How is love described in the symposium?
How is love described in the symposium?
The “ladder of love” occurs in the text Symposium (c. 385-370 BC) by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. This is the starting point, when love, which by definition is a desire for something we don’t have, is first aroused by the sight of individual beauty. All beautiful bodies.
Who are the people in the symposium?
Characters
- Socrates. The protagonist of the Symposium, as with most of Plato’s dialogues.
- Diotima. A woman from Mantinea whom Socrates claims once to have met, and who taught him everything he knows on the subject of Love.
- Agathon.
- Aristophanes.
- Alcibiades.
- Eryximachus.
- Pausanias.
- Phaedrus.
What roles do apollodorus and aristodemus play in the symposium?
Apollodorus is the narrator of Symposium who describes the speeches of the symposium to his unnamed companion, although he wasn’t there himself. He heard about the speeches from Aristodemus, and he shared the details in turn with Glaucon.
Who was present at the symposium?
No fewer than six of them-Alcibiades, Socrates, Agathon, Pausanias, Phaedrus, Eryximachus-appear in one other Pla- tonic dialogue. Of the persons named in the Symposium, only Aristophanes and Aristodemus are missing there.
What is the main idea of the symposium?
Symposium highlights two common characteristics of classical Greek culture—homoeroticism (conceived of rather differently from a modern understanding of homosexuality) and love of drinking parties. Plato critiques both these cultural elements by portraying Socrates as the utmost exemplar of sobriety and restraint.
How does Eryximachus define love?
Eryximachus’ medical training shows that Love is expressed in the bodily responses of plants and animals. He agrees with Pausanias that it is right to gratify good people and wrong to gratify bad people. In practicing Love, whether by means of music or medicine, one is promoting order, and may thus improve people.
How many speakers does a symposium have?
Each session has a session chairperson and 4 panelists. The session chairperson will moderate the whole session and will introduce panelists one by one (max. one-minute each) and invite them one at a time to deliver a presentation.
What is the purpose of Plato’s symposium?
A symposium in Greek, literally means a drinking party. But Plato’s Symposium takes the occasion of a drinking party first to praise Love and then to define it. It is a philosophical dialogue, in which meaning is created in the exchange of words between the participants. Each person in turn makes a speech.
How does the symposium start?
As a response to Aristophanes Since Aeschylus prefers Alcibiades, Dionysus declares Aeschylus the winner. At the beginning of the Symposium Agathon asserts that “Dionysus will be the judge”, and Dionysus is, though Alcibiades performs as a surrogate for the god.
What happens in the symposium?
In ancient Greece, the symposium (Greek: συμπόσιον symposion or symposio, from συμπίνειν sympinein, “to drink together”) was a part of a banquet that took place after the meal, when drinking for pleasure was accompanied by music, dancing, recitals, or conversation.
How does Phaedrus define Love?
Phaedrus asserts that both gods and humans regard Love as great and awesome, for many reasons. As Love is the oldest, Phaedrus suggests, he confers the greatest benefits. No young man could derive greater benefit than from a good lover, and no lover could derive greater benefit than from a young loved one.
Who are the characters in the symposium by Socrates?
A woman from Mantinea whom Socrates claims once to have met, and who taught him everything he knows on the subject of Love. There is very good reason to doubt if Diotima is meant to represent any real person, especially since her speech is so authoritative and oracular.
Who is the narrator of the symposium by Apollodorus?
Aristodemus is the one who told Apollodorus what happened at the symposium, so it’s really his perspective that makes up most of Symposium, albeit narrated by Apollodorus. He’s described as “a little man who… read analysis of Aristodemus of Cydathenaeum
Who are the main characters in Thucydides Symposium?
Alcibiades – A familiar figure to any reader of Thucydides, Alcibiades (c. 450 – 404 B.C.) was a charismatic politician who played a prominent role in the Pelopennesian War.
Who is Diotima meant to represent in the symposium?
There is very good reason to doubt if Diotima is meant to represent any real person, especially since her speech is so authoritative and oracular. Just as Diotima passed her wisdom on to Socrates, so Socrates passes this wisdom on to his friends.