature, 
 
 a good omen bj Suetonius, Vitellius, 9,4:^ Praemisso agmini 
 laetum evenit auspicium, siquidem a parte dextra repente 
 aqnila advolavit; lustratisque signis ingressns viam sensim 
 antecessit.' So, also, an eagle perched on the right shoulder of 
 the Emperor Claudius as he was entering the Forum: (Sue- 
 tonius, Claudius, 7, 3) ^^ evenitque ut primitus ingredient! 
 cum fascibus forum, praetervolans aquila dexteriore umero 
 considerat." 
 
 The trembling of a hedge on the left side is considered 
 unlucky. Ovid, Fast. 2, 501 : " Cum subito motu saepes 
 tremuere sinistrae: — | Rettulit ille gradus, horrueruntque 
 comae : — " 
 
 Augustus regarded it as an ill-omen to put on his left shoe 
 before the right. Suetonius, Augustus, 92 : '^ Auspicia et 
 omina quaedam pro certissimis observabat ; si mane sibi calceus 
 perperam ac sinister pro dextro induceretur ut dirum " ; cf . 
 Pliny, Nat. Hist. 2, 7, 24. 
 
 In the case of celestial signs appearing in the east, their 
 motion from left to right was sometimes of importance.^ So 
 in the description of the dream seen by Tarquinus Superbus, 
 the aug-urs declared that it was an unfavorable omen for him, 
 but favorable for the Roman people, since the sun had moved 
 towards the right. Accius, Brutus, frs. 1 and 2 ; ^ fr. 1, 1. 9 : 
 ^ Exin prostratum terra, graviter saucium, | Resupinum in caelo 
 contueri maximum | Mirificum facinus dextrorsum orbem flam- 
 meum | Radiatum solis linquier cursu novo ' ; f r. 2, 1. 6 : ' nam 
 id quod de sole ostentum est tibi, | Populo commutationem 
 rerum portendit fore | Perpropinquam. haec bene verruncent 
 populo! nam quod dexterum | Cepit cursum ab laeva signum 
 praepotens pulcherrume | Auguratum est rem Romanam publi- 
 cam summam fore.' 
 
 We also find cases in which someone seeing a sign on his 
 right side does not interpret this as favorable, but merely as 
 
 *Valeton, I. c, p. 316. 
 
 " Ribbeck, 8c. Rom. Foes. Frag. 1, p. 328. 
 
Bight and Left in Roman Literature, 55 
 
 being of importance for him. This interpretation is quite 
 rare and only belongs to those signs which seem to foretell 
 something and which require the interpretation of some skilled 
 person.^ Ammianus Marcellinus, 21, 15, 2: ' (Constantius) 
 autumno iam senescente profectus cum ad suburbanum venisset 
 disiimctum exinde tertio lapide, Hippocephalum nomine, 
 lucente iam die cadaver hominis interfecti dextra iacens capite 
 avulso conspexit, contra occiduum latus extensum; territusque 
 omine, finem parantibus f atis, destinatius ipse tendebat ' ; 
 Xenophon, Anal., 6, 1, 23 : Kal ore ef 'Ecfyeaov copfxaro Kvpo) 
 crv(TTa9r]a6/jL€VO'^, alerov ave/jLifiv^a/cero eavro) Se^iov (pOeyyo/jbevovj 
 fcadrjfievov fjievroi, ovirep 6 fjLdvTt<;, TrpoTrefiTrcop avrov eXeyev otl 
 /jL€ya<; jxev ol(ovb<; etrj Kal ovk l8tcoTiK6<i, /cal evBo^o<; eirlTrovo^ 
 fievroL. 
 
