When William and Adso first enter the scriptorum, William asks to see what the dead monk had been working on. Just before examining it, he takes out his eye glasses and one of the other monks working there whispers something to the others. What did his whisper? What does this mean? I ask because I am wondering if it is a remark about William's investigation, or use of eyeglasses. Who knows, they might have been considered taboo or something.
sharePersonally I speculate it is simply calling attention to something they have heard of but never seen even though it would be practical to have in their daily life.
Kind of like I imagine a sci-fi convention not long ago "Bill, look, that guy has a sonic screwdriver replica that lights up! I wonder where he got it."
They do look a bit cowed but I think that's because the higher ranking monks are quite stern.
What did his whisper? What does this mean?
We don't know what he whispered, but here's what it means: http://www.eyetopics.com/articles/41/1/The-History-of-Eyeglasses.html. Eyeglasses were still new at the time.
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Lazy + smart = efficient.
Thanks for answering.
shareThe subtitling (at least in Swedish) have him say "Eyes of glass!", and then he looks like he tries to sink through the floor for being so profane as to speak in the scriptorium just like a schoolboy.
shareAs the previous poster said, they were shocked to see glasses. In fact, I don't think they even had mirrors in the castle/abbey.
shareMy impression was that being in the dark ages any type of technology was considered dubious if not wicked. Remeber the sextant and hourglass that is qucikly covered up by a cloth.
share