Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the symposium and what it means. For the day before yesterday i was coming from my own home at phalerum to the city, and one of my. Rationalizing medicine and the social ambitions of. Phaedrus claims that eros origins as a primordial god make him 2 thomas gould, platonic love london. The tone of his speech is pedantic, as is the portrayal of his character throughout the. The two encounter each other the morning after phaedrus has heard lysias, a prominent athenian and famous orator, give a. At the party, when all the initial participants had arrived, where phaedrus, pausanias, aristophanes, eryximachus, agathon, and socrates. Eryximachus was the son of acumenus, also a physician, and a friend of phaedrus. Our purpose is to seek an understanding of the republics cave image through the path of the erotic dialogues. And you whom i see around me, phaedrus and agathon and eryximachus and pausanias and aristodemus and aristophanes, all of you, and i need not say socrates himself, have had experience of the same madness and passion in your longing after wisdom. Socrates is among the guests at agathons house, and he is the last to give his speech. Platos symposium plato philosophy learn with flashcards, games, and more for free. Full text of platos symposium see other formats plato symposium trans. Platos symposium is an exceptionally multilayered dialogue.
Symposium by plato the speech of eryximachus summary and. The servant then assisted him to wash, and he lay down, and presently another servant came in and reported that our friend socrates had retired into the portico of the neighbouring house. One element particularly stressed by phaedruss friend eryximachus is the universal power of love. It makes a distinction of being in love that it stands much closer to feeling in love than loving stands to feeling love. Eryximachus recalls phaedrus s frequent observation that while other gods and heroes have had ample praises and honors, love has been singularly. Ppt platos the symposium powerpoint presentation free. Pausanias, in whose speech one should never let his love for agathon out of. Phaedrus, had argued that loves ability to inspire shameand thus ensure virtuous conductwas its main benefit to humankind. Similar to pausanias, eryximachus is satirized by plato for selfimportance and high opinion of the significance of medicine. The symposium, a series of speeches paying tribute to eros, poses a number of difficulties for modern readers. Eryximachus and phaedrus, were also implicated in the hermae incident. Little is known of his life apart from what may be found in platos dialogues. Though the platonicsocratic ideal is more specialized in its focus on creating discourse, nonetheless, like the sophistic ideal, it sought a union of verbal skills with learning and. Rethinking the philosophic significance of eryximachus in the.
Isnt it terrible, eryximachus, he says, that the poets have composed hymns and paeans to other gods, but none of them has ever composed a eulogy of love, though he is such an ancient and important god. In his speech, he argues that true love motivates one to lead a life of wisdom and moderation. It invites supplementation in a number of respects. Moreover, he is cited in phaedrus 268 a9 as phaedruss friend. Phaedrus pausanias eryximachus aristophanes agathon socrates alcibiades a troop of revellers scene the house of agathon. If phaedrus is achilles, then eryximachus, his lover, is patroclus.
Apollodorus relates to an unnamed companion a story he heard from aristodemus about a symposium, or dinner party, held in honor of the playwright agathon. We shall use the symposium as a transitional stage between the phaedrus particularly socrates second speech and bks. Symposium by plato the speech of agathon and socrates. In this regard, we should liken pods to software instead of typeset books. However, whereas phaedrus holds that eros is the eldest god, agathon maintains, on the contrary, that he is the youngest. In reading this excerpt from the phaedrus, which reports a dialogue between socrates and phaedrus, crucial to your understanding of what bothers socrates about writing is. The symposium philosophy learning and teaching organization. My dear phaedrus, whence come you, and whither are you going.
Eryximachus speech allows the reader greater insight into platonic philosophy. He tries indeed to bring it about with agathon after the speech of. An expert lover is one with moderation and justice who embodies harmony and enables us to associate. Concerning the things about which you ask to be informed i believe that i am not illprepared with an answer. In addition, pausanias and eryximachus consider that there are two gods eros, who correspond to the two aphrodites, celestial and vulgar. Phaedrus challenges socrates to compose a better speech and promises to erect golden statues at delphi if the challenge can be met 235d. Pdf downloads of all 1285 litcharts literature guides. Sydenham x, of this dialogue is of a lingular calf, and different from that of any other. Worlds best powerpoint templates crystalgraphics offers more powerpoint templates than anyone else in the world, with over 4 million to choose from. Phaedrus the fabulous edward champlin i in the prologue to the third book of his fables, phaedrus complains bitterly to a patron. Parry 193 the concept of harmony 187 ae and its cosmological role.