 Frequently, however, the regular augural usage persists, so 
 that the sign which appears on the left is favorable, while that 
 on the right is unfavorable. Thus the woodpecker and the 
 crow, when seen by the observer on his left were good omens, 
 while the raven or owl in order to be so had to be seen on the 
 right. In this case neither the right nor the left side has in 
 itself any lucky or unlucky force, but merely acquires it from 
 the special birds. Plautus, Asin. 259 : impetritum, inaugur- 
 atumst: quo vis admittunt aves | picus et cornix ab laeva, 
 corvos, parra ab dextera | consuadent '' ; Plautus, Aulul. 624; 
 Cicero, Div. 1, 39, 85 ; Vergil, Ed. 9, 16 ; Lucan, Phars, 5, 
 396; Phaedrus, 3, 18, 12; Horace, Odes, 3, 27, 13: 'sis licet 
 felix ubicumque mavis, | et memor nostri, Galatea, vivas, | 
 teque nee laevus vetet ire picus | nee vaga cornis.' Here laevus 
 is used for infaustus, and the woodpecker is laevus because it 
 appears on the right hand side. Cf. Petronius, Cena Tri- 
 malchionis, 122, 1. 177: ' haec ubi personuit, de caelo Delphicus 
 ales I omina laeta dedit pepulitque meatibus auras. | nee non 
 horrendi nemoris de parte sinistra | insolitae voces flamma 
 sonuere sequenti.' 
 
 ^Valeton, I. c, p. 308. 
 
56 RigM and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 In conclusion it may be well to give a list of those passages 
 in which dexter, sinister, and laevus occur, used solely with 
 their derived meanings of favorable and unfavorable, without 
 the slightest reference to the right or the left. This will serve 
 to show the frequency of their use, also the very early stage 
 of the language in which such meanings were developed. Thus 
 the first example of dexter meaning favorable is found in 
 Vergil. However, sinister with the meaning unfavorable occurs 
 in Catullus, and laevus still earlier in Lucilius. 
 
 Dexter = favorable: 
 
 Vergil, Aen. 2, 388 ; 4, 294 ; 579 ; 8, 302. Aetna, 4. 
 
 Propertius, 4, 1, 47; 8, 58; 5, 1, 72; 9, 72. 
 
 Horace, Sat. 2, 1, 18. 
 
 Ovid, Ars Am, 2, 145; Trist. 5, 3, 57; 5, 30; Fast, 1, 6; 67; 
 
 69; Pont, 4, 16, 24. 
 Persius, 2, 11; 3, 48. 
 
 Seneca, Medea, 68; Nat. Quaest, 1, 5, 14; 2, 32, 3. 
 Valerius Flaccus, Arg. 1, 245. 
 Statins, 8ilv. 1, 2, 32 ; 211 ; 3, 3, 146 ; 4, 63 ; 4, 7, 48 ; 5, 1, 13 ; 
 
 71; 144; 3, 121; Theh. 1, 717; 2, 153; 3, 157; 374; 
 
 6, 49; 7, 663; 732; 10, 132; 11, 704; 12, 211; AcJiil. 
 
 1, 558; 738, 
 
 Silius Italicus, Pun, 2, 543; 5, 85; 227; 11, 529; 13, 114; 
 
 820 ; 14, 467. 
 Apuleuis, Met. 2, 14, 123. 
 Claudian, 101, 124. 
 Prudentius, Cath, 73; Peristeph, 9, 105.; ApotJi, 9; c, Symm, 
 
 2, 493; 564. 
 Calpurnius, Eclogae, 3, 97.-'- 
 Aegritudo Perdicae, 281.^ 
 Incerti Ponticon Praefation, 18.^ 
 
 * Baehrens, Poet. Lat. Min. 3, p. 82. 
 'Baehrens, I. c, 5, p. 124. 
 'Baehrens, I. c, 3, p. 173, No. 32. 
 
Bight and Left in Roman Literature, 57 
 
 Dextere: 
 
 Livy, 1, 34, 12 ; 8, 36, 7. 
 
 Seneca, Ad Polyhium de Consolatione, 6, 1. 
 
 Sinister == unfavorable : 
 
 Catullus, 29, 15. 
 
 Vergil, Georg. 1, 444; Ae7i. 10, 110; 11, 347. 
 
 Propertius, 4, 2, 9. 
 
