384 years later, Ovid’s “The Art of Love” gives us a Roman interpretation of love and the relationships between men and women from around 1 B.C.E. Ovid gives us both sides of the coin: he teaches men how to win over women, and teaches women how to seduce men. Ovid’s advises men to look for women at the theater, race, or the circus, where “the rows force you close, even if you don’t like it.” He also provides instructions on how to be a gentleman: brush the dust off a lady’s robe even if there’s none there, consult with the lady’s maid, and get close to her by crying then steal a kiss. Ovid also offers advice to women: “no rankness of the wild goat under your armpits, no legs bristling with harsh hair!” He also advises that women take perfect
