His temples were deep and flexuous,^a his forehead
Was small and smooth, shallow and linear the arc of his brows,

⁵⁵The pupils of his eyes were dark and attentive,^b like
Quiet and lambent torches; cheerful and pleasant was his
Countenance,^c his nose-line natural and unbent, his cheeks
Were hollow and lean,^d his lips thin and of moderate size,
Set closely together were his snow-white^e teeth,

⁶⁰Black was his beard but sparse, his throat drooping and gaunt;^f
His deep shoulders were on an upright neck,^g
Small were his arms, thin his hands, slender his legs,
His feet were little, while his fingers and toes were long;^h
And as for his flesh, it was enclosed in the roughest of garb.

⁶⁵That was to think of appearance; now you should look at his
Character:ⁱ in mentality he was suppliant and simple, in body
Chaste and celibate, in both he was clear and pure; as to
Things above he was rich and noble, poor and lowly in things
Of earth. His waking hours meant thirst and fast, his resting

⁷⁰Hours meant prayer and vigil, he battled on through both heat
And cold.^j Dear and true was his affection, his heart benign^k
And thoughtful, he was ever ready and eager to help;
His perception was sharp and agile, well-expressed was his
Speech and lively, warm and keen was his temperament,

⁷⁵Compassionate and lenient to everyone,^l on himself he was harsh
And austere. He was clever and shrewd in things he said,
Foreseeing and wise in things he did; in coming to decisions
Deep-browed and serious, he was swift and prompt with pardon;

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Auris, defossa sinuosaque tempora, levis
Parvaque frons, humiles rectique superciliorum

⁵⁵Arcus, subnigrae circumspectaeque pupillae,
Pacatae blandaeque faces, iucunda placensque
Effigies, simplex directaque linea nasi,
Exhaustae tenuesque genae, macra pressaque labra,
Coniuncti niveique sedent ex ordine dentes,

⁶⁰Raris barba pilis nigra, laxis guttura fibris
Marcida, subvectis humeri cervicibus alti,
Brachia parva, manus tenues, subtilia crura,
Exiguique pedes, digiti manuumque pedumque
Proceri, carnemque domans asperrima vestis.

⁶⁵Corpore perpenso, si vis perpendere mores:
Mente fuit supplex et simplex, carne pudicus
Et caelebs, utroque nitens et purus, in astris
Dives et excelsus, in terris pauper et imus.
Discumbendo sitit et ieiunat, recubando

⁷⁰Obsecrat et vigilat, bellando sudat et alget;
Affectu dulcis et rectus, corde benignus
Et pius, auxiliis intendens et studiosus,
Sensu perspicuus et mobilis, ore disertus
Et celer, ingenio fervens et acutus, ad omnes

⁷⁵Clemens et lenis, ad se crudelis et asper.
Ad dicenda sagax et solers, ad facienda
Providus et sapiens, ad discutienda morosus
Et gravis, ad veniam velox et promptus, ad iram