 Ovid, Her. 13, 49; 21, 68. 
 
 Phaedrus, 2, 9 (Auctor) 16. 
 
 Curtius Kufus, Hist. Alex. 7, 4, 10. 
 
 Columella, 1, 5, 8. 
 
 Seneca, Troad. 983 ; De Ira, 3, 3, 4 ; Nat. Quaest, 1, 5, 14. 
 
 Lucan, Phars. 8, 52. 
 
 Valerius Placcus, Arg. 3, 303. 
 
 Quintilian, Inst. Orator. 11, 3, 68. 
 
 Statins, Silv. 3, 4, 76 ; 5, 3, 2 ; Tlieh. 1, 244 ; 647 ; 3, 538 ; 691 ; 
 
 6,200; 701; 8, 177. 
 Silius Italicus, Pun. 1, 56; 2, 632; 9, 9; 10, 390; 12, 204; 
 
 13, 391; 17, 584. 
 Pliny, Epist. 7, 28, 3. 
 Tacitus, Ann. 1, 74, 10; 6, 32, 16; 11, 19, 11; Hist. 1, 51, 25; 
 
 2, 93, 13; 5, 5, 2; Agric. 5, 15. 
 Juvenal, 2, 87. 
 Apuleius, Met. 11, 15, 782. 
 Claudian, 3, 20 ; 28, 274. 
 Prudentius, Cath. 2, 95 ; 6, 123 ; 7, 173 ; Hamar. 463 ; Psych. 
 
 19; c. Symm. 2, 684; Peristeph. 13, 21. 
 Dracontius, Carm. Prof. 8, 638.^ 
 Anthologia Latina, 188, 1. 12 ; ^ 196, 1. 16 ; ^ 463, 1. 5.* 
 
 ^Baehrens, Poet. Lat. Min. 5, p. 183, No. 54. 
 ^Baehrens, I. c, 4, p. 185. 
 'Baehrens, I. c, 4, p. 189. 
 *Baehrens, I. c, 4, p. 397. 
 
58 Right and Left in Roman Literature. 
 
 Sinistre : 
 
 Tacitus, Hist. 1, 7, 12 ; 3, 52, 14, 
 
 Laevus = unfavorable : 
 
 Lucilius, Sat. 9, No. 237.^ 
 
 Vergil, Geor^. 4, 7 ; Aen. 2, 54; 10, 275. 
 
 Horace, 8at. % ^, ^\ Ars Poet. 301. 
 
 Ovid, Pont. 4, 9, 119. 
 
 Aulus Gellins, 5, 12, 13. 
 
 Statins, ^iZ.. 2, 3, 29; Theh. 1, 634; 2, 16; 4, 268; 602; 5, 
 
 307 ; 11, 444. 
 Silius Italicus, Pun. 5, 660 ; 7, 30. 
 Martial, 6, 85, 3. 
 Juvenal, 14, 228. 
 Ammianns Marcellinus, 14, 11, 12; 25, 6, 3. 
 
 Laeve : 
 Horace, Epist. 1, 7, 52. 
 
 * Baehrens, L c, 4, p. 173. 
 
LIFE 
 
 Anthony Pelzer Wagener was bom at Charleston, S. C, 
 May 27, 1887. His preliminary education was received at 
 the High School of Charleston. He then attended the College 
 of Charleston, from which he received the degree of B. A. in 
 1906. In the same year he entered the Johns Hopkins 
 University for graduate work, selecting as his subjects Latin, 
 G-reek, and Sanskrit. He also pursued courses in Roman and 
 Greek Archaeology and Italian. He held the Fellowship in 
 Latin during the year 1909-1910. 
 
 He wishes to express his gratitude chiefly to Professors 
 Smith, Wilson, Gildersleeve, Bloomfield, Robinson and Mus- 
 tard, and to Associate Professor Miller for their many acts 
 of kindness and assistance. Special acknowledgments are due 
 to Professor Kirby Flower Smith, at whose suggestion this 
 investigation was undertaken. 
 
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