The Aims of Liberal Studies

de ingenuis moribus et liberalibus adulescentiae studiis, XXIII:

“We call those studies ‘liberal’ which are worthy of a free person: they are those studies by which virtue and wisdom are either exercised or sought, those studies by which the body and soul are disposed toward all of the best things, those studies from which people may seek honor and glory, those studies which the wise man considers as themselves being the highest rewards, after virtue. For, just as illiberal minds consider profit and pleasure to be ends in themselves, so do noble spirits value virtue and glory.”

Liberalia igitur studia vocamus, quae sunt homine libero digna: ea sunt quibus virtus ac sapientia aut exercetur aut quaeritur quibusque corpus aut animus ad optima quaeque disponitur, unde honor et gloria hominibusque quaeri solet, quae sunt sapienti prima post virtutem proposita praemia. Nam ut illiberalibus ingeniis lucrum et voluptas pro fine statuitur, ita ingenuis virtus et gloria.