Plato’s Symposium, Part 3: The Art of Love

In our last of three sessions on Plato’s Symposium, covering from 212(c) to the end of the dialogue, we’ll see a display of love that is very different from the portrayals of the previous speakers at the drinking party.

After Socrates finishes presenting the words of Diotima on the subject of love, relating love to truth, goodness, and beauty in the soul, a very drunken Alcibiades enters the scene in dramatic fashion and declares his obsession for Socrates. Alcibiades’ alcohol-fuelled oration on his love for Socrates touches on some of the themes of those who spoke before his arrival, but adds new dimensions to the nature of love.

What do we make of Alcibiades’ talk of the grip that shame, images and appearances, and pain and suffering have on the lover, as if the art of love is a battle that enslaves both the subject and object of affection? Why does Alcibiades extol the superhuman traits of Socrates, and particularly of Socrates’ immunity to drink and his ability to remain transfixed for great lengths of time?

In our previous two discussions on the Symposium, we identified grains of truth in the speeches of Phaedrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, Agathon, and Aristophanes. We were left wondering at the words of Diotima, as Socrates relayed them, and why Socrates called Diotima a sophist although she neither charged for her knowledge nor claimed an ability to impart knowledge on others. In this, our final session on the Symposium, we might draw together the grains of truth from all the speeches on love, and reach an understanding of Socrates’ declaration, at the beginning of the dialogue, that he knows the art of love.

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Our discussion will be recorded in voice only without video, using first name as it appears on your screen profile, and broadcast on the “Plato’s Pod” Podcast for those who would like to share in our knowledge. We can go anywhere the group wishes, for which some suggested themes will be offered. Wherever our discussion leads, Plato, without a doubt, would have imagined no better way than in dialogue for knowledge – the account of the reasons why – to multiply its connections. We welcome the sharing of all perspectives, whether you are new to or experienced with Plato. Recordings of previous episodes of the Plato’s Pod podcast are at https://open.spotify.com/show/53Zvjr7avMylQgNqfqBxlk?si=7b50d100bfc4474d and other podcast platforms.

After the podcast recording ends in two hours, participants are welcome to remain for “Plato’s Café”, a casual half-hour discussion of your choice of themes from any of Plato’s works, or philosophy in general.

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There are many translations of Plato's works available, of varying quality. Your public library will have multiple editions. A free translation of the Symposium is available at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/ or at https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/1600. Participants in our entire series might be interested in purchasing Plato: Complete Works (https://www.amazon.ca/Plato-Complete-Works/dp/0872203492/).

FRIDAY BEFORE THE MEETUP: We will post selections from the reading for discussion on a shared drive for participants at https://1drv.ms/u/s!AqvPwkIofv4UaFldrPpbva3VSXI?e=3Y7PjP, where you can also find topics explored in our previous meetups. Our meetings will generally be scheduled every two weeks on Sunday at 2 p.m. eastern. During our dialogue, participants are encouraged to relate their comments to Plato's text, referring to the Stephanus number for the passage so others can follow in the reading. Participants are also encouraged to read the text aloud for the meaning of the written word to resonate.

The Meetup will take place on Zoom. Please RSVP to access the Zoom link at your Meetup account.