The other important curative agent is the purifying spittle. In Scotland and in Greece, any one who should exclaim, "What a beautiful child!" is expected to slightly spit upon the object of the remark, or some misfortune will follow. Ladies in a high position at Athens have been observed to do this quite lately. The Scotch and Greek uneasiness about the "well-faured" is by no means confined to those peoples; the same anxiety reappears in Madagascar; and the Arab does not like you to praise the beauty of his horse without adding the qualifying "an it please God." Persius gives an account of the precautions adopted by the friends of the infant Roman: "Look here--a grandmother or superstitious aunt has taken baby from his cradle and is charming his forehead and his slavering lips against mischief by the joint action of her middle finger and her purifying spittle; for she knows right well how to check the evil eye. Then she dandles him in her arms, and packs off the little pinched hope of the family, so far as wishing can do it, to the domains of Licinus, or to the palace of Cr[oe]sus. 'May he be a catch for my lord and lady's daughter! May the pretty ladies scramble for him! May the ground he walks on turn to a rose-bed.'" (Prof. Conington's translation.) One of the rare lullabies that contain allusion to enchantment is the following Roumanian "Nani-nani": Lullaby, my little one, Thou art mother's darling son; Loving mother will defend thee, Mother she will rock and tend thee, Like a flower of delight, Or an angel swathed in white. Sleep with mother, mother well Knows the charm for every spell. Thou shalt be a hero as Our good lord, great Stephen, was, Brave in war, and strong in hand, To protect thy fatherland. Sleep, my baby, in thy bed; God upon thee blessings shed. Be thou dark, and be thine eyes Bright as stars that gem the skies. Maidens' love be thine, and sweet Blossoms spring beneath thy feet. The last lines might be taken for a paraphrase of-- ....... puellae Hunc rapiant: quicquid calcaverit hic, rosa fiat.