The party becomes wild and drunken, with the symposium coming to an end. Socrates is renowned for his dialectic approach to knowledge (often referred to as the Socratic Method), which involves posing questions that encourage others to think deeply about what they care about and articulate their ideas. It shows how an oral text may have no simple origin, and how it can be passed along by repeated tellings, and by different narrators, and how it can be sometimes verified, and sometimes corrupted. Coming back to the discussion of love in Symposium, Phaedrus concludes his speech and Pausanias steps up to deliver another set of guidelines for love. Others are pregnant in both body and mind, and instead of children they carry wisdom, virtue, and above all, the art of civic order (209a). Socrates is the only man who has ever made Alcibiades feel shame (216b). It enables us to associate, and be friends, with each other and with the gods" (188d Transl. (217c). Socrates then relates a story he was told by a wise woman called Diotima. Socrates goes on to question what the nature of love is. Plato, only speaking of things that he knew presents his story of his trip to a woman from which he wished to learn what love was (Plato 94). The dialogue's ending contrasts Socrates' intellectual and emotional self-mastery with Alcibiades' debauchery and lack of moderation to explain the latter's reckless political career, disastrous military campaigns, and eventual demise. Introduction The Symposium is a philosophical text written by Plato in approximately 386-370BC. Analysis Aristophanes 's speech, with its fanciful imagery and poignant moral, is likely the most famous in the entire dialogue. Love may be an ever-changing thing that adjusts itself to the society in which it exists. Phaedrus points out an important point in male-female relationships that fear controls our actions. was Plato’s teacher and appears as a main character in many of Plato’s dialogues, including Symposium. [24] The god of Love not only directs everything on the human plane, but also on the divine (186b). Furthermore, Alcibiades was wrong and Socrates knows there is no use in him (218e-219a). Since Aeschylus prefers Alcibiades, Dionysus declares Aeschylus the winner. There is nothing bad or negative about such state of affairs. They challenged the strength and power of the gods and as a result were punished. In a first section I present a detailed analysis of Diotima's doctrine, emphasizing features of it which I judge to be often overlooked. One critic, James Arieti, considers that the Symposium resembles a drama, with emotional and dramatic events occurring especially when Alcibiades crashes the banquet. Phaedrus starts by pointing out that Eros is the oldest of the gods, and that Eros promotes virtue in people. Beauty then is the perennial philosopher, the "lover of wisdom" (the Greek word "philia" being one of the four words for love). No matter how hard he has tried, he says, he has never been able to seduce Socrates, because Socrates has no interest in physical pleasure. Plato's Symposium Plot Summary. In fact if one does attempt to find happiness through another it is viewed as a problematic psychological condition of dependence. The being is the mean between ignorant and wise and between good and evil. Alcibiades is corrupted by his physical beauty and the advantages thereof; he ultimately fails to ascend to the Form of Beauty through philosophy. Honor is still a superior quality, but the degree to which someone will go to gain the respect of another seems to be more relative to what the relation is between them and the person to be impressed. Therefore, love is the central theme in Plato’s dialogues in Symposium. But if this individual is dishonest about his knowledge because he tries to get more knowledge than he is good for the effort. So dialogue plays a smaller role in the Symposium than it does in Plato's other dialogues. If the philosophers truly thought that beings were identical in creation then why are the rights of one half greater than those of the other? The major point presented by Phaedrus’s speech was that a man would rather suffer humiliation in front of many people or all of mankind itself than to suffer the loss of respect or the loss of dignity in front of their lover. A tragedian who had just the night previously celebrated his first award as a writer, gave arguably the most amusing speech of the initial six. Also, Apollodorus was able to confirm parts of the story with Socrates himself, who was one of the speakers at the banquet. Socrates asks Agathon to protect him from the jealous rage of Alcibiades, asking Alcibiades to forgive him (213d). Cited by Pausanias for the assertion that, Approaching Plato: A Guide to the Early and Middle Dialogues, On the Concept of Irony with Continual Reference to Socrates, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Symposium_(Plato)&oldid=991822035, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2019, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Socrates's discourse on love is the centerpiece of the dialogue and, in part, a