Mentem, non formam plus
pollere.

Intelligence matters, not beauty

Ingressa vulpes in Choragi pergulam,
Fabrè expolitum invenit humanum caput,
Sic eleganter fabricatum, ut spiritus
Solùm deesset, caeteris vivisceret:
Id illa cùm sumpsisset in manus, ait:
Hoc[1] quale caput est! sed cerebrum non habet.[2]

A fox, entering the store-room of a theatrical producer, found an actor’s mask, skilfully shaped, so finely fashioned that the spirit alone was missing, in all else it seemed alive. Taking it up, the fox addressed it - What a head is this, but it has no brain!

Vulpecula quaedam (asutissimum animal)
cùm forte intrasset officinam cuiusdam sculpto-
ris, reperit ibi humanum caput adeò artificiosè
& egregiè fabricatum ac politum, ut omnino
vivum sibi videretur, nisi spiritus defuisset, illud
revolvit dicens: ô quàm formosum caput, sed
intellectu caret. Extat fabella Esopica de vul-
  Link to an image of this page  [f3v p86]pe & capite reperto. Significatur solam pul-
chritudinem corporis & nitorem non suffice
re nisi etiam accedant animi bona, praestat igi-
tur sordidum & deformem, sed sapientia prae-
ditum esse, quàm elegantissimum & venustis-
simum, ingenio autem & mente carere.