On Abstinence from Animal Food

...fortifies us: so the integrity and purity of life, which we shape in ourselves by imitating the goodness of God, makes us fit to possess Him. For the supreme power of goodness and uprightness original: "probitas," referring to moral excellence and honesty can easily be seen from this: that no action and no speech has any authority, even among the wicked, unless some uprightness, or at least some appearance of uprightness, lies beneath it. For in truth, whatever is not established and supported by the solidity of uprightness—no matter how much talent and artifice it is composed with—it is necessary that it eventually appear to everyone as it truly is: vain and ridiculous, and thus be despised.

For this reason, most illustrious Alvise, although you excel in the nobility of your family, your wealth, and your talent, you have nevertheless decided that your life must be conducted so moderately and holily that you have embraced, in a wonderful way, that part of philosophy which regards ethics mores: the branch of philosophy concerning character, customs, and social conduct, which you have been accustomed to call the soul of philosophy. This you do as becomes one who is truly good, and "a sapling from Zeus, fashioned entirely for truth," original: "πᾶν ἐπ’ ἀλαθείᾳ πεπλασμένον ἐκ Διὸς ἔρνος," a phrase attributed to the Greek poet Pindar as the poet says. This is what you display through the very tranquil way of life you lead, and through those most noble thoughts with which you daily keep your mind elevated above the disturbances of the world and the filth original: "colluvie," literally a collection of washings or dregs; used here to describe the corrupting influence of the unrefined masses of the common crowd.

Therefore, since those writers have also greatly pleased you who did not only investigate the truth with subtle and sharp disputations, but...