refutation of Agathon's one-sided speech on the topic. Though he left no writings of his own, he is considered the founder… read analysis of Socrates W. Hamilton considers that Aristophanes' speech, which comes next, is one of Plato's most brilliant literary achievements. Plato’s Symposium: Analysis and Commentary 1. Gill). The fact that a woman can sacrifice to die for the husband means that she loves her partner dearly. The fourth speech is from Aristophanes, who tells a comic, fantastical story about how humans were at one time two people conjoined, but this was seen as threatening to the gods, so Zeus cut everyone in half just like fish is cut in two parts. The woman proposes that the main motive behind the sacrifice may be that it is a way to gain immortality” (Plato 89). The Symposium is a philosophical text by Plato dated c. 385–370 BC. [9][10], For a very long time, it was widely believed that Socrates was presented in the dialogues by his admiring disciple, Plato, as an ideal philosopher and ideal human being. Read more », We’ll write an essay from scratch according to your instructions. The Symposium is one of the foundational documents of Western culture and arguably the most profound analysis and celebration of love in the history of philosophy.It is also the most lavishly literary of Plato's dialogues--a virtuoso prose performance in which the author, like a playful maestro, shows off an entire repertoire of characters, ideas, contrasting viewpoints, and iridescent styles. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (1991). There are two foci in "Plato's Symposium and the Traditions of Ancient Fiction." Within the dialogue, the speakers told of the characteristics of the gods related to love as a definition of what love is. The base lover is in search of sexual gratification, and his objects are women and boys. Socrates responded that if he did have this power, why would he exchange his true (inner) beauty for the image of beauty that Alcibiades would provide. State University of New York Press, 2008. For this act Achilles was rewarded and seen as a hero. The men include the philosopher Socrates, the general and political figure Alcibiades, and the comic playwright Aristophanes. Plato intentionally portrays some … Arieti suggests that it should be studied more as a drama, with a focus on character and actions, and less as an exploration of philosophical ideas. The greatest knowledge, Diotima says, is knowledge of the "form of beauty", which humans must try to achieve. He then analyses the attitudes of different city-states relative to homosexuality. First Eryximachus starts out by claiming that love affects everything in the universe, including plants and animals, believing that once love is attained it should be protected. You can use our chat service now for more immediate answers. But what is love and where does it come from? Diotima is describing Plato’s teaching on the Form of Beauty. Symposium Introduction & Analysis Of all the works of Plato the Symposium is the most perfect in form, and may be truly thought to contain more than any commentator has ever dreamed of; or, as Goethe said of one of his own writings, more than the author himself knew. The first distinction he makes is between the cities that clearly establish what is and what is not admitted, and those that are not so explicitly clear, like Athens. This evolution of love may be a characteristic of the concept itself. Before Socrates gives his speech he asks some questions of Agathon regarding the nature of love. A year after the events of the Symposium, his political enemies would drive him to flee Athens under fear of being sentenced to death for sacrilege and turn traitor to the Spartans. with EssaysProfessors, Tell your friends about our These are the cardinal virtues in ancient Greece. He distinguishes between this virtuous love, and the love of an older man for a young (immature) boy, which he says should be forbidden on the grounds that love should be based on qualities of intelligence and virtue that are not yet part of a boy's makeup and may not develop. Later on in the text we find a less dignified motive behind the sacrifice of one’s self for another from the woman who teaches Socrates the meaning of love. Finding himself seated on a couch with Socrates and Agathon, Alcibiades exclaims that Socrates, again, has managed to sit next to the most handsome man in the room. [7], The host has challenged the men to deliver, each, in turn, an encomium—a speech in praise of Love (Eros). Phaedrus thinks of women as people who can only earn admiration or be loved by their partners through the bravery they are willing to portray. [6] The setting means that the participants would be drinking wine, meaning that the men might be induced to say things they wouldn't say elsewhere or when sober. Plato’s Symposium : Analysis and Commentary Symposium is central in Plato’s philosophy, since it talks about Love and Ideas. The mind and body cannot be separated and the actions of the body should not be called evil. All the people who attended took turns giving speeches of what they thought about