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Cover of Symposium

Symposium

Written by Plato

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LoveClassical literaturePhilosophy, AncientSocrates, 470 BC-399 BC

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About this book

"Symposium" by Plato is a philosophical dialogue written during the late 4th century BC. The work centers on a banquet at which prominent figures, including Socrates, Phaedrus, Aristophanes, and Alcibiades, take turns delivering speeches in praise of love, exploring the various dimensions and ideals of the concept. Through their discussions, the dialogue delves into themes such as the nature of love, the relationship between physical attraction and deeper emotional connections, and the role of love in achieving virtue and wisdom. The opening of the "Symposium" introduces a character named Apollodorus, who recounts the events of the banquet, eager to share the speeches on love he learned from his friend Aristodemus. Apollodorus describes how Socrates, invited by Agathon to the celebration following his victory in the dramatic competitions, engages with various guests, each of whom presents their unique perspectives on love. Notably, the speeches explore the distinctions between different types of love—earthly vs. heavenly—and the implications of love on personal virtue and societal dynamics, setting the stage for a rich examination of this central human experience that runs throughout the dialogue.

Reading guide

Themes, characters and key ideas in Symposium, written by Chaptra AI.

  • about 10 hours
  • advanced
  • philosophical
  • eloquent
  • erotic

Plato's "Symposium" is a philosophical dialogue depicting a dinner party where prominent Athenian figures, including Socrates, Aristophanes, and Alcibiades, deliver speeches in praise of Eros, or Love. The dialogue progresses from more conventional understandings of love to Socrates's profound exposition of Diotima's Ladder of Love, which posits love as a divine impulse leading the soul from physical beauty to the contemplation of absolute Beauty and the Good. Through a series of eloquent and diverse perspectives, the work explores the multifaceted nature of love, its role in achieving virtue, wisdom, and immortality, and the complex relationship between physical desire and intellectual ascent. Ultimately, it presents love not merely as affection but as a fundamental drive towards philosophical enlightenment and the eternal.

““Love is born of poverty and resource.””

Key themes

The Nature of Love (Eros)
The central theme, explored through a myriad of perspectives, culminating in Socrates's (Diotima's) definition of Love as a 'daimon' – an intermediary spirit that bridges the mortal and divine, perpetually seeking beauty and goodness. It moves beyond simple affection or desire to a profound drive towards philosophical enlightenment and the eternal.
Beauty and the Good
Closely intertwined with love, beauty is presented as the initial catalyst for love, leading the soul upwards. The dialogue distinguishes between physical beauty, which is transient, and the ultimate, absolute Beauty (the Form of Beauty) which is eternal and synonymous with the Good. Love is the desire to possess the Good eternally, and beauty is its manifestation.
Virtue, Wisdom, and Immortality
The "Symposium" argues that the highest form of love is a pursuit of virtue and wisdom, leading to a kind of immortality. Through love, individuals are inspired to generate 'offspring' not of the body (children) but of the soul (virtuous deeds, laws, knowledge, philosophical insights), thereby achieving a lasting legacy and participating in the eternal. Wisdom is the ultimate goal of this loving ascent.

Worth discussing

How do the various speeches in the "Symposium" build upon or challenge each other's definitions of love? Which speech do you find most compelling and why?

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