Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind, But as for…
““Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind, But as for me, hélas, I may no more. The vain travail hath wearied me so sore, I am of them that farthest cometh behind. Yet may I by no means my wearied mind Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore, Sithens in a net I seek to hold the wind. Who list her hunt, I put him out of doubt, As well as I may spend his time in vain. And graven with diamonds in letters plain There is written, her fair neck round about: Noli me tangere, for Caesar's I am, And wild for to hold, though I seem tame.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker laments his futile pursuit of an unattainable love, comparing it to hunting a hind he cannot catch, and declares his resignation to its impossibility.
In simple terms: He gives up chasing something he cannot have.
Key Takeaway
Accept limits and move on.
Themes
unrequited love
frustration
resignation
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
poetic
literary
When to use this quote
- romantic pursuit
- personal reflection
- creative writing
Key Concepts
courtly love
impossibility
self‑sacrifice
Questions to Reflect On
- What do you chase that you cannot obtain?
- How does surrender change your perspective?
A Different Perspective
Love may remain forever out of reach despite effort.