This is too incredibly incredible not to quote here.
From the author of Amores, Metamorphoses and Tristia, allow me to present you the cure for love, courtesy of Wikipedia:
“In this poem, Ovid offers advices and strategies to avoid being hurt by love feelings , or to fall out of love, with a stoician overtone. Such strategies include:
To leave your partner:
Trying to quit loving before the feeling becomes too important
Trying to be as busy as you can, e.g. with work
Travelling and trying to avoid familiar places that remind you of your relationship
Having many affairs, or at least another affair to forget the previous one
Trying to have sex in an unpleasant way
Focusing on the unpleasant body parts/physical flaws of the partner
Trying to focus on all unfortunate things that happen because of the relationship, such as material issues
Avoiding staying by yourself
Avoiding places where you can see couples
After leaving your partner:
Avoiding all contact with her and with her familly and relatives
When explaining why you broke up, avoiding giving details
Trying to be as silent as you can on your relationship when it’s over
If you know you are going to see your ex-partner again, avoiding trying to look nice for the occasion
Forgetting about any chances in the future for the relationship to start again
Burning letters/portraits of your partner
Avoiding theatre plays or poetries idealizing the concept of love
Convicing yourself that you don’t have any rival, to avoid jealousy. According to Ovid, jealousy is one of the main reason why people stay in love.
Avoiding to stop in front of the door of your ex partner’s house, and picturing it as an awful place bringing only misfortune.
Avoiding certain kind of food
Avoiding drinking alcohol in moderation. Instead, do not drink at all or drink abusively”
Bottoms up to Latin poets who died in exile on the shore of my sea.
