• The color of Beatrice’s eyes has not been passed over in silence by the commentators. Lani, in his “ Annotazioni ,” says:⁠— “They were of a greenish blue, like the color of the sea.” Mechior Messirini, who thought he had discovered a portrait of Beatrice as old as the fourteenth century, affirms that she had “splendid brown eyes.” Dante here calls them emeralds; upon which the Ottimo comments thus:⁠— “Dante very happily introduces this precious stone, considering its properties, and considering that griffins watch over emeralds. The emerald is the prince of all green stones; no gem nor herb has greater greenness; it reflects an image like a mirror; increases wealth; is useful in litigation and to orators; is good for convulsions and epilepsy; preserves and strengthens the sight; restrains lust; restores memory; is powerful against phantoms and demons; calms tempests; stanches blood, and is useful to soothsayers.” The beauty of green eyes, ojuelos verdes , is extolled by Spanish poets; and is not left unsung by poets of other countries. Lycophron in his “tenebrous poem” of “Cassandra,” says of Achilles:⁠— “Lo! the warlike eagle come, Green of eye, and black of plume.” And in one of the old French Mysteries, Hist. Théat. Franç. , I 176, Joseph describes the child Jesus as having “Les yeulx vers, la chair blanche et tendre Les cheveulx blonds.” ↩