The text examines how certain emotions and personality traits are reflected through facial expressions, particularly the eyebrows. Different positions and movements of the eyebrows can indicate emotions like courage, sorrow, or anger. It also discusses how expressions are conveyed through actions involving the arms and hands.
Actual Activities
The Mind. Here, sincere Observation, carefree Carelessness, Lasciviousness, Lustfulness, Courage, Greatness, Sternness, Gentleness, bitter Aggressiveness, Mercy, Compassion, and everything belonging to these qualities are revealed. Regarding this matter, the Eyebrows have the most significant influence: Because, just as they are positioned as the foremost ornaments of the Forehead, above the Eyes, they command and move according to the impulse the Mind has regarding the event of a situation. Sometimes they are raised, indicating Courage and Boldness. Sometimes they are furrowed, indicating Sorrow and concern; Also, sometimes, terrible Anger; especially when one wishes to reprimand someone most with the Face; as the poet Homer has very aptly illustrated in his depiction of an angry Jupiter when he said:
So spoke Jupiter, and to voice his grievance;
Pulled with a keen Wrinkle his Brows together;
That from the immortal Head, the God's magnificent Hair
Frightfully swung, and all Olympus shook.
Sometimes they are relaxed and quite spread out, indicating Joy and cheerfulness. Sometimes they are downcast and drooping: Such positioning of the Eyebrows is a sure sign of Humility and often of shame.
In the Actions, one observes that most of the important Work and expression are conveyed by the Arms and Hands. And since the Actions are mostly not elegantly performed with one Hand.
Translation Notes:
"Werkelijke bezigheden" is translated here as "Actual Activities". The term "Gemoed" is translated to "Mind" considering its context. The term "Wenk" is translated as "Wrinkle" to convey the action described.