In the days of ancient Rome, a wealthy merchant bought a beautiful young slavegirl for the price of four thousand denarii. While looking at her one day, he found himself moved to tears.

The girl asked him, "Master, why do you weep?"

"Your eyes are so beautiful they make me forget to worship the gods," he replied.

That night, when she had retired to her bedchamber, she was so disturbed by his words that she plucked out her eyes.

When the man discovered what she had done, he cried out in anguish.

He summoned doctors who bandaged the girl and eased her pain with drinks of brandy. When they were alone again he pleaded to know why she had done such a thing.

"I am a lowly slavegirl," she moaned. "I cannot let any part of me be prized more greatly than the gods!"

Said the man, "But do you know what you have done? Do you know how little you will be worth to anyone now?"

He laid down beside his ruined treasure and fell into a troubled sleep. He dreamt that a voice spoke to him.

"To your foolish heart, this girl has made herself of less value, but she is a treasure to us now, and we have taken her to be ours."

The man startled awake and embraced the girl next to him. She was dead.
Beside her had been left four thousand denarii.