Quantifying love

How does one quantify love?

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KING LEAR 

    Which of you shall we say doth love us most? 

    That we our largest bounty may extend 

    Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril, 

    Our eldest-born, speak first. 

GONERIL 

    Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter; 

    Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty; 

    Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare; 

    No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour; 

    As much as child e'er loved, or father found; 

    A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable; 

    Beyond all manner of so much I love you. 

CORDELIA 

    [Aside] What shall Cordelia do? 

    Love, and be silent. 

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yet the irony is that Goneril takes away Lear's "life, grace, health, beauty, honour"

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LEAR 

    Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, 

    With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd, 

    With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads, 

    We make thee lady: to thine and Albany's issue 

    Be this perpetual. What says our second daughter, 

    Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak. 

REGAN 

    Sir, I am made 

    Of the self-same metal that my sister is, 

    And prize me at her worth. In my true heart 

    I find she names my very deed of love; 

    Only she comes too short: that I profess 

    Myself an enemy to all other joys, 

    Which the most precious square of sense possesses; 

    And find I am alone felicitate¹ 

    In your dear highness' love. 

CORDELIA 

    [Aside] Then poor Cordelia! 

    And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's 

    More richer than my tongue. 

^{1. derive joy from}

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yet perhaps, a allusion to Philipians 3:8

Philippians 3:8  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 

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derive no other joy from anything else

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yet even that isnt really love yet

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KING LEAR 

    To thee and thine hereditary ever 

    Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom; 

    No less in space, validity, and pleasure, 

    Than that conferr'd on Goneril. Now, our joy, 

    Although the last, not least; to whose young love 

    The vines of France and milk of Burgundy 

    Strive to be interess'd; what can you say to draw 

    A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak. 

CORDELIA 

    Nothing, my lord.

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perhaps, love, cannot be expressed in words...

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love is in the silences

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and love need not be returned, as one sees from Cordelia still loving after she was disowned

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Ahh EA1

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so much for that...

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"love God wholeheartedly"