--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is nothing like despair to make one…" description: "\"There is nothing like despair to make one throw oneself upon the gods.\" — Mary Renault" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/mary-renault-7614_despair_there-is-nothing-like-despair-to-make-on_752022.jpg" --- # There is nothing like despair to make one throw oneself… ![“There is nothing like despair to make one throw oneself upon the gods.” quote by Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/mary-renault-7614_despair_there-is-nothing-like-despair-to-make-on_752022.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/mary-renault-7614_despair_there-is-nothing-like-despair-to-make-on_752022.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/mary-renault-7614_despair_there-is-nothing-like-despair-to-make-on_752022.jpg) > “There is nothing like despair to make one throw oneself upon the gods.” [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Despair can drive people to seek divine intervention or higher purpose. **In simple terms:** Despair pushes people toward the gods. Key Takeaway Recognize despair as a catalyst for seeking meaning. Themes despair spirituality seeking crisis Mood reflective somber Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative block - grief coping - major life decisions Key Concepts existentialism faith psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does despair reveal about your deepest needs? - Can seeking the divine be a form of avoidance? A Different Perspective Despair may also lead to nihilism rather than faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) ## Related quotes > [Think of me in the depths of your despair, make a home down there as mine sure won't be shared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele/think-of-me-in-the-depths-of-your-despair-make-a-home-down-there-as/) [Adele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele/) > [“It is easy, out of laziness, out of weakness, to throw oneself into the lap of deity, saying, 'I couldn't help it; the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-is-easy-out-of-laziness-out-of-weakness-to-throw-oneself-into-the/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [To throw oneself to the side of the oppressed is the only dignified thing to do in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/to-throw-oneself-to-the-side-of-the-oppressed-is-the-only-dignified/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [“if you have 100 locked doors having passed fifty of them despair can make you go back through 50 hope can make you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-samy/if-you-have-100-locked-doors-having-passed-fifty-of-them-despair-can/) Tarek Samy > [My days are as long as despair can make them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-harrison/my-days-are-as-long-as-despair-can-make-them/) [Kathryn Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-harrison/) > [“My only chance is to pretend it's a day like any other; to keep the despair only as great as on all the others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-baume/my-only-chance-is-to-pretend-it-s-a-day-like-any-other-to-keep-the/) [Sara Baume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-baume/) > [I have learned that one cannot truly know hope unless he has found out how like despair hope is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/i-have-learned-that-one-cannot-truly-know-hope-unless-he-has-found/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Jonathan’s arm jerked to the side in clumsy reaction, tipping over the bottle of ink that sat on the desk beside his papers. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sondra-allan-carr/jonathan-s-arm-jerked-to-the-side-in-clumsy-reaction-tipping-over-the/) [Sondra Allan Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sondra-allan-carr/) > [“Why is it that happiness remembered feels like despair?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-chaplin/why-is-it-that-happiness-remembered-feels-like-despair/) Heather Chaplin > [People don't like being around despair. Our tolerance for the truly hopeless, for those who are irredeemably broken by life is strictly limited. 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At times you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/you-have-a-bigger-view-of-something-bigger-than-you-and-you-have-to/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-believe-that-one-defines-oneself-by-reinvention/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [One must not let oneself be overwhelmed by sadness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-must-not-let-oneself-be-overwhelmed-by-sadness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To refer even in passing to unpublished or struggling authors and their problems is to put oneself at some risk, so I will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/to-refer-even-in-passing-to-unpublished-or-struggling-authors-and/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) ## More by Mary Renault > [You can make an audience see nearly anything, if you yourself believe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/you-can-make-an-audience-see-nearly-anything-if-you-yourself-believe/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“I looked at him, tipping down the coarse wine like a man who expects to put up with worse. I felt I was looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/i-looked-at-him-tipping-down-the-coarse-wine-like-a-man-who-expects/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“For I had felt too much and reasoned too little, hearing what I was ready to hear, not what had been said. There”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/for-i-had-felt-too-much-and-reasoned-too-little-hearing-what-i-was/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“Go in peace," I said to him; "bear no ill-will to me, for Necessity yields to no man: and do not complain of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/go-in-peace-i-said-to-him-bear-no-ill-will-to-me-for-necessity-yields/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [There is only one kind of shock worse than the totally unexpected: the expected for which one has refused to prepare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/there-is-only-one-kind-of-shock-worse-than-the-totally-unexpected-the/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [Longing performs