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
O love, be moderate, allay thy ecstasy, In measure rain thy joy, scant this excess!
Interpretation
What this quote means
Love should be balanced and measured to prevent overwhelming emotions.
In this quote, Shakespeare expresses the idea that love, while passionate and joyful, can also lead to excess and turmoil if not kept in moderation. He suggests that one should experience love with restraint and balance, rather than allowing it to take over one's emotions completely.
Themes
LoveModerationEmotionBalanceJoy
In practice
Example use cases
During a wedding toast, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of balanced love in a relationship.
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