Now, in their love, which was stronger, there were the seeds of hatred and fear and confusion growing at the same time: for love can exist with hatred, each preying on the other, and this is what gives it its greatest fury.

The truth is, however, that when two individuals detest each other, while being unable to get along without each other, it is not of all human relations the truest and most moving, but rather the most pitiable.

She loved him not only in spite of but because he himself was incapable of love.

Stronger than lover's love is lover's hate. Incurable, in each, the wounds they make.

They loved each other, but neither
Would venture to speak thereof;
They glared at each other like enemies
And wanted to die of love.

Over the years they both reached the same wise conclusion by different paths: it was not possible to live together in any other way, or love in any other way, and nothing in this world was more difficult than love.

How little of permanent happiness could belong to a couple who were only brought together because their passions were stronger than their virtue.

How can two people hate so much without knowing each other?

They looked at each other, baffled, in love and hate.

Humans in love are terrible. You see them come hungering at one another like prehistoric wolves, you see something struggling for life in between them like a root or a soul and it flares for a moment, then they smash it. The difference between them smashes the bones out. So delicate the bones.

"Love was a damaging mistake and its accomplice,hope, a treacherous illusion".

There is no pain equal to that which two lovers can inflict on one another... It is when we begin to hurt those whom we love that the guilt with which we are born becomes intolerable, and since all those whom we love intensely and continuously grow part of us, and since we hate ourselves in them, so we torture ourselves and them together.

To witness the way they leaned into each other and laced their fingers together and tugged each other tenderly down the paved path was almost unbearable. I was simultaneously sickened by it and envious of what they had. Their existence seemed proof that I would never succeed at romantic love.

The worst thing about love between human beings is that when you are prepared to love them they don't want it; when they do its you who can't bear the idea.