Plato 428348 bce student of socrates died 399 bce culture of athens in the 5 th4th century bce. He delivers the shortest speech in symposium, focusing on love s antiquity and the way that it can bestow courage on lovers and boyfriends. Originating pdfybz a with platos writings on love mainly the symposium whose explicit subject is the nature of love and phaedrus, but. It details a conversation between two characters, phaedrus and socrates.
Socrates arrives at the party late, as he was lost in thought on the neighboring porch. Jan 27, 2018 this is a brief overview of platos symposium. Now, it might appear on a superficial reading that the question of eros disappears in the second half of the phaedrus. The purpose of the banquet was to celebrate this tragic poets literary success at the public presentation of his play 174a, 175e. Phaedrus, pausanias, eryximachus, aristophanes, agathon, socrates, alcibiades, a troop of revellers. Phaedrus, pausanias, and eryximachus phaedrus gives the first eulogy on eros, and his speech is the shortest and simplest of the six. Aristophanes takes a step back, saying he has not tried to joke about eryximachus speech, before beginning his own. The greek word sumposion means a drinking party a fact shamefully ignored by the organizers of modern symposia, and the party described in platos symposium is one supposedly given in the year 416 bc. Then he turns to phaedrus, telling him this is the speech he has prepared, admitting part of it was in fun, but part of it was still moderately serious. Summarize phaedrus s, pausanias, eryximachus, aristophanes, and agathons view on the nature of love in platos symposium. Socrates coyly declines but, phaedrus playfully threatens him first with force and then with something more persuasive viz. For the day before yesterday i was coming from my own home at phalerum to the city, and one of my acquaintance, who had caught a sight of me from behind, hind, out playfully in the distance, said. Phaedrus is a dialogue written by plato around 370 bc.
The symposium characters from litcharts the creators of. In its treatment of the topics of the soul, the ideas and love, it is closely tied to the other dialogues of platos middle period, the pbaedo, the symposium, and the republic. An analysis of his doctrine on love in the symposium and phaedrus introduction love is a human fact, something that happens to humans. He argues thata loverelationshiphas the greatestpower whenitcomes toacquiring excellence arete and happiness, as he conceives of such things 180b. As an account of love, socrates contribution to the symposium has deficiencies to make one glad that it does not constitute platos final word. Platos cosmological medicine in the discourse of eryximachus in. Phaedrus, acumenus, and eryximachus belonged to the socratic circle and were possibly associates of alcibiades. Nov 03, 20 phaedrus, who loves speeches, is completely entranced. For phaedrus and agathon, there is only a single eros. Eryximachus is an athenian physician and, according to other platonic works, a longstanding friend of phaedrus. To phaedrus s description of athikte as l ame des fables, eryximachus. Similarly, nehamas also argues that phaedrus is about rhetoric albeit not as strongly as nichols. After all present applaud for agathon, socrates tells eryximachus, reminding him he had said he would have nothing to say after agathon spoke.
Set approximately in 4332, platos protagoras dialogue includes a depiction of his close friendship with socrates student phaedrus, a friendship that continued into the dramatic time of the phaedrus dialogue some 15 years later. Even though he, phaedrus, was born like the muses on slopes of olympus, and even. Pausanias, eryximachus, aristophanes, agathon, and socrates himself. As with other dialogues by plato, the characters are historical, but the conversation is not. In this respect, socrates second speech on love will be central. Eryximachus therefore proposes the night be spent giving speeches in praise of love, from left to right, beginning with phaedrus. In the presence of ones lover one is inspired to pursue. For the principal part of it confifts of oratorical fpeeches, fpoken at a certain banquet or entertainment.
According to greek mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. Alcibiades evidently feels shame, but not strongly enough to change his life and become a philosopher. Theyll give your presentations a professional, memorable appearance the kind of sophisticated look that. Being in love, he argues, is good for ones character because it causes one to feel shame at disgraceful behavior and pride in good behavior. Socrates meets phaedrus, who has just come from a performance by lysias, a wellknown orator, and socrates agrees to accompany him on a walk outside the walls of athens. The first speeches are given by phaedrus, pausanias, eryximachus, aristophanes, and. Go and look for him, boy, said agathon, and bring him in. Phaedrus began by affirming that love is a mighty god, and wonderful among gods and men, but especially wonderful in his birth. At once a historical document, a philosophical drama that enacts abstract ideas in an often lighthearted way, and a literary masterpiece, it has exerted an influence that goes well beyond the confines of philosophy. Besides aristodemus and agathon, the guests include agathons lover pausanias, the doctor eryximachus, the great comic poet aristophanes, and the young phaedrus.
