From the book
Empedocles’ The Testimonia, Volume II
Empedocles of Acragas · Diotimos Editions · 2026
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At a Glance
- The wordGlaukos describes a light, gleaming, or grey appearance; in A91 the neuter plural refers to eyes, and the edition translates “grey eyes.”
- In this workAristotle reports that Empedocles calls grey eyes fiery.
- In this editionKeep glauka distinct from phaion in the index, even though both are translated with English “grey.”
- A place to readReports grey eyes as fiery and poor at daytime acuity, then rejects the interpretation.
Meaning
Glaukos describes a light, gleaming, or grey appearance; in A91 the neuter plural refers to eyes, and the edition translates “grey eyes.” It is not the same word as phaion, the intermediate grey colour in Theophrastus's objection.
Use in the book
Aristotle reports that Empedocles calls grey eyes fiery. Their relative lack of water is made the reason they fail to see sharply by day. The parallel dark eyes are said to contain more water than fire and to fail at night through lack of fire. Thus visible eye-colour is tied to an internal elemental constitution and a difference of acuity.
Aristotle does not merely repeat the explanation: he rejects it on the ground that sight should be understood as watery in all cases. His own premise belongs to the polemic. Theophrastus's broader account of day and night vision offers useful comparison, but it does not name these eye-colour classes in the corresponding paragraph. The report should not be upgraded into measured empirical correlations or a current account of iris pigmentation.
Places to read
- A 91 (polemical)Aristotle, On the Generation of Animals. Reports grey eyes as fiery and poor at daytime acuity, then rejects the interpretation.
- A 86 §§ 7–8 (testimony)2Theophrastus, On the Senses 8. Provides the related account of fiery excess and daytime dimming without naming grey eyes.
Translation in this edition
Keep glauka distinct from phaion in the index, even though both are translated with English “grey.” The original terms prevent a false equation of eye type and intermediate object colour.