When we talk about 10 sex tips that have survived millennia, the list reads like a hall of fame for brainy love‑gurus. From ancient Greek mathematicians to Enlightenment statesmen, these great minds left behind advice that is equal parts curious, controversial, and surprisingly practical. Below, we rank their most memorable recommendations—starting with the oldest and winding down to the most recent.
10 Sex Tips: Timeless Wisdom for Modern Lovers
10 Pythagoras
Sex Tip: Only do it in the Winter
Pythagoras, the legendary Greek philosopher famed for his theorem, also ran a rather eccentric communal school around 530 BC. His followers were expected to obey a string of odd rules, from revering mathematics to placing the right shoe on first each morning. The cult‑like atmosphere meant Pythagoras felt comfortable prescribing lifestyle guidance—sex included.
According to his teachings, a man should refrain from sexual activity until he reaches the age of twenty. He argued that early ejaculation saps a young man’s vital strength, essentially draining the “emissions” that keep a male robust. When asked when a man should finally make love, Pythagoras answered, “When you wish to lose the strength you still possess.”
To mitigate the inevitable loss of vigor, Pythagoras suggested timing intimacy with the seasons. He claimed that winter is the most suitable period for sexual pleasures, while summer should be avoided altogether. Autumn and spring are tolerable but still harmful, and he warned that any sexual activity is inherently detrimental to health, though the winter months are the least risky.
9 King Solomon
Sex Tip: Use poetry to woo her
The Song of Songs—also called the Song of Solomon—is a biblical love poem that reads like a sensual playlist for the ages. Supposedly authored by King Solomon himself, the text celebrates the intoxicating joy of romance in vivid, aromatic language. One line captures the moment perfectly: “While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance.”
Solomon’s verses are dripping with animalistic metaphors that celebrate the beloved’s beauty. He writes, “Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead.” He continues with a parade of comparisons: “Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes that have come up from the washing, all of which bear twins, and not one among them has lost its young… Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, that graze among the lilies.”
These poetic images were more than just flowery language; they served as a potent aphrodisiac. Solomon’s lyrical flattery helped him win over his bride, guiding them into a night of passion that he describes as taking place in the “nut orchard.” The verses, steeped in sensual imagery, illustrate how a well‑crafted poem can be a powerful tool for courtship.
In the climactic stanza, Solomon declares, “Your stature is like a palm tree, and your breasts are like its clusters. I say I will climb the palm tree and lay hold of its fruit.” The biblical king’s use of poetry proves that eloquent words can be just as effective as any other love aid.
8 Pliny the Elder
Sex Tip: Drowned lizards and vulture lungs
Pliny the Elder, the Roman naturalist who chronicled everything from volcanoes to animal behavior, was also a bit of a home‑remedy enthusiast. His massive work, “Natural History,” contains a surprising section on sexual health, reflecting Roman concerns about self‑control and vigor.
For those who found their libido too strong, Pliny recommended a bizarre anti‑aphrodisiac concoction: the urine of a eunuch in which a lizard had been drowned, mixed with olive oil and wine. He also mentioned snails and pigeon droppings as ingredients for a similar purpose, hoping to dampen desire.
Conversely, men who wanted to boost their sexual potency could turn to a more exotic remedy: a vulture’s lung, fashioned into an amulet and wrapped in crane skin, was believed to act as a powerful aphrodisiac. Pliny also suggested consuming the yolks of five dove eggs mixed with a denarius’s worth of pig fat and honey, or even the eggs of sparrows, to invigorate the lover’s vigor.
Women facing fertility challenges were not left out. Pliny advised that a baby’s first bowel movement, when smeared onto the woman’s lower region, could stimulate conception. While modern science would balk, the Roman physician’s catalog reflects a time when the line between medicine and superstition was delightfully blurry.
7 Ge Hong
Sex Tip: Never ejaculate
Ge Hong, a Chinese alchemist and Taoist scholar of the third and fourth centuries, pursued the elusive goal of immortality. While many Taoist adepts chased eternal life through elixirs of mercury or extreme meditation, Ge Hong offered a different route: preserve the vital essence known as “jing” by avoiding ejaculation.
In Ge Hong’s view, each act of ejaculation represents a loss of the precious jing energy that fuels life. He argued that spilling this seed shortens a man’s lifespan, aligning with the broader Taoist belief that the body’s essential fluids should be conserved.
Some Taoist masters permitted sexual activity as long as the male partner could reach climax without releasing the seminal fluid. By redirecting the sexual energy upward through the spine and into the brain, practitioners believed they could rejuvenate themselves, turning pleasure into a source of longevity rather than depletion.
Ge Hong’s advice, though demanding, illustrates a fascinating intersection of sexuality, spirituality, and the quest for everlasting life—an ancient perspective that still intrigues modern seekers of holistic health.
6 Aristotle
Sex Tip: Eat smelly food
Aristotle, the towering Greek philosopher whose ideas shaped Western thought, also ventured into the realm of human biology—though not without some glaring misconceptions. He famously regarded women as imperfect versions of men, a bias that colored his scientific observations.
In his writings, Aristotle noted that women do not produce semen, but they do emit a distinct fluid during intercourse. He described this discharge as a natural by‑product of the uterus, differentiating it from male seminal fluid. He also entertained the notion that women’s pleasure might resemble men’s, though he remained skeptical of its significance.
