As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
Oh, thou did'st then ne'er love so heartily. If thou rememb'rest not the slightest folly That ever love did make thee run inot, Thou has not loved. Of if thou has't not sat as I do now, Wearying they hearer in thy mistress's praise, Thou has not loved. Of if thou hast not broke from company Abruptly, as my passion now makes me, Thou has not loved. (Silvius)
Interpretation
What this quote means
Love is characterized by deep feelings, often leading to various emotional and irrational behaviors.
In this quote, Silvius expresses that true love encompasses a spectrum of passionate behaviors and experiences, suggesting that if one has not experienced folly, obsessive praise, and emotional turmoil for their beloved, they have not truly loved. Shakespeare highlights the irrational yet powerful nature of love, implying that these intense feelings are essential markers of genuine affection.
Themes
LovePassionEmotionAffectionHeartfelt
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be shared during a wedding ceremony to illustrate the depth of true love.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes →Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
William ShakespeareRead
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
William ShakespeareRead
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
William ShakespeareRead
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
William ShakespeareRead
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
William ShakespeareRead
Similar quotes
Praise is well, compliment is well, but affection-that is the last and most precious reward that any man can win, whether by character or achievement.
Mark TwainRead
The inner reality of love can be recognized only by love.
Hans Urs Von BalthasarRead
What I noticed, though, is almost every time I type the word love, it gets changed to the word live… I learned that fully loving and fully living are not only synonymous but the kind of life that Jesus invited us to be part of.
Bob GoffRead
Bitterness imprisons life; love releases it. Bitterness paralyzes life; love empowers it. Bitterness sours life; love sweetens it. Bitterness sickens life; love heals it. Bitterness blinds life; love anoints its eyes.
Harry Emerson FosdickRead
Keep your heart open for as long as you can, as wide as you can, for others and especially for yourself.
Morrie SchwartzRead
But oh! as to embrace me she inclin'd, I wak'd, she fled, and day brought back my night.
John MiltonRead