--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For as well as I have loved thee…" description: "\"For as well as I have loved thee heretofore, mine heart will not serve now to see thee; for through thee and me is the flower of kings and knights dest..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/thomas-malory-22452_destroyed_for-as-well-as-i-have-loved-thee-heretof_1813193.png" --- # For as well as I have loved thee heretofore, mine heart… ![“For as well as I have loved thee heretofore, mine heart will not serve now to see thee; for through thee and me is the flower of kings and knights destroyed.” quote by Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/thomas-malory-22452_destroyed_for-as-well-as-i-have-loved-thee-heretof_1813193.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/thomas-malory-22452_destroyed_for-as-well-as-i-have-loved-thee-heretof_1813193.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/thomas-malory-22452_destroyed_for-as-well-as-i-have-loved-thee-heretof_1813193.png) > “For as well as I have loved thee heretofore, mine heart will not serve now to see thee; for through thee and me is the flower of kings and knights destroyed.” [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) ## 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’s love is so intense that it threatens the destruction of noble ideals and chivalry. **In simple terms:** Intense love can endanger noble values. Key Takeaway Balance passion with duty. Themes love honor conflict chivalry Mood dramatic poetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - courtly love - war - political intrigue - personal sacrifice Key Concepts medieval romance tragic love moral dilemma Questions to Reflect On - Can love protect or destroy honor? - How do you reconcile love with duty? A Different Perspective Love may also inspire noble deeds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroyed/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heretofore Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heretofore-heart-2132849/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Knights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knights/) [Knights Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knights-destroyed-2132851/) [Thee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thee/) [Thee Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thee-flower-2132852/) [Thee Heretofore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thee-heretofore-2132850/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [The very purpose of a knight is to fight on behalf of a lady.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/the-very-purpose-of-a-knight-is-to-fight-on-behalf-of-a-lady/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [With that truncheon thou hast slain a good knight, and now it sticketh in thy body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/with-that-truncheon-thou-hast-slain-a-good-knight-and-now-it-sticketh/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [And much more am I sorrier for my good knights' loss than for the loss of my fair queen; for queens I might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/and-much-more-am-i-sorrier-for-my-good-knights-loss-than-for-the-loss/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [Through this same man and me hath all this war been wrought, and the death of the most noblest knights of the world; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/through-this-same-man-and-me-hath-all-this-war-been-wrought-and-the/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [Enclosure, upon its completion, was the record which represented the achievement of all the musical goals I had been aiming at for the previous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/enclosure-upon-its-completion-was-the-record-which-represented-the/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [It wasn't long after I began writing Star Wars that I realized the story was more than a single film could hold. As the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/it-wasn-t-long-after-i-began-writing-star-wars-that-i-realized-the/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [Play by the rules, but be ferocious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-knight/play-by-the-rules-but-be-ferocious/) [Phil Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-knight/) > [What if custom is wrong? demanded the part of her that believed in the code of chivalry. A knight must set things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/what-if-custom-is-wrong-demanded-the-part-of-her-that-believed-in-the/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Gaily bedight, A gallant knight, In sunshine and in shadow, Had journeyed long, Singing a song, In search of Eldorado. But he grew old—…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/gaily-bedight-a-gallant-knight-in-sunshine-and-in-shadow-had/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [So basically America, they are the Knights Templars of, and they've taken us into, perpetual war - that's their game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bez/so-basically-america-they-are-the-knights-templars-of-and-they-ve/) [Bez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bez/) > [ Michael \[Jackson\] had paintings of himself at Neverland depicting himself as a knight and surrounded by cherubs and angels. People might think he's an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lachapelle/michael-jackson-had-paintings-of-himself-at-neverland-depicting/) [David LaChapelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lachapelle/) > [My aim is to institute perpetual adoration," spoke St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, Franciscan priest and founder of the Knights of the Immaculata. For he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximilian-kolbe/my-aim-is-to-institute-perpetual-adoration-spoke-st-maximilian-maria/) [Maximilian Kolbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximilian-kolbe/) > [Either it brings tears to their eyes, or else -" "Or else what?" said Alice, for the Knight had made a sudden pause. "Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/either-it-brings-tears-to-their-eyes-or-else-or-else-what-said-alice/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [I've never had a very quiet voice. I tried in choir to make it smaller, and it just didn't work out. And I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-ve-never-had-a-very-quiet-voice-i-tried-in-choir-to-make-it-smaller/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [Beware, gentle knight - the greatest monster of them all is reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/beware-gentle-knight-the-greatest-monster-of-them-all-is-reason/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) ## More by Thomas Malory > [“I shall bere your noble fame, for ye spake a grete worde and fulfilled it worshipfully.