Fascination means "slain or overcome by the eyes." The allusion is to the ancient notion of
bewitching by the power of the eye. (Greek, baskaino, i.e. phaesi kaino, to kill with the eyes. See Valpy: Etymology of Greek Words, p. 23, col. 1; Latin. fascino.) (See Evil Eye.)

Joke on me. I thought it had something to do with the fasces, the bundle of rods carried as
symbol of the power of the consuls.