Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.
Alexander PopeRead
But see, the shepherds shun the noonday heat,_x000D_ _x000D_ The lowing herds to murmuring brooks retreat,_x000D_ _x000D_ To closer shades the panting flocks remove;_x000D_ _x000D_ Ye gods! And is there no relief for love?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the pain of love and the desire for relief from it.
In this quote, Alexander Pope contrasts the physical relief that shepherds and their herds find from the midday heat with the emotional torment of love, questioning why there is no respite from this suffering. The imagery of animals seeking refuge from the heat underscores the intensity of longing and despair associated with love, suggesting that while nature provides solace for creatures of the earth, humans often find themselves in relentless emotional struggles.
Themes
LoveSufferingReliefPainEmotion
In practice
Example use cases
In a romantic poem reading at a wedding, to express the struggles of love.
More from Alexander Pope
All quotes →What dire offence from am'rous causes springs, What mighty contests rise from trivial things.
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Fair tresses man's imperial race ensnare; And beauty draws us with a single hair.
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An honest man's the noblest work of God.
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One thought of thee puts all the pomp to flight;_x000D_ _x000D_ Priests, tapers, temples, swim before my sight.
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Who breaks a butterfly on a wheel?
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