Eryximachus emphasizes throughout the dialogue that athiktes dance is not a spontaneous creation but a work of art, that is the result of an acquired physical strength and a learned system or order of movements. Eros is the best guide to virtue for the lover inspired by eros will be inspired to display courage leading to selfsacrifice. Phaedrus is, as elsewhere, only the midwife of the successive speeches. This combined book of two of platos most famous dialogues, symposium and phaedrus, contemplates the theme of love, looking at the phenomenon through various philosophical lenses. Plato, from the phaedrus a dialogue between socrates and. The major themes of the phaedrus are introduced in these opening scenes of the dialogue. Eryximachus, phaedrus companion hetairo, phaedrus 268a and lover erastes, proposes the speeches, claiming that they belong to phaedrus 177a as father of the discourse 177d. In addition, this little admission links alcibiadess speech to phaedruss, at the beginning of the symposium. Symposium by plato introductory dialogue and the speech of.
Love had been placed on trial and found wanting, lacking, and dangerous. Their speeches in praise of eros are, in fact, speeches in praise of the youthful phaedrus. Love, therefore is a subordinate subject to rhetoric. Plato, from the phaedrus a dialogue between socrates and phaedrus written down by plato, the pupil of socrates, in approximately 370 bc. Be clear and complete as to the essentials of each view. Phaedrus phaedrus is commonly paired on the one hand with gorgias and on the other with symposiumwith the former in sharing its principal theme, the liature and limitations of rhetoric, with the latter in containing speeches devoted to the. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. He continues on to quote phaedrus, present at the gathering, who had noted the lack of hymns and works by intellectuals dedicated to the god of love. Apollodorus, who repeats to his companion the dialogue which he had heard from aristodemus, and had already once narrated to glaucon. Platos symposium is one of the most iconic works of literature in the western tradition. The men include the philosopher socrates, the general and political figure alcibiades, and the comic.
Summarize phaedruss, pausanias, eryximachus, aristophanes, and agathons view on the nature of love in platos symposium. After they have finished eating, eryximachus picks up on a suggestion of phaedrus, that each person. In his brief oration, phaedrus first describes love as a great and awesome god whose primordial nature grants him precedence over other deities. Although the first edition of a pod may not be as polished as a traditional book, i am. He adds that the correct lover must have an expertise. The pbaedrus lies at the heart of platos work, and the topics it discusses are central to his thought. Being in love, he argues, is good for ones character because it causes one to feel shame at. Distinction between 2 kinds of aphrodite type love. I come from lysias the son of cephalus, and i am going to take a walk outside the wall, for i have been sitting with him the whole morning.
It depicts a friendly contest of extemporaneous speeches given by a group of notable men attending a banquet. Benardete apollodorus, in my own opinion, i am not unprepared for what you ask about. Katabasis in the setting of platos symposium revisited. It is also important to consider that the discussion which was to occur at agathons was quite blasphemous in the context of athenian. It would be possible, if unlikely, to love someone without ever feeling.
It is a sustained discussion of rhetoric in which plato used eros as examples. Socrates in platos dialogue the phaedrus, however, is itself not unlike the ideal sought by the sophists in general, isocrates in particular. The son of the physician acumenus, eryximachus was born in the mid5th century bce. Thus, phaedrus concludes, love is the most ancient and most honored of gods, and most capable of ensuring courage and happiness, in this life and the next. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Apollodorus relates to an unnamed companion a story he learned from aristodemus about a symposium, or dinnerparty, given in honor of the tragedian agathon. What does phaedrus say is the greatest blessing bestowed upon a young man. Before we delve deeper into the discussions of love in the symposium, it might do well to clarify the nature of malemale and malefemale relationships in ancient greece. Winner of the standing ovation award for best powerpoint templates from presentations magazine. The symposium quotes from litcharts the creators of. The dialogue brings phaedrus to love philosophy by loving philosophically. Moore the phaedrus, to pilfer a phrase socrates himself uses in the same dialogue, is a beast more complex than typhon 230a.
678 192 1108 989 1583 259 675 347 1158 90 1088 472 1294 922 1054 745 871 1286 1594 154 526 1485 1547 498 623 1302 160 393 360 154 1218 1551 521 18 762 1280 22 757 1284 1324 38