Property is unstable, and youth perishes in a moment. Life itself is held in the grinning fangs of Death, Yet men delay to obtain release from the world. Alas, the conduct of mankind is surprising.
PlautusRead
I had much rather be adorned by beauty of character than by jewels. Jewels are the gift of fortune, character comes from within.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True beauty lies in one's character rather than in material possessions.
This quote emphasizes the importance of inner qualities and moral character over external adornments and material wealth. While jewels symbolize fortune and status, the beauty of character is a deeper, intrinsic quality that defines a person's true worth and is cultivated from within, underscoring that character is far more valuable than superficial possessions.
Themes
CharacterBeautyWealthInner QualitiesJewels
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about personal values, one might use this quote to illustrate the importance of inner beauty.
More from Plautus
All quotes βThings we do not expect, happen more frequently than we wish.
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The gods confound the man who first found out How to distinguish hours! Confound him, too, Who in this place set up a sun-dial, To cut and hack my days so wretchedly Into small portions.
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I would rather be adorned by beauty of character than jewels. Jewels are the gift of fortune, while character comes from within.
PlautusRead
If I can only keep my good name, I shall have riches enough.
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Spice a dish with love and it pleases every palate.
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