Great Books
Group 2
M. diMuro, M. Moua, J. Popp, K. Heaslet, M. Hemphill, and R. McNamara
Our website for discussions of the books read in English 260.
Book Summary
The Symposium is a philosophical text by Plato dated c. 385–380 BCE. It concerns itself at one level with the genesis, purpose and nature of love, and is the origin of the concept of Platonic love. Love is examined in a sequence of speeches by men attending a symposium, or drinking party. Each man must deliver an encomium, a speech in praise of Love (Eros). The party takes place at the house of the tragedian Agathon in Athens.
Written by:
Melanie diMuro
6) Socrates Questions Agathon
Socrates continues his discussion of Love by restating an account given to him by a woman named Diotima. He claims that he once had the same idea as Agathon but that Diotima convinced him he was mistaken. Socrates continues with his dialogue with Agathon, but now puts himself in Agathon's position and presents Diotima as taking his role. Having been convinced that Love is neither beautiful or good, Socrates asks Diotima if that means Love is ugly and bad. Diotima argues that not everything must be either this or that. Diotima points out that Socrates has denied that Love is a god altogether. Diotima also states that Love is neither mortal or immortal, but is a spirit, which falls somewhere between being a god and being human. Diotima tells the story of how Love was conceived by Resource and Poverty at a feast to celebrate the birth of Aphrodite, and because it was Aphrodite's birthday, he became her follower. Being the child of Resource and Poverty, Love is always poor, but tough, he is also always in a state of need, but he can scheme to get what he wants. Being neither mortal or immortal, he can shoot to life one day only to die the next. Love is also a strong lover or wisdom. Beauty, perfection, and so on are the qualities of the things we love, but the lover himself is not at all like this.
Written by:
Melanie diMuro
3) Eryximachus' Speech
The first purpose of Eryximachus' speech was to continue with Pausanias's idea of a good and bad Eros which affects all humans, into a general principle by which conflicting elements are brought together into harmony. Eryximachus, being the doctor, speaks about medicine and the human body and offers a somewhat scientific explanation of love. He states that love is a broad phenomenon in all sciences. He then goes on to talk about music, education, astrology and finally divination. His speech is seen as being somewhat arrogant, and although it doesn't give much insight to the idea of love, it does show a lot about natural philosophy.
Written by:
Madeine Hemphill
7) Diotima Questions Socrates
Diotima questioning Socrates adds a whole different perspective on love to the conversation and helps Socrates understand that love is not innate, and love is the desire to hold onto the good in something forever. The object of love is not beauty, but reproduction and birth in beauty.This second-hand conversation offers the idea that love is not necessarily beautiful and good, or ugly and bad, but somewhere in between. Love is also found somewhere in between knowledge and ignorance, and mortality and immortality, and love is the desire to keep the good and make it immortal.
Written by:
Madeline Hemphill
1) Phaedrus's Speech
Phaedrus is the first to speak in Symposium. He is young, upper class, naive, and inexperienced. He begins by describing love as being the oldest of all of the gods, and describing it as wonderful, brave, full of sacrifice, and magnificent. Phaedrus delves into the relationship of the lover and the beloved—the most superior form of love. The lover is an older man, and the beloved is a younger boy. The lover is supposed to guide the beloved. This male-to-male relationship is far more desirable than any male-to-female relationship. There is no greater benefit for a boy to have an older lover, according to Phaedrus. This relationship is full of sacrifice, and described as the only relationship in which lovers will give their lives for each other. Phaedrus depicts love as being honorable in all forms. He concludes his speech by saying that love is the most ancient and most honored of the gods, and most capable of ensuring courage and happiness, in this life and the next. His commentors in his speech are not very agreeable, and point out many illogicalities with points that he made.
Written By: Kathleen Heaslet
2) Pausanias's Speech
Pausanias is the second to speak in Symposium. He is a young student of Prodicus. He is shown to be in love with Agathon, another philosopher at the symposium. Pausanias is trying to teach that there is only one kind of true love, described as the love of Heavenly Aphrodite. This love is purely between two males. Pausanias says that this love is stronger, more intelligence based rather than just physical love. He goes on to say that this love creates an eagerness between the men to spend the rest of their lives together. Pausanias is trying to get across that this love is the purest love one man could feel; it goes beyond the physical into the spiritual. Love, according to Pausanias, is also described as being complex. He doesnt feel that there is any honor or disgrace in love. The kind of love that Pausanias is describing plays into the idea of the masculine quest for knowledge.
Written by: Reilly McNamara
8) The Speech of Diotima
Diotima talks about how we only call certain people lovers but everyone wants good and happiness to be theirs forever. She talks about pregnancy and how people are full of ideas. A person is not only pregnant with a child but their body and mind are pregnant. It is beauty that presides over birth and what allows someone to be pregnant. Diotima believes that to give birth, you need to be in contact with someone beautiful, therefore birth is beauty. She also talks about immortality and how if one wants to love forever and for good to be theirs forever, then we need to live on forever too. In the end, since we can't live on forever, reproducing is the only way that we can live on forever in a way. She also talks about how there are two ways that men can become pregnant. With their body and mind. Those who seek out for body look for a woman who they can reproduce with. Those who looks for mind, brings wisdom and other virtue. With that in mind, a man and a boy's relationship is stronger than others since ideas are more immortal than bodies.
Written by:
Mao Moua
5) Agathon's Speech
Agathon points out that all the previous speeches have spoken about the benefits that people have gained from Love, but none of them have discussed the nature of the god himself. Agathon suggests that Love is the happiest of the gods because he is the most beautiful. He is beautiful because, contrary to Phaedrus' claim, he is the youngest of the gods. He always avoids old age, and only associates with the young. All the horrible things the gods did to each other in ancient times they did without Love. Since Love has ruled amongst the gods, they have been far more peaceful. Agathon concludes with a rhetorically complex eulogy praising every aspect of Love, who is responsible for beauty, excellence, mildness, wisdom, goodness, excellence, and much more.
Written by:
Jacklyn Popp
4) Aristophanies' Speech
Aristophanes imagines a time when men were twice what they are now. Each individual had two faces, looking in opposite directions on one head, and a spherical torso with four arms, four legs and two sets of genitals. Zeus decided, in order to minimize their power, to cut them all in half. The poor humans were distraught and went about searching for their other halves, as they still do. When we find them, we cling to that other half with all our might, and we call this Love.
Written by:
Jacklyn Popp
Author Bio: Plato
Plato, 427?-347 B.C., Greek philosopher. In 407 B.C. he became a pupil and friend of Socrates. After living for a time at the Syracuse court, Plato founded (c.387 B.C.) near Athens the most influential school of the ancient world, the Academy, where he taught until his death. His most famous pupil there was Aristotle.
Written by:
Reilly McNamara
The Speeches
The Symposium
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The Odyssey
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