Symposium (#114)

Author: vtomole

_posts/2025/2025-12-13-symposium.html

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+---
+layout: post
+title: "First Read: Plato's Symposium"
+date: 2025-12-13
+categories: twentytwentyfive
+---
+<p>In the <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1600/1600-h/1600-h.htm#link2H_4_0002">Symposium</a>, Phaedrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, Aristophanes, Agathon, Socrates, and Alcibiades each deliver a speech about love. Agathon and Socrates, unlike the others, who speak about the benefits that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eros">Eros</a>, the god of Love has given them, and unlike Alcibiades, who confesses his love for Socrates, focus on the nature of Eros. Given that Agathon, the poet, does not prioritize truth, while Socrates, the philosopher, does, let’s concentrate on Agathon’s speech.</p>
+
+<p>In summary, Agathon claims that, of all the gods, Eros is the best. He is the youngest: he was not yet born in the time of Homer. In those times, people acted out of necessity, not love. If Eros had been present then, violence would not have been rampant; instead, there would have been peace on earth. Agathon describes Eros as tender, just, graceful, temperate, and offers other beautiful praises. Here is the  <a href="https://github.com/vtomole/vtomole.github.io/discussions/111#discussioncomment-15248504"> whole speech</a>.</p>
+
+<p>It’s an awe-inspiring speech, one that could convince most people that love is truly the greatest thing there is. But in what way is it not concerned with truth? Agathon does not make rigorous arguments to support his claims about Eros. He heaps words of praise upon Eros without explaining why Eros should possess these qualities.</p>
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+
+<p>
+  Discuss on <a href="https://github.com/vtomole/vtomole.github.io/discussions/111">Github</a>
+</p>