Symposium

About “Symposium”

Plato's Symposium is a philosophical dialogue set at a dinner party in Athens in 416 B.C. The guests, including Socrates and the comic poet Aristophanes, engage in discussions about the nature of love, or eros. The conversation explores both earthly and spiritual aspects of love, ending with Socrates' "ladder of love," a reflection on the different forms of desire. The evening concludes with a speech by Alcibiades, a prominent Athenian, who praises Socrates instead of love, providing a vivid portrait of the philosopher. This Modern Library edition offers an authoritative translation by Benjamin Jowett, revised by Dr. Hayden Pelliccia, which modernizes the language while preserving the original meaning and style.