A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
As Venus within Eros does not really aim at pleasure, so Eros does not aim at happiness. We may think he does, but when he is brought to the test it proves otherwise... For it is the very mark of Eros that when he is in us we had rather share unhappiness with the Beloved than be happy on any other terms.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Eros represents a deep connection where love and desire often prioritize union over personal happiness.
In this quote, C. S. Lewis suggests that Eros, or romantic love, transcends mere pleasure and happiness. True love often leads one to choose to face difficulties and unhappiness alongside a loved one rather than seek happiness independently, highlighting the profound and sometimes sacrificial nature of deep emotional connections.
Themes
ErosLoveHappinessUnhappinessSacrifice
In practice
Example use cases
In a wedding speech highlighting the sacrifices of love.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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