The Speech By Men Attending A Symposium Or A Drinking Party

Allyson Boubert Prof. Robert Grimwade November 12, 2016 Through the speeches by men, love is examined by men attending a symposium or a drinking party. The symposium has its main concerns with the beginning, the purpose and nature of affection and care. Therefore, love is the central theme in Plato’s dialogues in Symposium. The Symposium is a philosophical text written by Plato in approximately 386-370BC. It is a lively and entertaining book characterized by witty characterization which not only shares the concept of love but also gives shades some light on the social life of the Athenians. In this party, taking place at the house of Agathon in Athens, everybody must deliver a speech in praise of love, Eros. The statements describe the qualities of Love. They also describe its behaviors and the way the inspiration it has humans (Cooper). Initially, love is described as possessing beauty, wisdom, and good things. However, Socrates takes the challenge against the notion arguing that love lies between beauty and ugliness, ignorance and wisdom and has a predilection towards good things that it does not possess. He further argues that love is a spirit between mortal and immortal. The symposium opens by Phaedrus opening by citing Hesiod, Acusilaus, and Parmenides that Eros is the oldest of gods. Love confers some remarkable benefits. It inspires a lover to get some admiration. He notes, A handful of such men, fighting side by side, would defeat practically the wholeShow MoreRelatedBroken Family3761 Words   |  16 Pageshe is actually the property of the gods. He says, I too believe that the gods are our guardians, and that we men are a chattel of theirs. While the philosopher seeks always to rid himself of the body, and to focus solely on things concerning the soul, to commit suicide is prohibited as man is not sole possessor of his body. For, as stated in the Phaedo: the philosopher more than other men frees the soul from association with the body as much as possible. Body and soul are separate, then Read MoreI Love Reading Essay69689 Words   |  279 Pagesintegration into supply chains. See also Rafiq Dossani and Asawari Desai, ‘Accessing Early Stage Risk Capital in India’, Stanford-TiE Study, 2006, page 16; see also, Report of the Symposium on the Small Business Innovation Research Program, National Research Council, USA, 2007. See also, ‘What it takes to be an Entrepreneur’, speech by CK Prahalad to GLIM Chennai, Hindu Business Line dated February 25, 2008, as quoted in http://www.ibef.org; according to the provisional data of the Fifth Economic Census