Let her be as the loving deer and graceful doe; let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and be ravished always with her love.
All Commentaries on Proverbs 5:19 Go To Proverbs 5
Hippolytus of Rome
AD 235
He shows also, by the mention of the creature (the hind), the purity of that pleasure; and by the roe he intimates the quick responsive affection of the wife. And whereas he knows many things to excite, he secures them against these, and puts upon them the indissoluble bond of affection, setting constancy before them. And as for the rest, wisdom, figuratively speaking, like a stag, can repel and crush the snaky doctrines of the heterodox. Let her therefore, says he, be with you, like a roe, to keep all virtue fresh. And whereas a wife and wisdom are not in this respect the same, let her rather lead you; for thus you shall conceive good thoughts.
That you may not say, What harm is there in the eyes, when there is no necessity that he should be perverted who looks? He shows you that desire is a fire, and the flesh is like a garment. The latter is an easy prey, and the former is a tyrant. And when anything harmful is not only taken within, but also held fast, it will not go forth again until it has made an exit for itself. For he who looks upon a woman, even though he escape the temptation, does not come away pure of all lust. And why should one have trouble, if he can be chaste and free of trouble? See what Job says: I made a covenant with my eyes, that I should not think of another's wife. Job 31:1 Thus well does he know the power of abuse. And Paul for this reason kept under his body, and brought it into subjection. And, figuratively speaking, he keeps a fire in his breast who permits an impure thought to dwell in his heart. And he walks upon coals who, by sinning in act, destroys his own soul.
The cemphus is a kind of wild sea-bird, which has so immoderate an impulse to sexual enjoyment, that its eyes seem to fill with blood in coition; and it often blindly falls into snares, or into the hands of men. To this, therefore, he compares the man who gives himself up to the harlot on account of his immoderate lust; or else on account of the insensate folly of the creature, for he, too, pursues his object like one senseless. And they say that this bird is so much pleased with foam, that if one should hold foam in his hand as he sails, it will sit upon his hand. And it also brings forth with pain.
