Plato's Symposium

The Symposium (Ancient Greek: Συμπόσιον) is a philosophical text by Plato dated c. 385–370 BC. It is written in the form of a discussion among a group of notable men, which includes the philosopher Socrates and the comic playwright Aristophanes. The topic of the discussion is love; in particular that form of love represented by the Greek god Eros. In the Symposium Eros is discussed extensively as erotic love; a phenomenon which at first glance is seen as sexual desire, but which is capable of transcending its earthy origins and attaining heights of religious ecstasy.

The event depicted in the Symposium is a group of men attending a banquet, who have now come to the symposium; which was, in ancient Greece, a traditional part of a banquet that took place after the meal, when drinking for pleasure was accompanied by music, dancing, recitals, or conversation. The setting means that the participants will be drinking wine; this suggests that the men might be induced to say things they wouldn’t say elsewhere or when sober. They might speak frankly, or take risks, or be prone to hubris — they might also even be inspired to make speeches that are particularly heartfelt and noble.

The host has challenged the men to deliver, each in turn, an encomium – a speech in praise of Love (Eros). The party takes place at the house of the tragedian Agathon in Athens. This dialogue is one of Plato's major works; it is appreciated for its philosophical content and literary quality.

The Symposium is written as a dialogue – a form used by Plato in more than thirty works – and is regarded as one of his best. Set in Athenian social life, it develops the themes of love and also of Socrates' character. There is little doubt that the content of the dialogue is fictitious, although Plato has built a very realistic atmosphere.

Andrew Dalby considers the opening pages of the Symposium the best description in any ancient Greek source of the ramifications of an oral tradition. The story of the symposium is being told by Apollodorus to his companion, Glaucon. Apollodorus was not himself at the banquet, but he heard the story from Aristodemus, a man who was there. Also, Apollodorus was able to confirm parts of the story with Socrates himself, who was one of the speakers at the banquet.. A story that Socrates narrates, when it is his turn to speak, was told to Socrates by Diotima. It is not considered that the rendering of the discussion by Plato should be taken as historically accurate.

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