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The Symposium
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
In the course of a lively drinking party, a group of Athenian intellectuals exchange views on eros, or desire. From their conversation emerge a series of subtle reflections on gender roles, sex in society and the sublimation of basic human instincts.
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Description
In the course of a lively drinking party, a group of prominent Athenian intellectuals, including philosophers, playwrights, and aristocrats, come together to exchange views on the nature of eros, or desire. The setting of this engaging dialogue is the home of the tragedian Agathon, where the guests take turns delivering speeches that delve into various aspects of love, culminating in a profound and thought-provoking discussion.
As the evening progresses, each character presents a unique perspective on love. Phaedrus begins the conversation with an encomium to eros, extolling its virtues and its influence on courage and sacrifice. Pausanias follows, distinguishing between Common Love and Heavenly Love, and their respective roles in society. The physician Eryximachus applies a scientific lens, viewing love as a cosmic force expressed in the harmony and balance of nature.
Aristophanes, in one of the most memorable and mythological accounts, introduces a comic and touching story about the origin of human desire, proposing that love is the search for one's other half. Agathon, the host, poetically praises love's beauty and virtues, glorifying it as the youngest and most divine of the gods.
Finally, Socrates recalls a lesson from Diotima, a wise woman who taught him that eros is not merely physical desire but a complex aspiration for the eternal and the divine. Diotima's ladder of love is a metaphorical ascent from physical attraction to the love of wisdom and ultimately to the contemplation of absolute beauty and truth.
Through these layers of dialogue, The Symposium unfolds as a sophisticated tapestry of philosophic reflection on gender roles, the nature of desire, the purpose of love, and its power in ethical and spiritual development. It offers readers deep insights into love as a response to beauty, a cosmic force, a driving motive for social action, and a means of ethical education.
The Symposium is a deft interweaving of different viewpoints and ideas about the nature of love, sharply challenging conventional views and advocating for the transcendence of base human instincts through spiritual love. It remains one of Plato’s most influential works, captivating readers with its intellectual and imaginative exploration of love.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The Symposium by Plato is widely praised for its profound examination of love and its expression through a series of engaging dialogues. Reviewers commend its intellectual depth and the masterful way it captures philosophical debates, making it a timeless piece in Western literature. The discussions are appreciated for their historical significance and the way they offer insights into human nature and relationships.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780140449273
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 27 February 2003
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Penguin Classics
Contributors:
- Introduction by Christopher Gill
- Translated by Christopher Gill
- Notes by Christopher Gill
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 9.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 113g
Pages: 144
About the Author
Plato (c.427-347 BC) stands with Socrates and Aristotle as one of the shapers of the whole intellectual tradition of the West. He founded in Athens the Academy, the first permanent institution devoted to philosophical research and teaching, and theprototype of all Western universities. Christopher Gill is Professor of Ancient Thought at the University of Exeter. He has written widely on ancient philosophy and literature.
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