598 Curry significance of wide-open, glaring eyes, says further: Oculi late patentes micantes leniter intendentes tanquam concinnati ad suavitatem et gratiam . . . congruunt ... a Polemone qui- dem auctore referuntur, qui eunuchum sui temporis f uisse hunc hominem descripsit . . . huic cetera corporis indicia huiusmodi assignat; tensam frontem . . . cervicem tenuem . . . vocis femineam, verba muliebria. . . hunc dicit impatientia libi- dium quae passus est, praeterea maledicum, temerarium, sed et maleficiis studentem, nam et letiferum venenum dicebatur clanculo venditare. 28 From these quotations it appears that the physical marks of a eunuchus ex natimtate are, like those of the Pardoner, wide-open glittering eyes, a long neck, a high-pitched voice, and a beardless chin. The mind which accompanies this physical misfortune is, like that of the Pardoner, full of deceit, arrogant, sensual and lustful, dissolute, avaricious, and studious of all kinds of depravity. Explanations of such physical phenomena are not lacking. Bartholomew Anglicus, speaking of the hair, remarks: "Also gelded men are not balde, & that is for chaungynge of theyr complexyon, & for maystery of colde, & closith & stoppth ye poores of skyne of ye heed & holdyth togideres ye fumosite yt it maye not passe & be wasted. But in wymen & in gelded men other heer fallyth & faylyth." 29 He is also perfectly familiar with the reason for the "acute" voice: "Males haue stronger synewes & stringes than chyldren, & vngelded haue stronger than gelded. And for febylnes & synewes ye voys of theum yt ben gelded is lyke ye voys of females." 30 Nor is he at a loss for an explanation of the growth of beard. "And therfore," he continues, "the berde is nedefull helpynge for chekes and token of vertu & strengthe of kendely heet. And herfore a man hath 28 Anonymi de physiognomonia liber Latinus, Scrip, physiog., Foerster, Vol. II, p. 58. 29 Bartholomeus de Proprietatibus Rerum, trans. Trevisa, printed by Wynkyn de Worde, 1495, Lib. V, Cap. LXVI. Cf. also a like account in Porta, op. tit., pp. 88, 372. 30 Op. tit., De Voce, Lib. V, Cap. XXIII, Cap. XLIX. Compare Porta's fuller explanation, op. tit., p. 245. Porta's work is illuminating. He seems to have made a complete digest of opinion upon all points physiognomical from Aristotle^ down to his own time. He is a typical example of the medieval "scholar," reproducing with accuracy what Polemon, Admantius, and Rasis
have said, but never adding anything of his own.
