First Apology 21

And when we say that the Word, who is the first offspring of God, was born without sexual union, Jesus Christ our Teacher, and that he was crucified and died and rose again and ascended into heaven, we bring forward nothing new beyond what you say of those called sons of Zeus. For you know how many sons of Zeus your honored writers speak of: Hermes, the interpreting word and teacher of all; Asclepius, who though a healer was struck by lightning and ascended to heaven; Dionysus, torn to pieces; Heracles, who to escape his toils gave himself to the fire; the Dioscuri, sons of Leda; Perseus, son of Danae; and Bellerophon, born of men, on the horse Pegasus. What shall we say of Ariadne and those who, like her, are said to have been placed among the stars? And what of your emperors who die, whom you always think fit to deify, and you bring forward someone who swears he saw the burned Caesar going up to heaven from the pyre? And what kind of deeds are told of each of the so-called sons of Zeus there is no need to tell those who know, except that these things have been written for the harm and corruption of those being educated; for all think it good to imitate the gods. But far be from a sound soul such a notion about the gods, as that Zeus himself, the ruler and begetter of all according to them, was a parricide and the son of such a father, and, overcome by love of evil and shameful pleasures, went after Ganymede and the many women he seduced, and approved of his sons doing the same. But, as we said before, the evil demons did these things; and we have been taught that only those are made immortal who live holily and virtuously near to God, and we believe that those who live unjustly and do not change will be punished in eternal fire.