Even in his letters to the emperors, St. Ambrose took advantage of the occasion to extol virginity, as he did in the one written to Valentinian in 384, on the occasion of refuting the proposal made in the name of the Senate by the prefect of Rome, Simmacus, to respect the statue of the goddess Victory, to protect the ancient pagan rites, and to defend the institution of the vestals. With great joy the Bishop took advantage of this latter circuмstance to place before the eyes of the emperor the glory of the consecrated virgins, whose dignity and supernatural beauty is unparalleled outside of Christianity.