Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Pseudo-Clementine Literature/The Clementine Homilies/Homily V/Chapter 16

Chapter XVI.&#8212;Praise of Unchastity.

&#8220;&#8216;Thus have I in part set before you the amours of all the more noted gods, beloved, that you may know that fanaticism respecting this thing is confined to senseless men.&#160; Therefore they are mortal, and spend their lives sadly, because through their zeal they proclaim those things to be evil which the gods esteem as excellent.&#160; Therefore for the future you will be blessed, imitating the gods, and not men.&#160; For men, seeing you preserving that which is thought to be chastity, on account of what they themselves feel, praise you indeed, but do not help you.&#160; But the gods, seeing you like unto themselves, will both praise and help.