BLACK EYES IN GREEK EROTIC POETRY AND THE PHYSIOGNOMICAL TRADITION

The present article aims to review the evidence for black or dark eyes in ancient poetry, track the development of this convention over time, and ascertain whether it is possible to identify changes in what black/dark eyes signify. The article will further explore whether the association of this convention in poetry is replicated in physiognomical texts, which constitute another genre of ancient discourse in which eyes, including their various hues, receive detailed attention.