Plato’s Symposium: Exploring the Nature of Love
Plato’s Symposium: A Dialogue on Love
The Setting and the Guests
The Symposium depicts a gathering of Socrates and his friends, including Aristodemus, Phaedrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, Aristophanes, Agathon, and Alcibiades. Several romantic relationships exist among them, adding complexity to the discussion. Aristophanes’s presence adds a comedic element.
The Guests and Their Roles
- Aristodemus: A disciple of Socrates.
- Phaedrus: A student of sophists, initiates the praise of Eros.
- Pausanias: Agathon’s lover, distinguishes between two types of Eros.
- Eryximachus: A physician, views Eros through a medical lens.
- Aristophanes: A comedic playwright, offers a mythical account of love’s origins.
- Agathon: A tragic poet, praises Eros’s beauty and virtues.
- Socrates: Challenges the previous speeches and presents Diotima’s view of Eros.
- Alcibiades: A wealthy young man, delivers a personal and emotional tribute to Socrates.
The Speeches on Love
Phaedrus’s Speech
Phaedrus presents Eros as the oldest god, emphasizing the power of love, particularly between men. He highlights the roles of lover and beloved, and how love can inspire heroic acts.
Pausanias’s Speech
Pausanias distinguishes between two types of Eros: Common Eros (associated with Aphrodite Pandemos) and Heavenly Eros (associated with Aphrodite Urania). He emphasizes the importance of love based on the soul and intellect.
Eryximachus’s Speech
Eryximachus, a physician, views Eros through the lens of medicine. He identifies two kinds of Eros, one residing in health and the other in sickness. He emphasizes the importance of balance and harmony.
Aristophanes’s Speech
Aristophanes offers a mythical explanation of love’s origins, describing three original sexes: male, female, and androgynous. He portrays Eros as a force that guides humans towards their other halves.
Agathon’s Speech
Agathon praises Eros’s beauty, youth, and virtues, including justice and non-violence. He emphasizes Eros’s association with pleasure and the arts.
Socrates’s Speech
Socrates challenges the previous speeches and introduces Diotima’s perspective. Diotima describes Eros as a daimon, an intermediary between humans and gods. Eros is the child of Poros (resource) and Penia (poverty), constantly seeking what is desirable, good, and beautiful.
Alcibiades’s Speech
Alcibiades, drunk and resentful, delivers a personal and emotional tribute to Socrates. He describes Socrates’s unique charm and intellectual power, while also expressing his unrequited love.
Plato’s Theory of Love
Plato’s theory of love, as expressed through Diotima, emphasizes:
- Love as awareness of lack and desire for what is good and beautiful.
- The ascent from physical beauty to the beauty of wisdom.
- Love’s role in procreation, both physical and intellectual.
- Love as a longing for immortality.
- Eros as a driving force towards the Good.