Truly, to liken a female human being to Aphrodite and to Hera, what else is it but outright
cheapening of the goddesses? In such matters the
less is not made greater by the comparison, but
rather the greater is lessened by being dragged
down to the lower level. If two people were walking together, one of whom was very tall and the
other quite humble in stature, and it should be
needful to equalize them so that the one would not
tower above the other, this could not be accomplished
by the shorter through stretching himself, however
much he were to raise himself on tiptoe. No, if
they are to look alike in size, the latter will stoop
and make himself appear shorter. Just so in such
comparisons; it is not so true that a man becomes

 

greater if he is likened to a god, as that the divine
is inevitably minimized by being forced down to
match what is defective. If it were for lack of
earthly objects of comparison that one let one’s
speech range to those in Heaven, one would be less
open to the charge of acting impiously therein.
But in your case, though you had so many examples
of fair women at command, you made bold to liken
her to Aphrodite and Hera without any need.