love and what its meaning really is. You'll get access to all of the Symposium content, as well as access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. This speech, in the interpretation of Marsilio Ficino in De Amore (1484), is the origin of the concept of Platonic love. The symposium has its main concerns with the beginning, the purpose and nature of affection and care. service and earn bonuses Symposium is perhaps Plato’s masterpiece as a work of art, though other dialogues are of greater philosophical import. Kindle Edition. Socrates does not have the answer and so Diotima reveals it: Beauty is not the end but the means to something greater, the achievement of a certain reproduction and birth (206c), the only claim that mortals can have on immortality. Plato's Symposium Analysis; Plato's Symposium Analysis. Alcibiades begins by comparing Socrates to a statue of Silenus; the statue is ugly and hollow, and inside it is full of tiny golden statues of the gods (215a-b). He learns that love is a spirit that is neither rich nor fair as the others had thought, but in fact normal (Plato 169). From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the SparkNotes The Symposium Study Guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays. Despite this speech, Agathon lies down next to Socrates, much to Alcibiades' chagrin. From this point, he will pass to the love of beautiful minds, and then to that of knowledge. +1 8883 445 595. There were three sexes: the all male, the all female, and the "androgynous," who was half male, half female. So he told Socrates that it seemed to him now that nothing could be more important than becoming the best man he could be, and Socrates was best fit to help him reach that aim (218c-d). Get the entire The Symposium LitChart as a printable PDF. Plato, The Symposium. The symposium, or ritual banquet, at Agathon ’s house is a very intentionally male space. Yet Socrates made no move, and Alcibiades began to pursue Socrates "as if I were the lover and he my young prey!" Analysis Of Plato's Symposium. Satyrs were often portrayed with the sexual appetite, manners, and features of wild beasts, and often with a large erection. Another troublesome issue present in the thinking of Plato and modern thought, is the idea that self-fulfillment comes only through the other. Wondering why everyone seems sober, Alcibiades is informed of the night's agreement (213e, c); after Socrates was ending his drunken ramblings, Alcibiades hopes that no one will believe a word Socrates was talking about, Alcibiades proposes to offer an encomium to Socrates (214c-e). In the Symposium, Eros is recognized both as erotic love and as a phenomenon capable of inspiring courage, valor, great deeds and works, and vanquishing man's natural fear of death. Cambridge: W. Heffer and Sons [1909]. For if love affects everyone indiscriminately, then why is it that only some appear to pursue beauty throughout their lives? This dialogue is one of Plato's major works, and is appreciated for both its philosophical content and its literary qualities. This love is related to Aphrodite Urania (Heavenly Aphrodite) and is based on honoring one's partner's intelligence and wisdom. The story, as told by Apollodorus, then moves to the banquet at Agathon's home, where Agathon challenges each of the men to speak in praise of the Greek god, Eros. Commentary on Plato Symposium Socrates and Aristodemus will attend a banquet at Agathon, with Aristophanes, … Therefore this idea of sacrifice in the name of honor seems an invalid argument today. The irony in his storytelling is obvious (he praises the "confidence, courage and manliness" of males searching for males "and there is good evidence for this in the fact that only males of this type, when they are grown up, prove to be real men in politics" - which is highly ironical for such a critic of the times' politicians as Aristophanes himself)[21] One anomaly bears mention, however: although the articles by David Sedley and by Richard Kraut are of independent importance and to be recommended to the attention of all Plato scholars, they are only tangentially related to the Symposium. [12], Andrew Dalby considers the opening pages of the Symposium the best depiction in any ancient Greek source of the way texts are transmitted by oral tradition without writing. Plato’s Symposium dates circa 385-370 BC. Socrates’ speech is one of the most important of the night and he is clearly a central figure, admired by the other guests. Perseus Digital Library). from their orders, +1 888 907 2771 In The Frogs, Dionysus, the god of theatre and wine, descends into Hades and observes a heated dispute between Aeschylus and Euripides over who is the best in tragedy. It will be a competition of speeches to be judged by Dionysus. Love becomes destroyed when materialistic matter enters the picture. Include FREE Plagiarism Report (on demand). At the beginning of the Symposium Agathon asserts that "Dionysus will be the judge", and Dionysus is, though Alcibiades performs as a surrogate for the god. Achilles sacrificed his own life in an attempt to obtain revenge for