| Quote #1 I leave myself, my friends and all, for love. |
Proteus claims that his love for Julia has transformed him, and not in a good way. Ever since Julia came along, he no longer does his homework, he wastes all of his time, and he argues with his friends. What's more, Proteus claims that love has also made him weak witted (stupid).
| Quote #2 Marry, by these special marks: first, you have |
When Valentine falls for Silvia, Speed accuses him of being so "metamorphosed" by love that he can hardly recognize Valentine as his master. Speed's laundry list of comparisons (Valentine used to walk like a "lion" but now he weeps like a "young wench," and so on) emphasizes Speed's point – Valentine has undergone a complete transformation. We see this same idea in plays like A Midsummer Night's Dream and Taming of the Shrew, where love has the capacity to alter those who are under its spell.
| Quote #3 SPEED |
Valentine thinks Silvia is the most beautiful woman on earth, but, here, Speed deflates his love for Silvia by insisting that love has "blinded" Valentine, or has at least impaired his vision. Speed insists that, by falling in love with Julia, Valentine caused Julia to be "deformed." Translation: Valentine is wearing love goggles, which distorts Valentine's image of her.