Hombre acusado de tibieza

[Judith]

gay?

[JPablo]

Context?

(Not necessarily, it may just refer to "indifference"... but the context will help to clarify it...)

[Judith]

Not quite sure.. it's from a story by Borges and my brain is still melting. But the guy is also described as "implacable" and "acusado [...] tal vez de traición" and "irlandés"? All of them not really synonyms for both characteristics I guess

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"Tibieza" can mean indecision, lack of courage, indifference, many things...

If you quote the whole sentence we might be able to provide better help.

It sounds quite strange to me that the same man can be described as both "acusado de tibieza" and "implacable". That's a huge contradiction.
And I doubt Borges ever made a comment like that to refer to someone as "gay".

[Judith]

There's this expresion in German "warmer Bruder", and I thought maybe this "tibio" could mean the same. But lack of courage and indecision does make more sense when he is also referred to as a possible traitor`? Thus he welcomes the task to rid himself of this reputation? I don't know, having read the whole story now, I'm still at a loss at what to do with this description. But I'll quote this paragraph, and stop whining

"Madden era implacable. Mejor dicho, estaba obligado a ser implacable. Irlandés a las órdenes de Inglaterra, hombre acusado de tibieza y tal vez de traición, ¿cómo no iba a abrazar y agradecer este milagroso favor: el descubrimiento, la captura, quizá la muerte, de dos agentes del Imperio Alemán?"

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

As I see this, Madden is a coward. As an Irish man he wouldn't have the courage to stand against England, then he would betray his people. He needs the favour of his English superiors and wouldn't let go a good chance to show he's a good servant.

[JPablo]

Yes, yes, but "Las apariencias engañan"...

You can read "Pimpinela Escarlata" and see that "no es oro todo lo que reluce" and viceversa...

I.e., one can be accused of being a coward, and one can even give that image... the truth may be otherwise...

Moliner gives this for "tibio",

tibio 2 («Ser») Aplicado a personas y, correspondientemente, a sus ideas, creencias, fe, etc., poco fervoroso. ¤ («Estar») Con referencia a las relaciones de una persona con otra a la que le une amistad o parentesco, poco afectuoso, algo enemistado. Syn Alejado, apartado, disgustado, distanciado, entibiado, frío, indispuesto, tieso, tirante, torcido.

fervoroso = passionate, fervent, hard-core, dedicated.

tibio = adj. tepid, warm, lukewarm