“[A]s though mindful of the wife of Lot, who looked back from behind him, thou deliveredst me first to the sacred garments and monastic profession before thou gavest thyself to God. And for that in this one thing thou shouldst have had little trust in me I vehemently grieved and was ashamed. For I (God [knows]) would without hesitation precede or follow thee to the Vulcanian fires according to thy word. For not with me was my heart, but with thee. But now, more than ever, if it be not with thee, it is nowhere. For without thee it cannot anywhere exist.” MenLoveWomenGriefSacrificeLonelinessTrustIntegrityDignityShameFollowingAbandonmentCelibacySubjectionMonastic LifeConventSelf AbandonmentSelf Abnegation Book:The Letters of Abélard and Héloïse Source: The Letters of Abélard and Héloïse
“[I]t is not by being richer or more powerful that a man becomes better; one is a matter of fortune, the other of virtue. Nor should she deem herself other than venal who weds a rich man rather than a poor, and desires more things in her husband than himself. Assuredly, whomsoever this concupiscence leads into marriage deserves payment rather than affection.” LoveWomenSinMarriagePovertyPowerVirtueHonestyHonorIntegrityDignityShameFortuneGreedAffectionRichesMaterialismPaymentProstitutionMatrimonyMarried LifeVicePossessionsWedlockWivesConcupiscenceVenality Book:The Letters of Abélard and Héloïse Source: The Letters of Abélard and Héloïse
“[I]f the name of wife appears more sacred and more valid, sweeter to me is ever the word friend, or, if thou be not ashamed, concubine ... And thou thyself wert not wholly unmindful of that ... [as in the narrative of thy misfortunes] thou hast not disdained to set forth sundry reasons by which I tried to dissuade thee from our marriage, from an ill-starred bed; but wert silent as to many, in which I preferred love to wedlock, freedom to a bond. I call God to witness, if Augustus, ruling over the whole world, were to deem me worthy of the honour of marriage, and to confirm the whole world to me, to be ruled by me forever, dearer to me and of greater dignity would it seem to be called thy concubine than his empress.” LoveWomenFreedomSinMarriageVirtueWifeHonorIntegrityDignityShameDevotionMisfortunesSelf DeterminationMatrimonyWorthinessMarried LifeSocial NormsBondsViceWedlockConcubine Book:The Letters of Abélard and Héloïse Source: The Letters of Abélard and Héloïse