Barbarians Quote by Edward Gibbon
“The elegance of dress, of motion, and of manners gives a lustre to beauty, and inflames the senses through the imagination. Luxurious entertainments, midnight dances, and licentious spectacles, present at once temptation and opportunity to female frailty. From such dangers the unpolished wives of the barbarians were secured by poverty, solitude, and the painful cares of a domestic life.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1776
Elegant dress and manners enhance beauty, but also tempt and expose frailty; poverty and solitude protect against such dangers.
In simple terms: Graceful appearance tempts, while modesty shields.
Balance style with substance.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- court life
- social gatherings
- marriage negotiations
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does appearance influence perception?
- Can simplicity be a safeguard?
Elegance can be superficial.