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/i-shall-bere-your-noble-fame-for-ye-spake-a-grete-worde-and-fulfilled/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [Through this same man and me hath all this war been wrought, and the death of the most noblest knights of the world; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/through-this-same-man-and-me-hath-all-this-war-been-wrought-and-the/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [For, as I suppose, no man in this world hath lived better than I have done, to achieve that I have done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/for-as-i-suppose-no-man-in-this-world-hath-lived-better-than-i-have/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [Then he looked by him, and was ware of a damsel that came riding as fast as her horse might gallop upon a fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/then-he-looked-by-him-and-was-ware-of-a-damsel-that-came-riding-as/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [King Pellinore that time followed the questing beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/king-pellinore-that-time-followed-the-questing-beast/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is rightwise king born of all England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/whoso-pulleth-out-this-sword-of-this-stone-and-anvil-is-rightwise/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [And much more am I sorrier for my good knights' loss than for the loss of my fair queen; for queens I might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/and-much-more-am-i-sorrier-for-my-good-knights-loss-than-for-the-loss/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [It was the month of May, the month when the foliage of herbs and trees is most freshly green, when buds ripened and blossoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/it-was-the-month-of-may-the-month-when-the-foliage-of-herbs-and-trees/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [This beast went to the well and drank, and the noise was in the beast's belly like unto the questing of thirty couple hounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/this-beast-went-to-the-well-and-drank-and-the-noise-was-in-the-beast/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [The joy of love is too short, and the sorrow thereof, and what cometh thereof, dureth over long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/the-joy-of-love-is-too-short-and-the-sorrow-thereof-and-what-cometh/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [Always Sir Arthur lost so much blood that it was a marvel he stood on his feet, but he was so full of knighthood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/always-sir-arthur-lost-so-much-blood-that-it-was-a-marvel-he-stood-on/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [The sweetness of love is short-lived, but the pain endures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/the-sweetness-of-love-is-short-lived-but-the-pain-endures/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [Yet some men say in many parts of England that King Arthur is not dead, but had by the will of our Lord Jesu…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/yet-some-men-say-in-many-parts-of-england-that-king-arthur-is-not/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [The month of May was come, when every lusty heart beginneth to blossom, and to bring forth fruit; for like as herbs and trees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/the-month-of-may-was-come-when-every-lusty-heart-beginneth-to-blossom/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [For love that time was not as love is nowadays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/for-love-that-time-was-not-as-love-is-nowadays/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) [Explore all 25 Thomas Malory quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) ## More Destroyed quotes > [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/) > [Poetry fettered, fetters the human race. Nations are destroyed or flourish in proportion as their poetry, painting, and music are destroyed or flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/poetry-fettered-fetters-the-human-race-nations-are-destroyed-or/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [You know, I often thought that the gangster and the artist are the same in the eyes of the masses. They're admired and hero-worshipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/you-know-i-often-thought-that-the-gangster-and-the-artist-are-the/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“My problem is that the human race seems to want to be destroyed!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/my-problem-is-that-the-human-race-seems-to-want-to-be-destroyed/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [We all carry it within us: supreme strength, the fullness of wisdom, unquenchable joy. It is never thwarted, and cannot be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/we-all-carry-it-within-us-supreme-strength-the-fullness-of-wisdom/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [Wars--and what is war except crime on a mass scale?--destroy rather than produce. The vandal that destroys a window causes not only the owner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-young/wars-and-what-is-war-except-crime-on-a-mass-scale-destroy-rather-than/) [Adam Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-young/) > ['Johnny' was a coping mechanism who could take those things which could have ordinarily destroyed me, by tweaking my past and throwing it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-vegas/johnny-was-a-coping-mechanism-who-could-take-those-things-which-could/) [Johnny Vegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-vegas/) > [Like Samson, I am ready to pull down the white man's temple, knowing full well that I will be destroyed by the falling rubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/like-samson-i-am-ready-to-pull-down-the-white-man-s-temple-knowing/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Men will never rest till they've spoiled the earth and destroyed the animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/men-will-never-rest-till-they-ve-spoiled-the-earth-and-destroyed-the/) [Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/) > [The triangle of truisms, of father, mother and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-triangle-of-truisms-of-father-mother-and-child-cannot-be/) [Gilbert K. 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