The motto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom; to serve all

"The motto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom; to serve all, but love only one." Thus spoke Honoré de Balzac, whose pen carved truths about human passion and duty. In these words, he reveals the balance between universal compassion and singular devotion. A knight of old might ride forth to serve all—the weak, the poor, the oppressed—but his heart, steadfast and unwavering, was sworn to love only one. In this harmony of service and loyalty lies the essence of both nobility and wisdom.

The ancients, too, knew this truth. The Stoics taught that man is bound to all humanity, called to act with justice toward every soul. Yet they also honored fidelity, that sacred binding of heart to heart. To scatter love without loyalty was seen as folly; but to withhold compassion from the many was cruelty. Thus Balzac joins the two in one noble law: to give freely in service, but to guard love as a treasure entrusted to one alone.

History bears witness in the lives of the knights of Christendom. They lifted their swords to serve all, protecting the defenseless, feeding the poor, and defending the faith. Yet behind their armor often lay a devotion to one lady, one vow, one flame of constancy that gave strength to their deeds. Their loyalty was not weakness, but power—for in loving one alone, their hearts were anchored, and their service to others was purified of selfish desire.

Consider also the tale of Mahatma Gandhi. He strove to serve all—the oppressed of India, the voiceless, the downtrodden. Yet his deepest love was for truth itself, his one eternal companion. That singular devotion gave clarity to his mission; it was his "only one." Because his love was undivided, his service to the many shone with purity and strength.

Therefore, let this wisdom be carried to future generations: to serve all is the path of compassion, but to love only one is the path of constancy. The man who loves many without loyalty is scattered; the man who serves few without compassion is hardened. But he who joins the two walks the way of the knight, the way of the sage, the way of the heart made whole. For in this union, chivalry and wisdom are but one.