For thousands of years, the eye of Horus remained as a sign of the god’s help to the suffering and sick.
Long after the fall of the ancient Egyptian civilization, doctors and alchemists in Europe continued the custom of showing a sign of the gods’ help and protection. But over the years, the sign changed from the eye of Horus to the sign for Jupiter, the chief god of the Romans. Jupiter’s sign looked much like the printed number “four.”
That sign changed, also. Today, it is the easily-recognized capital “R” with a line across its foot.
The sign no longer offers heavenly assistance to the sick. It now means “take this medicine.”
This VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories was written by Frank Beardsley. The narrator was Maurice Joyce. I’m Warren Sheer.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25