THE stage is more beholding1 to love, than the life of man. For as to the stage, love is ever matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief2; sometimes like a siren, sometimes like a fury. You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy3 persons there is not one, that hath been transported to the mad degree of love: which shows that great spirits, and great business, do keep out this weak passion. You must except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous4 man, and inordinate5; but the latter was an austere6 and wise man: and therefore it seems that love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified8, if watch be not well kept. It is a poor saying of Epicurus, Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus; as if man, made for the contemplation of heaven, and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel be- fore7 a little idol9, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth , yet of the eye; which was given him for higher purposes.
It is a strange thing, to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature, and value of things, by this; that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole, is comely10 in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely in the phrase; for whereas it hath been well said, that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self; certainly the lover is more. For there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of him self, as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, That it is impossible to love, and to be wise. Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved; but to the loved most of all, except the love be reciproque. For it is a true rule, that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque, or with an inward and secret contempt.
舞台上的爱情比日常的爱情要美好得多。由于在舞台上，爱情只不过喜剧和悲剧的素材。而在生活中，爱情却常常招来不幸。它有时像那位魅惑人的魔女，有时又像那位复仇的女神。你可以看到，所有真的伟大的人物（无论是古人、今人，只须是其英名永铭于人类记忆中的），没一个是因爱情而发狂的人：由于伟大的事业抑制了这种软弱的感憎。只有罗马的安东尼和克劳底亚是例外。前者本性就好色荒淫，然而后者却是严肃多谋的人。所以爱情不只会占领开旷坦阔的胸怀，有时也能闯入壁垒森严的心灵－－倘若守御不严的话。 埃皮克拉斯曾说过一句笑话：生活不过是一座大戏台。好像本应努力追求高尚事业的人类，却只应像玩偶奴隶般地逢场作戏似的。虽然爱情的奴隶并不同于那班只顾吃喝的禽兽，但毕竟也只不过眼目色相的奴隶－－而上帝赐人以双眼本来是更高尚的作用的。
过度的爱情追求，势必会减少人本身的价值。比如，只有在爱情中，才永远需要那种浮夸诌媚的词令。而在其他场所，同样的词令只能招人耻笑。古人有一句名言：最大的奉承，人一直留给我们的。－－只有对情人的奉承要算例外。由于甚至最骄傲的人，也甘愿在情人面前自轻自贱。所以古人说得好：就是神在爱情中也难维持聪明。情人的这种弱点不只在外人眼中是明显的，就是在被追求者的眼中也会非常明显除非她（他）也在追求他（她）。所以，爱情的代价就是这样，不可以得到回爱，就会得到一种深藏于心的轻蔑，这是一条永真的定律。
By how much the more, men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things, but itself! As for the other losses, the poet's relation doth well figure them: that he that preferred Helena, quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas.
For whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous11 affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom. This passion hath his floods, in very times of weakness; which are great prosperity, and great adversity; though this latter hath been less observed: both which times kindle12 love, and make it more fervent13, and therefore show it to be the child of folly14. They do best, who if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarters; and sever15 it wholly from their serious affairs, and actions, of life; for if it check once with business, it troubleth men's fortunes, and maketh men, that they can noways be true to their own ends. I know not how, but martial16 men are given to love: I think, it is but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures. There is in man's nature, a secret inclination17 and motion, towards love of others, which if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men become humane18 and charitable; as it is seen sometime in friars.
Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth, and embaseth it.
这样来看，大家应当十分警惕这种感情。由于它不但会使人丧失其他，而且可以使人丧失自己本身。至于其他方面的损失，古诗人早已告诉大家，那追求海伦的人，是舍弃了财富和智慧的。
当人心最软弱的时候，爱情最易入侵，那就是当人得意春风，忘乎所以和处境窘困孤独凄零的时候，虽然后者未必能得到爱情。人在这种时候最急于跳入爱情的火焰中，这样来看，爱情实在是愚蠢的儿子。但有一些人，即便心中有了爱，仍能约束它，使它没有妨碍重大的事业。由于爱情一旦干扰情绪，就会妨碍人坚定地奔向既定的目的。 我不懂是什么原故，使很多军人更容易陷入爱情，或许这正像他们嗜爱饮酒一样，是由于危险的生活更需要欢乐的补偿。人心中可能常见具备一种博爱的倾向，若不集中于某个专一的对象身上：就势必会施之于更广泛的大众，使他成为仁善的人，比如像有些僧侣那样。
夫妻的爱，使人类繁衍。朋友的爱，给人以帮助。但那种荒淫纵欲的爱，却只能使人堕落毁灭啊！
