Apollonios of Tyana in Rhodes Poem by Constantine P. Cavafy

Apollonios was speaking
about proper education and culture
with a young man building a luxury house in Rhodes.
'When I enter a temple,'
said the Tyanian finally, 'even if it's a small one,
I'd much rather see
a gold and ivory statue there
than a statue of common clay in a large temple.'
'Of common clay': how disgusting-
yet some (who haven't been adequately trained)
are taken in by what's bogus. Of common clay.