If you’re married or plan on getting married one day, then you may find the following marriage tips from ancient philosophers interesting. Marriage is a beautiful union between two people who deeply care for each other, but even the most compatible couples have their rough patches.
After being together for a while (and in some cases not that long), you’re bound to go through individual changes that will have an impact on how you communicate and relate to each other. For that reason, it’s important to be proactive about maintaining a healthy relationship. That may mean reading up on relationship books, seeking out counseling, or just doing your best to work on yourself.
It may also be interesting to check out what some ancient philosophers had to say about maintaining a healthy marriage (this list comes from MentalFloss.com). Some are extremely sexist such as the one that states a woman shouldn’t be angry with her husband for getting drunk and sleeping with the concubines because he respects her too much to expose her to such debauchery. Really?
Others are more reasonable and worth using. Take a look at the five pieces of marriage advice from ancient philosophers:
- Have Fun With Your Wife Or She’ll Have Fun Without You. This philosophy was stated by Plutarch and it’s pretty good advice. He believed that husbands should spend time with their wife and laugh with her, otherwise she’ll look for it somewhere else.
- Your Mother In Law Will Be Jealous. Plutarch stated a problem that’s been going on since the beginning of time. Mothers are often jealous once their sons get married. The best thing to do is tread lightly on the relationship between him and his mother.
- Don’t Commit Adultery. This one seems pretty obvious, but maybe not to everyone. It was actually pointed out by Gaius Musonius Rufus. He urged men to consider what it’d feel like for them if their wife carried on relations with others.
- Time Will Make Your Relationship Stronger. Plutarch is pretty much saying that as the years go by your relationship can withstand a lot more. So, for newlyweds do what you can to stick it out and to take care of your union.
- If Your Husband Cheats, It’s Because He Respects You Too Much. sigh…. Plutarch uses this point to explain a man’s actions when he does cheat. It’s because he respects you too much, OBVIOUSLY!
What do you think so far? Are they useful?
READ MORE: 9 Marriage Tips From Ancient Philosophers
