Origen of Alexandria, Against Celsus 5

When the author turns to idolatry, he treats it as a subject that properly belongs to those who draw from the Word, and he builds his case by saying that people do not regard handmade objects as gods, because it is not reasonable that things fashioned by the most worthless craftsmen of evil character, often even by unjust men, should be considered divine. In what follows, wanting to show that this insight is not original to him, he cites Heraclitus: "It is like someone chattering in the houses, to treat the inanimate things that approach as gods." One must say, then, that just as with the other ethical topic, notions have been sown among human beings, and from these Heraclitus and any other Greek or barbarian who conceived of this idea drew their construction. He also presents the Persians as holding this view, citing Herodotus as his witness. We may add that Zeno of Citium says in the Republic: "There will be no need to build temples; for nothing must be considered sacred or worthy of much honor and holy, being the work of builders and craftsmen." It is clear, therefore, that concerning this doctrine as well it has been written "in the hearts" of men with the letters of God what must be done (Romans 2:15).