Biologically, love is a powerful neurological condition like thirst or hunger, only more long term. We talk about love being unconditional or blind, in the sense that we have no control over it. However, after that, that is not so surprising seeing that love is chemistry. While lust is a temporary excited sexual desire involving the increased launch of chemicals such as testosterone and estrogen, in real love, or bonding and attachment, the brain can release an entire set of compounds: pheromones, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, oxytocin, and vasopressin. Nevertheless, from a high evolutionary perspective, love can be viewed a survival tool — a mechanism we have developed to promote long-term relationships, mutual defense and parental support of children and to promote feelings of security and safety.

Unlike us, the ancients did not lump all the numerous emotions that we label “love” under the one word. That they had several variations…