IF you would appear beautiful, young man, strive for human excellency.
What is that?
Consider, when you praise without partial affection, whom you praise: is it the honest, or the dishonest?
The honest.
The sober or the dissolute?
The sober.
The temperate or the intemperate?
The temperate.
Then, if you make yourself such a character, you know that you will make yourself beautiful; but, while you neglect these things, though you use every contrivance to appear beautiful, you must necessarily be deformed.
What is that?
Consider, when you praise without partial affection, whom you praise: is it the honest, or the dishonest?
The honest.
The sober or the dissolute?
The sober.
The temperate or the intemperate?
The temperate.
Then, if you make yourself such a character, you know that you will make yourself beautiful; but, while you neglect these things, though you use every contrivance to appear beautiful, you must necessarily be deformed.
EPICTETUS. DISCOURSES. Book iii. §1. ¶1.
Summary: "IF you would appear beautiful strive for human excellency. Be honest, sober, temperate. Neglect these and nothing can beautify you."
ReplyDeleteIt is the inner qualities that shine through. The beautiful and corrupt betray themselves. The best people are beautiful, regardless of appearance, and the worst are disfigured, regardless of clothes, hair or makeup.