That love, which is the highest joy, which is divine…
““That love, which is the highest joy, which is divine simplicity itself, is not for you moderns, you children of reflection. It works only evil in you. As soon as you wish to be natural, you become common. To you nature seems something hostile; you have made devils out of the smiling gods of Greece, and out of me a demon. You can only exorcise and curse me, or slay yourselves in bacchantic madness before my altar. And if ever one of you has had the courage to kiss my red mouth, he makes a barefoot pilgrimage to Rome in penitential robes and expects flowers to grow from his withered staff, while under my feet roses, violets, and myrtles spring up every hour, but their fragrance does not agree with you. Stay among your northern fogs and Christian incense; let us pagans remain under the debris, beneath the lava; do not disinter us.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Divine love demands humility; modern rationality corrupts it, turning sacred simplicity into hostility and self‑destruction.
In simple terms: Pure love is lost to modern thought.
Key Takeaway
Return to humble reverence.
Themes
love
spirituality
modernity
Mood
melancholic
critical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- religious rituals
- artistic expression
- personal introspection
Key Concepts
philosophical critique
mythic symbolism
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- Can simplicity coexist with progress?
- What is the cost of rejecting tradition?
A Different Perspective
Romantic idealism can be impractical.