They say that hatred is the opposite of love. I don't think so. The opposite of love is indifference. Hatred is an emotion and could be a very powerful emotion.

I remember a story I read in one of the Remqrque's novels.

The author tells the story about a convalescent three-story house, where, somehow, as it was considered the best apartment was on the third floor. The man who lived on the second floor, right underneath the desired apartment, was adamant to get it and to somehow evict the man from the third-floor apartment.

Both had significant health problems, so significant that in all probability both were already supposed to be dead. Doctors were surprised and couldn't understand what was that force that kept them alive.

That force was the force of mutual hatred. Both of them wanted to overlive the other. One in order to get the hold of the desired apartment and the other one so that his "enemy" would not be able to get it.

Finally, the man on the third floor died. The man from the second floor immediately moved it. But he didn't like the apartment. Soon after his move, he wanted to move back. Also, very soon after that, he died. There was no one to hate and he lived for that hatred.

This is much like the story of Count De Monte Cristo. After Edmon Dantes had his revenge he would most likely die as he fulfilled his mission and there was no point in living any longer.