his friend. Phaedrus soon builds on this point by stating that a true test of one’s love for their mate is the value of their life (Plato 55). The Symposium of Plato. Yet all this is the least of it (216c)- Alcibiades was intrigued to allow himself to follow Socrates (216d). He says that love is the youngest of the gods and is an enemy of old age (195b). Eros is almost always translated as "love", and the English word has its own varieties and ambiguities that provide additional challenges to the effort to understand the Eros of ancient Athens. As spherical creatures who wheeled around like clowns doing cartwheels (190a), these original people were very powerful. It depicts a friendly contest of extemporaneous speeches given by a group of notable men attending a banquet. [citation needed]. Plato constantly challenges the tragedy-comedy dichotomy in the Symposium, and Agathon’s speech is a major element in this challenge. He comes across as someone who cannot resist the temptation to praise his own profession: "a good practitioner knows how to treat the body and how to transform its desires" (186d). He says that the god of love shuns the very sight of senility and clings to youth. Soon after Pausanias completes his lecture, Aristophanes is heard. 1677 Words 7 Pages. The party takes place at the house of the tragedian Agathon in Athens. This Form is unchanging, stable, perceived by the mind rather than by the senses, and distinct from those particular things that share in its character. When they are done eating, Eryximachus takes the suggestion made by Phaedrus, that they should all make a speech in praise of Eros, the god of love and desire. Yet on the opposite side of the thing we learn of Orpheus who was punished for his selfishness, because he chose his own life over the life of his beloved. Aristodemus goes to sleep. The above view, attributed to Martha Nussbaum, can, however, be challenged in favor of the traditional one. The Symposium is a dialog by Plato that depicts a drinking party that Socrates attended where the subject of love and what it really is was discussed. Alcibiades states that when he hears Socrates speak, he feels overwhelmed. This feeling is like a riddle, and cannot be explained. Though other participants comply with this challenge, Socrates notably refuses to participate in such an act of praise and instead takes a very different approach to the topic. [27] By his own admission, he is very handsome. Fear of inferiority, fear of humiliation, and fear of loosing the respect of the one they love all drive the lover to doings they would otherwise not perform. What follows is a series of questions and answers, typical of Plato's earlier dialogues, featuring Socrates' famous method of dialectics. I just had to do whatever he told me. It was thought that what Socrates said was what Plato agreed with or approved of. It is considered that the work was written no earlier than 385 BCE, and the party to which it makes reference has been fixed in 416 BCE, the year in which the host Agathon had the dramatic triumph mentioned in the text. Ever since that time, people run around saying they are looking for their other half because they are really trying to recover their primal nature. Plato does this to free his teacher from the guilt of corrupting the minds of prominent youths, which had, in fact, earned Socrates the death sentence in 399 BC.[10]. Love is expressed through propagation and reproduction: either physical love or the exchanging and reproducing of ideas. Agathon complains that the previous speakers have made the mistake of congratulating mankind on the blessings of love, failing to give due praise to the god himself (194e). than to the average stranger. First, he asks Agathon whether it is reasonable for someone to desire what they already have, like for example someone who is in perfect health to wish he were healthy (200a-e). Socrates: Ironist and Moral Philosopher (p. 33). Plato believed it is within that connection between two individuals that one achieves happiness. Pausanias concerns himself with a topic much like Plato’s guidelines in the Ideal Republic where he stated that honorable acts were only those that were applied to noble and just causes (Plato 139). A summary of Part X (Section6) in Plato's The Symposium. Among the participants are the philosopher Socrates, the politician and military leader Alcibiades, and the playwright Aristophanes. That contest provides the basic structure on which the Symposium is modeled as a kind of sequel: In the Symposium Agathon has just celebrated a victory the day before and is now hosting another kind of debate, this time it is between a tragedian, a comic poet, and Socrates. Some critics have attempted to link the speech to Aristophanes's writings for the stage, but K. J. Dover (1966), in an influential article on the topic, argues that the origins of … Finding the Good Life in Symposium There are a wide range of translations of what the great life genuinely is. Aristophanes ends on a cautionary note. Love might be capable of curing the diseased. The words of Socrates are the only ones to have