" But I asked, "In such
case, what becomes of conjugial love, which from two souls makes one,
and joins minds together, and renders a man (_homo_) blessed? This love
cannot be divided; for if it be it becomes a heat which effervesces and
passes away." To this he replied, "I do not understand what you say;
what else renders a man (_homo_) blessed, but the emulation of wives
contending for the honor of the first place in the husband's favor?" As
he said this, a man entered into the women's apartment and opened the
two doors; whence there issued a libidinous effluvium, which had a
stench like mire; this arose from polygamical love, which is connubial,
and at the same time adulterous; so I rose and shut the doors.
Afterwards I said, "How can you subsist upon this earth, when you are
void of any love truly conjugial, and also when you worship idols?" He
replied, "As to connubial love, we are so jealous of our wives, that we
do not suffer any one to enter further within our houses than the
vestibule; and where there is jealousy, there must also be love. In
respect to idols, we do not worship them; but we are not able to think
of the God of the universe, except by means of such forms presented to
our eyes; for we cannot elevate our thoughts above the sensual things of
the body, nor think of God above the objects of bodily vision.
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