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Héloïse Quotes
1090–1164
Héloïse (1090?/1100–1? – 16 May 1164) was a French nun, writer, scholar, and abbess, most famous for her tragic love affair and correspondence with Peter Abélard.
Also known as: Heloise (abbess), Héloïse, Heloise
Random Héloïse quote
7 quotes
The heart of man is a labyrinth, whose windings are very difficult to be discovered.
What occasion had you to praise me? praise is often hurtful to those on whom it is bestowed.
I met with my name a hundred times; I never saw it without fear: some heavy calamity always, followed it, I saw yours too, equally unhappy.
A consolatory letter of yours to a friend happened some days since to fall into my hands. My knowledge of the character, and my love of the hand, soon gave me the curiosity to open it.
I own, to my confusion, I fear more the offending of man than the provoking of God, and study less to please him than you. Yes, it was your command only, and not a sincere vocation, as is imagined, that shut me up in these cloisters.
Tho' length of time ought to have closed up my wounds, yet the seeing them described by your hand was sufficient to make them all open and bleed afresh. Nothing can ever blot from my memory what you have suffered in defence of your writings.
To her Lord, her Father; her Husband, her Brother; his Servant his Child; his Wife, his Sister; and to express all that is humble, respectful and loving to her Abelard, Heloise writes this.