Broken Heart - in Classical References

In Classical References

This biblical reference highlights the issues of pain surrounding a broken heart:

Psalm 69:20 Insults have broken my heart and left me weak, I looked for sympathy but there was none; I found no one to comfort me.

In this Psalm, King David says that insults have broken his heart, not loss or pain. It is also popular belief that rejection, major or minor, can break an individual's heart. This heartbreak can be greatly increased if rejected by a loved one or someone whom you respect.

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Plays of William Shakespeare feature characters dying from a broken heart, such as Ahenobarbus and Lady Montague - though Rosalind claims (of men at least) that 'these are all lies: men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love'.