Symposium
Plato
Symposium
"Symposium" by Plato is a Socratic dialogue written between 385-370 BC. At a banquet in ancient Athens, notable figures including Socrates, Alcibiades, and Aristophanes engage in a contest of speeches praising Eros, the god of love. Each man offers his perspective on love's nature and power—from inspiring battlefield courage to transcending earthly desire. Through conflicting ideas and shifting viewpoints, the dialogue explores love's deepest meanings while showcasing both philosophical depth and literary artistry.
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About the author
Plato (c. 428–348 BC) was an Athenian philosopher, a student of Socrates and the teacher of Aristotle, and he founded the Academy — arguably the first university in the West, and one that ran for nearly three centuries. He never writes in his own voice: the thirty-odd dialogues that survive are arguments between named Athenians, usually with Socrates in the middle asking the questions. The execution of Socrates by the city in 399 BC is the event behind all of them. The Republic, the Symposium, the Phaedo and the Apology are the most read.