Vairons, vairs ou verts : una dueña de Inglaterra cobdiciava aver los ojos verdes e varios por ser mas fermosa…

Abstract

In an exemplary miracle, a lady asks St. Thomas of Canterbury to give her beautiful and 'varied' eyes to make her more attractive. She loses her sight and only recovers it through the miraculous intervention of the saint. This story raises many questions: first, what is the meaning of the Latin word varios, does it refer to “vairons” (dissimilar) eyes or to “vairs” (bright) eyes? Why did the 15th Century Castilian translator of the exemplum choose to add the word verdes? Does this addition reflect a new appreciation, at the end of the Middle Ages, of the colour green, which is exceptional for eyes… and yet is also present in Pulgar's description of Queen Isabella's eyes.

Keywords

• translation
• aesthetics
• exemplary miracles
• green
• eyes