John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
9132 Diogenes Laërtius fl early 3d ent John Bartlett
| NUMBER: | 9132 |
| AUTHOR: | Diogenes Laërtius (fl. early 3d cent.) |
| QUOTATION: | He used to say that personal beauty was a better introduction than any letter; 1 but others say that it was Diogenes who gave this description of it, while Aristotle called beauty “the gift of God;” that Socrates called it “a short-lived tyranny;” Theophrastus, “a silent deceit;” Theocritus, “an ivory mischief;” Carneades, “a sovereignty which stood in need of no guards.” |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Aristotle. xi. |
| Note 1. See Publius Syrus, Quotation 23. [back] |