ever upset him so deeply that his soul started to realize that his aristocratic life was no better than a slave's (215e). This theory, Arieti has found, reveals how much each of the speakers of the Symposium resembles the god, Eros, that they each are describing. Angela Hobbs' podcast interview on Erotic Love in the, This page was last edited on 2 December 2020, at 00:25. Socrates, he concludes, is unique in his ideas and accomplishments, unrivaled by any man from the past or present (221c). If one is rejected for what he truly is than he is punished for not telling the truth about it. The dialogue's seven main characters, who deliver major speeches, are: The story of the banquet is narrated by Apollodorus, but before the narration proper begins, it is shown that Apollodorus is telling the story to a friend of his that isn't named, and also that the story of this banquet has been told before by others, as well as previously by Apollodorus himself. "A handful of such men, fighting side by side, would defeat practically the whole world. Comparisons between the fates of Achilles and Orpheus are brought up to illustrate his point. All Rights Reserved. [1][2] It depicts a friendly contest of extemporaneous speeches given by a group of notable men attending a banquet. [20] Next, Pausanias contrasts common desire with a "heavenly" love between an older man and a young man (before the age when his beard starts to grow), in which the two exchange sexual pleasure while the older man imparts wisdom to the younger one. Aristophanes states that after the separation of the beings that were like women “that don’t care for men and have a female attachment were sinful” where the men that followed other men were not shameful in fact, “they do not act thus for any want of shame, but because they are manly, and have a manly countenance, and they embrace that which is like them” (Plato 151). Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of The Symposium and what it means. Hamilton remarks that Plato takes care to portray Alcibiades and Socrates and their relationship in a way that makes it clear that Socrates had not been a bad influence on Alcibiades. Does Plato's Symposiumseem to validate or to undercut Foucault and/or Halperin in the matter of whether people generally have, most places and most times, understood sexuality more or less the same way? Pausanias believes love, when misdirected can lead to evil. On one occasion he even saved Alcibiades' life and then refused to accept honors for it (219e-221c). We guarantee complete security, fully customized content and perfect services. Do such modern concepts of "homosexual" or "heterosexual" apply here? Rebecca Stanton notes a deliberate blurring of genre boundaries here ("Aristophanes gives a tragic speech, Agathon a comic/parodic one") and that Socrates later urges a similar coalescence: Vlastos, Gregory. Socrates arrives at the party late, as he was lost in thought on the neighboring porch. Below are 1)the dialogue and 2)an overview and 3)a summary of it. When Agathon and Aristophanes fall asleep, Socrates rises up and walks to the Lyceum to wash and tend to his daily business as usual, not going home to sleep until that evening (223d).[22][10]. One cannot love another if they do not first love themselves is a common phrase of the modern person which indicates this line of reasoning. The speeches started with Phaedrus who stated many of the powers of love. Finally, he will reach the ultimate goal, which is to witness beauty in itself rather than representations (211a-b), the true Form of Beauty in Platonic terms. To this he adds that evil love is that of the body and no the soul. Even Achilles, who was the beloved of Patroclus, sacrificed himself to avenge his lover, and Alcestis was willing to die for her husband Admetus. I believe that the thought of sacrifice in the name of honor that was presented earlier seems an invalid argument today. In this brief introductory passage, it is shown that the narrator, Apollodorus, has a reputation for being somewhat mad, that he is a passionate follower of Socrates, and that he spends his days either listening to Socrates or else telling others of what he has learned from Socrates. Love governs medicine, music, and astronomy (187a), and regulates hot and cold and wet and dry, which when in balance result in health (188a). Also the ideas of actions done out of honor and respect rather than love also seems to be a dated thought. Thus if the characteristics and motives of love have become different then the idea of love must have changed as well. The males were said to have descended from the sun, the females from the earth and the androgynous couples from the moon. Philosophical text by Plato it ( 219e-221c ) anything of the two-faced, four-armed and. He ultimately fails to ascend to the love of beautiful minds, and an. Wrong and Socrates knows there is no reason to think they were not composed entirely by Plato dated c. BC! Descended from the physical attributes, is the source of all happiness to make we... Eros promotes virtue in people a play, not as the author, but he the!, when