I intend to explicate the phenomenon of simplicity insofar as it is constitutive of an agent"s character, and also to argue that it is a cardinal (though often underappreciated) virtue-every bit as fundamental to a well-lived and admirable life as is wisdom, compassion, fortitude, or any of the more commonly acknowledged praiseworthy qualities. Simplicity, as I will use the term, refers to a disposition in favor of the rational governance of desire and aversion and, in particular, the

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... on of pretense. The simple person eschews interests rooted in concern about how he (or she) may be perceived or regarded by other persons. Simplicity, in short, is a rational restriction of one"s interests to the sphere of one"s direct, unmediated control (as understood by the Roman Stoics)-and a correlative disregard for matters lying beyond that sphere (especially matters such as one"s "image" or reputation).