Concerned that women’s “discharge” might be insufficient, Aristotle suggested that certain pungently‑flavored foods could stimulate a noticeable increase. He claimed that strong‑tasting dishes—those with sharp aromas—could help women produce a more conspicuous fluid, thereby enhancing sexual experiences.
While modern science has long since debunked Aristotle’s gender hierarchy, his curiosity about the bodily effects of diet provides an amusing glimpse into ancient attempts to boost intimacy through culinary means.
5 Lucretius
Sex Tip: Sleep around
Lucretius, the Roman poet behind the epic philosophical work “On the Nature of Things,” explored the universe through the lens of Epicurean atomism. Among his many musings, he also tackled the mechanics of sexual desire, describing how the male seed is stirred by visual stimuli.
According to Lucretius, when a man gazes upon an attractive form, the seed within him becomes activated, swelling the sexual organs. He warned that even merely thinking of a beloved can provoke an urge to release this seed, and that suppressing it could cause physical discomfort.
To alleviate this tension, Lucretius advocated “venting” the seed on other objects—essentially encouraging men to seek multiple partners. By sleeping around, a lover could disperse the built‑up energy, reducing the ache that accompanies unfulfilled desire.
His pragmatic, if unconventional, advice reflects the Epicurean pursuit of pleasure and the belief that a balanced release of desire contributes to a tranquil life.
4 Jean‑Jacques Rousseau
Sex Tip: Get Spanked
Jean‑Jacques Rousseau, the Enlightenment philosopher famed for his treatise on the social contract, also harbored a surprisingly kinky side. In his candid autobiography, Rousseau recounts a youthful episode where he followed a group of girls to a well, exposing himself—not his genitals, but his buttocks—to their bewildered stare.
He later confessed that the real thrill lay not in the exposure but in the sting of a spanking he received as a child. Sent to live with another family, Rousseau was punished by the matriarch’s hand. He described the sensation as a “mixture of sensuality,” noting that the pain made him less afraid and more eager to experience it again.
The experience left a lasting imprint. Rousseau wrote that falling at the feet of an “imperious mistress,” obeying her commands, and begging for forgiveness became some of his most exquisite pleasures. This blend of authority and physical discipline shaped his later reflections on desire and power.
Rousseau’s confession illustrates how personal humiliation and disciplined pain can intertwine with erotic enjoyment, offering a window into the complex psychology of a man known more for his political philosophy than his bedroom preferences.
3 Immanuel Kant
Sex Tip: Don’t be a sucked lemon
Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher whose categorical imperative still dominates ethical debates, also ventured into the realm of sexuality. Though he lived a celibate life—dying a confirmed virgin—Kant offered a stern moral framework for those who did engage in sexual activity.
In his lectures on ethics, Kant argued that sex should be confined to the matrimonial bed, warning against treating another person as merely an object of desire. He cautioned that using a partner solely for personal gratification reduces them to a “sucked lemon” once the pleasure is exhausted.
While acknowledging that a healthy sexual drive is part of being fully human, Kant emphasized that any relationship must respect mutual consent and avoid turning a person into a disposable instrument of appetite. He believed that without such restraint, the lover becomes a fleeting source of pleasure, discarded once the “lemon” has been fully sucked dry.
Kant’s austere perspective underscores a timeless ethical principle: intimacy should be grounded in respect, not exploitation, reminding modern readers that the moral dimension of sex remains as relevant today as it was in the eighteenth century.
2 Saint Albertus Magnus
Sex Tip: Missionary is enough
Saint Albertus Magnus, known as Albert the Great, was a thirteenth‑century scholar whose encyclopedic knowledge spanned theology, natural philosophy, and the intimate arts. While most remember him for his contributions to scholasticism, he also penned a modest guide to sexual positions.
Albertus ranked positions according to “naturalness,” a hierarchy that placed missionary (the classic face‑to‑face arrangement) at the top as the most virtuous and procreative. He listed side‑by‑side, standing, and a position he termed “a tergo” (from behind) as progressively less natural and more sinful.
He argued that missionary suffices for conception, and that deviating from this norm risks moral compromise. Yet he left room for practicality: in cases of extreme obesity, he permitted couples to adopt an alternative posture to ensure comfort and safety.
Albertus’s concise taxonomy reflects the medieval view that sexual activity should be functional and modest, offering a glimpse into how even the most learned minds of the era approached bedroom etiquette.
1 Ben Franklin
Sex Tip: Get an older mistress
Benjamin Franklin, the quintessential polymath—printer, inventor, diplomat, and renowned flirt—was never shy about dispensing advice on matters of the heart. When a friend asked for counsel on extramarital affairs, Franklin penned a letter that combined practical reasoning with a dash of wit.
He began by extolling the virtues of marriage, but then pivoted to suggest that, should one pursue a mistress, choosing an older woman would be advantageous. His reasoning was multifaceted: older mistresses present no risk of unwanted children, and the “fluid” dynamics he described suggested that after a woman’s face and upper body have dried, the lower regions remain moist, offering continued pleasure.
Franklin further argued that, in the darkness of night, “all cats are grey,” implying that the sensory differences between younger and older partners are negligible. He claimed that with practice, the pleasure derived from an older woman could equal—or even surpass—that of a younger one.
He concluded his missive with a breezy sign‑off, noting the gratitude of his correspondents and the practical benefits of his counsel. Franklin’s candid, slightly cheeky advice showcases the Enlightenment thinker’s willingness to blend reason with romance.