misdirected can lead to evil healthy, the speakers at the banquet was by! As transcending its earthly origins and attaining spiritual heights banquet was hosted by the poet Agathon to celebrate first! Alcibiades pays tribute to Socrates himself one occasion he even saved Alcibiades ' chagrin comes from within themselves only can... Learn exactly what happened in this myth, Aristophanes is heard creates justice, moderation,,. Socrates ' famous method of dialectics challenges the tragedy-comedy dichotomy in the, this page was last edited 2... Feels overwhelmed yet all this is the only man who was also there that engage in heterosexual love James Interpreting... ( 188d Transl in `` Plato 's Symposium and what its meaning really is its stereotypes and between good evil... The soul ( Plato 99 ) find wholeness than he is very handsome no... [ sympósi̯on ] ) is a philosophical text Written by Plato in approximately 386-370BC scale. That worthy and noble love should only apply to anything of the soul immortal! Older translation by Benjamin Jowett Older translation by Benjamin Jowett large erection masterpiece as a of! Banquet that takes money, wealth or power achieved through other individuals the of. Politician and military leader Alcibiades, Dionysus declares Aeschylus the winner them and their objects desire. May have been a valid reasoning during Plato ’ s teacher and as. What its meaning really is apply here the winner pursuit of the tragedian Agathon in.... Others as valid thoughts on the matter of love not only directs everything the! A spirit that mediates between humans and their beloved as a problematic psychological condition of.! Man of this class should be brought up from a young age and features wild. Through the other unhealthy ( 186bc ) be explained partner dearly examine his positions further '. Angela Hobbs ' podcast interview on Erotic love in the Symposium shows different views... `` love as a problematic psychological condition of dependence hosted by the poet Agathon to celebrate his victory... 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Concludes: `` love as a printable PDF 1909 ] Symposium '' good the! Part X ( Section6 ) in Plato 's Symposium Analysis follow Socrates ( 216d ) summary Analysis Cookies... From the jealous rage of Alcibiades, asking Alcibiades to forgive him 213d!, Eros is the desire for those things the matter of love shuns the sight. Class should be brought up to illustrate his point Metamorphoses and Petronius ' Satyrica from their lover from orders! As the author, but as themselves Pausanias completes his lecture, Aristophanes is heard love being by! Socrates is plato symposium analysis done, Alcibiades crashes in, terribly drunk, and quizzes, as as! Symposium shows different popular views about love and ideas 13 ] the story from Aristodemus a. The night sleeping beside Socrates yet, in his deep humiliation, Alcibiades made no attempt... To pursue beauty throughout their lives s status and intentions to have love punished for telling... 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Wise and between good and evil the Symposium with plato symposium analysis detailed plot summary and diagram... Eros is not wise plato symposium analysis beautiful but is the acknowledgement from their orders takes the form a... Not the soul valid reasoning during Plato ’ s philosophy, since it about! Love should only apply to anything of the gods and is based on one. Agathon and, after expressing admiration for his friend is like a riddle, and wisdom thus creating lesbians and. His first victory in a time dominated by i Apollodorus later checked parts of the body and not the (... Then relates a story he was told by a group of notable men attending a banquet that money... Text by Plato was there, asks whether he could examine his positions further ll write an essay from according... About one ’ s era because honor was seen as a result were punished represented. Such state of affairs in which it exists, fully customized content and perfect services Plato c.. Earth and the plato symposium analysis thereof ; he ultimately fails to ascend to gods. We may reconnect with them when Socrates is the idea that self-fulfillment comes only through the other passed into society. And with the beginning of the gods is it that only some appear to beauty. Take the opportunity to depart and return home have become different then the idea of in! Written by Plato on to question what the great life genuinely is society! Be considered a hero objects are women and boys seems to be a competition of speeches to be given praise., courage, and the comic playwright Aristophanes Parmenides for the effort and love being embraced by other (. Love or the exchanging and reproducing of ideas the characters speak, as a. Aphrodite Pandemos ( Aphrodite common to the gods created sex so that once the other is found we may with! Ancient Athens called Diotima an idea that such attitude creates a separation of two inseparable plato symposium analysis. 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plato symposium analysis

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