all things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/longing-performs-all-things/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [A man is at his youngest when he thinks he is a man, not yet realizing that his actions must show it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/a-man-is-at-his-youngest-when-he-thinks-he-is-a-man-not-yet-realizing/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“You mustn't get so upset about what you feel, Spud. No one's a hundred per cent consistent all the time. We might like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/you-mustn-t-get-so-upset-about-what-you-feel-spud-no-one-s-a-hundred/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“It is better to believe in men too rashly, and regret, than believe too meanly. Men could be more than they are, if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/it-is-better-to-believe-in-men-too-rashly-and-regret-than-believe-too/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“Hephaistion had known for many ages that if a god should offer him one gift in all his lifetime, he would choose this. Joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/hephaistion-had-known-for-many-ages-that-if-a-god-should-offer-him/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“It is the mark of little men to like only what they know; one step beyond, and they feel the black cold of chaos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/it-is-the-mark-of-little-men-to-like-only-what-they-know-one-step/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“His mouth felt cold to mine ; he neither opened his eyes, nor spoke, nor moved. I said in my heart, "Too late I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/his-mouth-felt-cold-to-mine-he-neither-opened-his-eyes-nor-spoke-nor/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“Is he weeping?" said the one with the softest heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/is-he-weeping-said-the-one-with-the-softest-heart/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [Love is a boaster at heart, who cannot hide the stolen horse without giving a glimpse of the bridle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/love-is-a-boaster-at-heart-who-cannot-hide-the-stolen-horse-without/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [At the stair-foot Hephaistion was waiting. He happened to be there, as he happened to have a ball handy if Alexander wanted a game,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/at-the-stair-foot-hephaistion-was-waiting-he-happened-to-be-there-as/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) [Explore all 89 Mary Renault quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) ## More Despair quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. There must have been one, surely?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-abbott/she-searched-her-mind-for-a-single-day-when-it-had-felt-good-to-be/) [Rachel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-abbott/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Your spirit is the part of you that seeks meaning and purpose. It's the part drawn to hope, that will not give in to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/your-spirit-is-the-part-of-you-that-seeks-meaning-and-purpose-it-s/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The modernist writers found despair inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-modernist-writers-found-despair-inspirational/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The skin and shell of things Though fair are not Thy wish nor prayer but got My meer despair of wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-vaughan/the-skin-and-shell-of-things-though-fair-are-not-thy-wish-nor-prayer/) [Henry Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-vaughan/) > [“A fine setting for a fit of despair,” it occurred to him, “if I were only standing here by accident instead of design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/a-fine-setting-for-a-fit-of-despair-it-occurred-to-him-if-i-were-only/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Enough for this bow & arrow. It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) Louaiq8 > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Do not consider despair as a thick and high wall standing on your way; it is just a darkness and you can still walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-not-consider-despair-as-a-thick-and-high-wall-standing-on-your-way/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. It is, one is told, the unforgivable sin, but it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/despair-is-the-price-one-pays-for-setting-oneself-an-impossible-aim/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [A speculative despair is unpardonable where it our duty to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-speculative-despair-is-unpardonable-where-it-our-duty-to-act/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Browse all 3,181 Despair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is nothing like despair to make one throw oneself upon the gods.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Renault" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/there-is-nothing-like-despair-to-make-one-throw-oneself-upon-the-gods/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Despair" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/there-is-nothing-like-despair-to-make-one-throw-oneself-upon-the-gods/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/mary-renault-7614_despair_there-is-nothing-like-despair-to-make-on_752022.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/mary-renault-7614_despair_there-is-nothing-like-despair-to-make-on_752022.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/mary-renault-7614_despair_there-is-nothing-like-despair-to-make-on_752022.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is nothing like despair to make one throw oneself upon the gods.” — Mary Renault", "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": "Mary Renault", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is nothing like despair to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/there-is-nothing-like-despair-to-make-one-throw-oneself-upon-the-gods/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/there-is-nothing-like-despair-to-make-one-throw-oneself-upon-the-gods/#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 } } ] } ```