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Cicero

Orator Passage 60

Passage 60 of 238

Canonical reference 60

Latin

perseus-cicero-orator-lat

vultus vero, qui secundum vocem plurimum potest, quantam adferet tum dignitatem tum venustatem! in quo cum effeceris ne quid ineptum sit aut vultuosum , tum oculorum est quaedam magna moderatio. Nam ut imago est animi vultus, sic indices oculi; quorum et hilaritatis et vicissim tristitiae modum res ipsae de quibus agetur temperabunt.

English AI-generated translation, non-official

Codex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-11

And the face, which has the greatest power after the voice, how much dignity and charm it will contribute! Once you have ensured that there is nothing inept or grimacing in it, the control of the eyes becomes especially important. For as the face is the image of the mind, so the eyes are its interpreters. The subjects under discussion will regulate the degree of their cheerfulness or, in turn, their sadness.

French AI-generated translation, non-official

Codex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-11

Quant au visage, qui possède après la voix le plus grand pouvoir, quelle dignité et quelle grâce il apportera! Après en avoir banni toute inconvenance et toute grimace, il faut surtout régler les yeux. Car si le visage est l’image de l’âme, les yeux en sont les interprètes; la matière traitée déterminera la juste mesure de leur gaieté ou, à l’inverse, de leur tristesse.

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