Plotinus

"Withdraw into yourself and look. And if you do not find yourself beautiful yet, act as does the sculptor of a statue that is to be made beautiful: he cuts away here, he smoothes there, he makes this line lighter, this other purer, until he fills his statue with a lovely face. So too must you. Cut away all that is superfluous, straighten all that is crooked, bring light to all that is dark, labor to make all that is brilliant, and never cease chiseling your statue until the divine splendor of virtue shines out on you, until you see temperance enthroned in its holy sanctuary."

— from Ennead I.6.9, 270

"Withdraw into yourself and look. And if you do not find yourself beautiful yet, act as does the creator of a statue that is to be made beautiful: he cuts away here, he smoothes there, he makes this line lighter, this other purer, until a lovely face has grown upon his work."

— from Enneads I.6.9

"This is the life of gods and of the godlike and blessed among men, liberation from the alien that besets us here, a life taking no pleasure in the things of earth, a flight of the alone to the Alone."

— from Enneads VI.9.11