Letter 1508: Virtue must be practiced with all one's strength — not merely admired from a distance.
Let no one think himself truly adorned. For purple and the splendor of gold and gems make the world marvel at those wearing them, yet many a woman wearing this finery is rendered hateful and odious by her behavior. But another sort of adornment, which is born of virtue, both excites the desire of the beholder and remains forever unfading. The outward adornment perishes with the garment; the inward adornment endures with the soul. The woman who adorns her body but neglects her soul is like one who paints the outside of a house while allowing the inside to rot. But the woman who cultivates virtue adorns both body and soul together, for the beauty of a virtuous character shines through the face and makes even a plain appearance attractive. Let us therefore seek the true adornment — not gold and pearls and costly clothing, but a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
Μιιάινις πιι ἰοδτὶδ φιΐδ Ὀότιι8. ΝᾺ ΡΌΓΡΗΡΔ, ΠΟΩυΘὶ δρ!οπἀθη βΈπη πη 80ΓῸ δ πηϊδι25 νόγο οἰποίυ ιν πλυηάυπι τυ] υτο. Μυ οι ΐπι ἱπορία τηδίγοηδ ἤυπο νοϑιϊσϑηίοβ ογηδίυῃ), ἱδυῖϑς δια οὐἰϊοβοθ οοηὐιχίυυδ τοἀαϊ(. ΑἹ διϊηνὶ ογηδίυβ, αυΐ Υἱγίυϊ6 πδϑοίϊιυν, οἱ οοῃνίοῖυ8 ἀδ5ὶ- ἀεείιπη ὀχοϊίαι, δ. υΐυ5 ὑοπαυο θη Ρἢ - ΧΧΥ͂Ι. --- ΡΟΙΥΓΘΠΒΟΌΝΙΟ. Οὐχ ὑφάσματος ἁλουργὲς αἶθος, οὐδὲ λίθων ποι- χκίλων αὐγὰς πρὸς χρυσὸν χερασθείσας χόσμον γυναι- χὸς εἶναι νομιστέον " πολλαὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀπειροχάλων. χαὶ χόσμον τοιοῦτον θηρωμένων, προσχορεῖς χαὲ μισηταί τοῖς συνοιχοῦσι γεγένηνται. ᾿Αλλὰ τὸ τῆς ψυ- χῆς χάλλος τὸ ἐξ ἀρετῶν συγχείμενον, ὅ περ χαὶ πό- Ο θου ἐστὶ πρὸς τὸν σύμθιον συναγωγὸν, χαὶ εὐνοίας. «υγχάνει φάρμαχον. Κα. --- ΠΟΛΥΧΡΟΝΙΩ. Απίπια υἱτι πηι δἰμαάϊοδα [αεἰ θεῖ οβέηι ἱππρείγαι. ὕ᾽ιτη᾽. δ υγῦϊιιπι δἰἴααι ορροτγίυημ), ᾿Θημ ρα βίδιιη υ 4ποηι6 ΟΡ τίν αυΥυΓ; ἃ οἱ δι ποτυπ) ογρβᾷ υἱγιυ δι δἰυκίο ἀϊνί πη) ράγδιιν δυχ. ὺ ΠῈ. ΧΧΥ͂ΙΙ. --- ΑΒΟΠΟΝΤΙΟ ΡΒΚΕΒΒΥΤΕΙ͂ΝΟ. Ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν πόλεων ἡ εὐχαιρία τῆς θέσεως τὴν εὐχαιρίαν τῶν ὡρῶν ἐπισπᾶται, οὕτω χἀπὶ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡ εὔνοια ἡ πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν τὴν θείαν συμμα- χίαν θηρᾶται.
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