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The Symposium is a philosophical text written by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. The dialogue takes place at a dinner party attended by a group of prominent Athenians, including Socrates, Aristophanes, and Alcibiades. The guests engage in a series of speeches on the nature of love, with each speaker offering their own unique perspective on the subject.
The first speech is given by Phaedrus, who argues that love is the greatest of all gods and inspires courage and heroism in those who are in its thrall. Pausanias follows with a more nuanced view, distinguishing between noble and base forms of love and advocating for a more rational approach to relationships. Eryximachus, a physician, then speaks about the role of love in maintaining balance and harmony in the body and soul.
Aristophanes, the famous playwright, presents a humorous mythological account of the origins of love, suggesting that humans were once whole beings with two heads, four arms, and four legs before being split in half by the gods. This story serves as a metaphor for the search for one's other half, or soulmate.
Agathon, a young and handsome poet, delivers a speech praising the god Eros as the most beautiful and virtuous of all beings. Socrates, known for his questioning and dialectical method, challenges Agathon's ideas and presents his own unique perspective on love. He argues that love is not a god, but rather a desire for something that one lacks, and that true love is a pursuit of wisdom and beauty.
The final speech is given by Alcibiades, a charismatic and controversial figure in Athenian politics. He recounts his own
experiences with Socrates and describes the philosopher as the object of his own unrequited love. Alcibiades' speech serves as a powerful reminder of the complexities and contradictions of human relationships.
Throughout the Symposium, Plato explores the nature of love from a variety of angles, touching on themes such as beauty, desire, friendship, and the pursuit of wisdom. The dialogue is a rich and thought-provoking exploration of one of the most fundamental aspects of human experience, and continues to be studied and debated by scholars and philosophers to this day.
The Symposium of Plato 1909 Free PDF ebook translated by Robert Gregg Bury
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