--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ah, how I rue that what I could have done…" description: "\"“Ah, how I rue that what I could have done I did not do!”\" — Ludovico Ariosto" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/ludovico-ariosto-32086_quote_ah-how-i-rue-that-what-i-could-have-done_492564.jpg" --- # Ah, how I rue that what I could have done I did not do! ![“Ah, how I rue that what I could have done I did not do!” quote by Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/ludovico-ariosto-32086_quote_ah-how-i-rue-that-what-i-could-have-done_492564.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/ludovico-ariosto-32086_quote_ah-how-i-rue-that-what-i-could-have-done_492564.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/ludovico-ariosto-32086_quote_ah-how-i-rue-that-what-i-could-have-done_492564.jpg) > ““Ah, how I rue that what I could have done I did not do!”” [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Regret arises when opportunities are missed, highlighting the pain of inaction. **In simple terms:** Missing chances cause regret. Key Takeaway Act before opportunities fade. Themes regret missed opportunities reflection Mood somber motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal goals - relationships - creative projects Key Concepts human nature decision making Questions to Reflect On - What opportunities are you avoiding? - How can you turn regret into proactive steps? A Different Perspective Regret can motivate future action but may also paralyze. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Just because you could do something didn’t mean that you should do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-a-linde/just-because-you-could-do-something-didn-t-mean-that-you-should-do-it/) [K.A. Linde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-a-linde/) > [“Don't make the mistake of doing nothing just because you can't do everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/9gag-user/don-t-make-the-mistake-of-doing-nothing-just-because-you-can-t-do/) 9gag User > [“If you don't do it, then you won't have done it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patsy-stone/if-you-don-t-do-it-then-you-won-t-have-done-it/) Patsy Stone > [“What if I forgave myself even though I'd done something I shouldn't have?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d-done-something-i-shouldn-t/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“I didn't do anything I didn't want to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/i-didn-t-do-anything-i-didn-t-want-to-do/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“concentrate on what you will do, not what you should have done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/concentrate-on-what-you-will-do-not-what-you-should-have-done/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“You don't know if you can do it unless you try! :)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-m-westerling/you-don-t-know-if-you-can-do-it-unless-you-try/) A.M. Westerling > [“I would rather say that I messed something up, than that I was to afraid to try!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-m-pariso/i-would-rather-say-that-i-messed-something-up-than-that-i-was-to/) D.M. Pariso > [“It had to be a trick or you couldn't have done it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/it-had-to-be-a-trick-or-you-couldn-t-have-done-it/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Appreciate your abilities and trust your instincts. Just because you haven't done something doesn't mean you can't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-matalin/appreciate-your-abilities-and-trust-your-instincts-just-because-you/) [Mary Matalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-matalin/) > [“there was nothing I could have done to stop what happened. And that maybe it wasn’t all my fault.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-ward/there-was-nothing-i-could-have-done-to-stop-what-happened-and-that/) [Penelope Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-ward/) > [“It's a mistake to do nothing just because you can only do a little.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-duffy/it-s-a-mistake-to-do-nothing-just-because-you-can-only-do-a-little/) [Karen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-duffy/) > [“I can only tell you that I've done this thing, and was compelled, somehow, to do so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-siegel-seneschal/i-can-only-tell-you-that-i-ve-done-this-thing-and-was-compelled/) Jasper Siegel Seneschal > [“But even if that were true, I was working hard. I didn’t know how not to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-castle/but-even-if-that-were-true-i-was-working-hard-i-didn-t-know-how-not-to/) [Jennifer Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-castle/) > [“Never interrupt someone doing something you said couldn't be done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-earhart/never-interrupt-someone-doing-something-you-said-couldn-t-be-done/) [Amelia Earhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-earhart/) ## More by Ludovico Ariosto > [They think they have God Almighty by the toe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/they-think-they-have-god-almighty-by-the-toe/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [Who seems most hideous when adorned the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/who-seems-most-hideous-when-adorned-the-most/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [When the devil grows old he turns hermit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/when-the-devil-grows-old-he-turns-hermit/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [From heresy, frenzy and jealousy, good Lord deliver me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/from-heresy-frenzy-and-jealousy-good-lord-deliver-me/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [Man proposes, and God disposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/man-proposes-and-god-disposes/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [Cruelty ever proceeds from a vile mind, and often from a cowardly heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/cruelty-ever-proceeds-from-a-vile-mind-and-often-from-a-cowardly-heart/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [“This dog won’t hunt. This horse won’t jump. You get the general drift. However, he keeps on trying, but the fire won’t burn, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/this-dog-won-t-hunt-this-horse-won-t-jump-you-get-the-general-drift/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [For rarely man escapes his destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/for-rarely-man-escapes-his-destiny/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [Such fire was not by water to be drown'd, Nor he his nature changed by changing ground. \[Lat., Ne spegner puo per star nell'acqua…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/such-fire-was-not-by-water-to-be-drown-d-nor-he-his-nature-changed-by/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [Such fire was not by water to be drowned, nor he his nature changed by changing ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/such-fire-was-not-by-water-to-be-drowned-nor-he-his-nature-changed-by/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [Nature made him, and then broke the mold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/nature-made-him-and-then-broke-the-mold/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [ For rarely man escapes his destiny. \[It., Che l'uomo il suo destin fugge di raro.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/for-rarely-man-escapes-his-destiny-it-che-l-uomo-il-suo-destin-fugge/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [We soon believe the things we would believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/we-soon-believe-the-things-we-would-believe/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) > [I regret not death. I am going to meet my friends in another world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/i-regret-not-death-i-am-going-to-meet-my-friends-in-another-world/) [Ludovico Ariosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) [Explore all 15 Ludovico Ariosto quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Ah, how I rue that what I could have done I did not do!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ludovico Ariosto" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/ah-how-i-rue-that-what-i-could-have-done-i-did-not-do/", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/ah-how-i-rue-that-what-i-could-have-done-i-did-not-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/ludovico-ariosto-32086_quote_ah-how-i-rue-that-what-i-could-have-done_492564.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/ludovico-ariosto-32086_quote_ah-how-i-rue-that-what-i-could-have-done_492564.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/ludovico-ariosto-32086_quote_ah-how-i-rue-that-what-i-could-have-done_492564.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ah, how I rue that what I could have done I did not do!” — Ludovico Ariosto", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ludovico Ariosto", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-ariosto/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Ah, how I rue that what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/ah-how-i-rue-that-what-i-could-have-done-i-did-not-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-ariosto/ah-how-i-rue-that-what-i-could-have-done-i-did-not-do/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```