Rule 03: Mind Your Business

"Thou shalt not knowingly strive to break up a correct love affair that someone else is engaged in," the third chief rule in love according to Andreas Capellanus, is as relevant today as it ever was. One should never try to break up someone else's relationship for any reason, because, really, it's none of your damn business what other people do. Now, this rule really only applies to "correct love affairs," ie. healthy relationships that work for both parties. If you find that someone you love is trapped in an abusive relationship, then you should probably take action.

Rule 02: Don't Get Sleezy

'De Amore,' a 12th-century French novella written by Andreas Capellanus lists twelve rules to follow in love. The second rule, 'Thou shalt keep thyself chaste for the sake of her whom thou lovest,' basically means that you should keep from getting so freaky in the bedroom that you alienate your partner. Also, don't whore yourself out around town behind her back, because that's pretty douchey and a betrayal of trust. Actually, at the time it might have meant to stay a virgin until you'd found the woman you love, and while that's still good advice today, I don't expect anyone to listen to it.

Rule 01: Don't Get Greedy

According to Andreas Capellanus, the 12th-century French author of 'De Amore,' there are twelve chief rules to courtly love. The somewhat cynical tone to Capellanus's work suggests that his work be taken with a grain of salt, but there is also a good deal of valid information to be gained from reading his ideas. The first chief rule of courtly love is as follows: thou shalt avoid avarice like the deadly pestilence and shalt embrace its opposite. In layman's terms: it's better to give than to receive.