Selections from the Writings of Kierkegaard 71
latter. If one actually based one's reasoning on the figure of speech that woman is but half a person she would not be ridiculous at all in her love. Man, however, who has been enjoying civic rights as a whole person, will certainly appear ridiculous when he takes to running about (and looking for his other half) ;-^ for he betrays thereby that he is but half a person. In fact, the more one thinks about the matter the more ridiculous it seems ; because if man really be a whole, why, then he will not become a whole in love, but he and woman would make up one and a half. No wonder, then, that the gods laugh, and particularly at man.
But let me return to my consequence. When the lovers have found each other, one should certainly believe that they formed a whole, and in this should lie the proof of their as- sertion that they wished to live for each other for all time. But lo! instead of living for each other they begin to live for the race, and this they do not even suspect.
What is a consequence? If, as I observed, one cannot detect in it the cause out of which it proceeded, the conse- quence is merely ridiculous, and he becomes a laughing stock to whom this happens. Now, the fact that the separated halves have found each other ought to be a complete sat- isfaction and rest for them; and yet the consequence is a new existence. That having found each other should mean a new existence for the lovers, is comprehensible enough; but not, that a new existence for a third being should take its inception from this fact. And yet the resulting conse- quence is greater than that of which it is the consequence, whereas such an end as the lovers' finding each other ought to be infallible evidence of no other, subsequent, consequence being thinkable.
Does the satisfaction of any other desire show an an- alogy to this consequence? Quite on the contrary, the sat- isfaction of desire is in everj'^ other case evinced by a period of rest; and even if a tristitia-^ does supervene — indicating, by the way, that every satisfaction of an appetite is com- ical — this tristitia is a straightfor^vard consequence, though
20Supplied by the translator to complete the sense. ^^Dejection. Cf. the maxim: omne animal post coitum triste.