Plato's Symposium is more than just a recounting of a dinner party; it is a profound philosophical exploration of the nature of love, or eros. The dialogue, narrated by Apollodorus and framed by the recounting of Aristodemus, presents a series of speeches given by Athenian gentlemen at a banquet in honor of the playwright Agathon. While each speaker offers a distinct perspective on eros, from its youthful mischief to its divine power, it is Socrates' account of his teachings from the prophetess Diotima of Mantinea that offers the most comprehensive and influential theory. Through Diotima's teachings, Plato argues that eros is not merely a human emotion but a fundamental cosmic force, a desire for the good and the beautiful that propels individuals on a ladder of ascent towards ultimate knowledge and fulfillment.
The initial speeches at Agathon's banquet offer a somewhat superficial understanding of love. Phaedrus opens by praising eros as the oldest of the gods, a force that inspires courage and virtue, leading lovers to perform noble deeds. Pausanias distinguishes between two forms of eros: the common, embodied by the "common Aphrodite," and the heavenly, associated with the "heavenly Aphrodite," which is more spiritual and directed towards intellectual and moral improvement. Eryximachus, a physician, attempts a scientific interpretation, seeing eros as a force of harmony and balance within the cosmos, evident in medicine and other arts. Aristophanes, ever the jester, presents his famous myth of the primeval humans, split in two by Zeus, whose eros is the innate desire to find one's other half and achieve wholeness. While these speeches contribute to the rich tapestry of discussion, they ultimately fall short of Plato’s deeper philosophical aims.
It is Socrates, however, who reframes the entire discussion. He reveals that he has been speaking with Diotima, a wise woman from Mantinea, who taught him about the true nature of eros. Diotima explains that eros is not a god, but a daimon, an intermediary spirit between the mortal and the divine. Born from the union of Poros (Resource) and Penia (Poverty), eros embodies the characteristics of both: it is perpetually in need (like poverty) but also resourceful and aspiring (like resourcefulness). This paradoxical nature explains why eros is a desire for what one lacks, specifically for the good and the beautiful, and why it is a constant striving rather than a settled state.
Diotima’s most significant contribution is her description of the "ladder of love." This ascent begins with the love of a beautiful body, then expands to the love of all beautiful bodies, and further to the love of beautiful souls, beautiful customs, and beautiful knowledge. At the apex of this ladder lies the love of Beauty itself, the Form of Beauty, which is eternal, unchanging, and the source of all other beauties. This ultimate object of desire is not something to be possessed in a physical sense, but to be contemplated and understood. Through this process, eros becomes the philosophical impulse, the driving force behind the pursuit of wisdom and the contemplation of the eternal truths.
The final speaker, Alcibiades, arrives late and, drunk, proceeds to praise Socrates himself, drawing a parallel between Socrates and the satyr Marsyas, both of whom possess a divine musicality that enraptures others. Alcibiades' speech, though ostensibly about Socrates, serves to highlight Socrates' unique embodiment of the philosophical life, his own pursuit of beauty and goodness, and his ability to inspire similar aspirations in others. His admission of his own unrequited love for Socrates, and Socrates' resistance to his advances, further underscores the Socratic emphasis on a higher, more spiritual form of love and connection, transcending mere physical desire.
In conclusion, Plato’s Symposium masterfully uses the dramatic setting of a convivial gathering to dissect the multifaceted nature of love. While initial speakers offer varied, often anecdotal, perspectives, Socrates, through Diotima's teachings, presents a robust philosophical framework. He posits eros as a fundamental, intermediary force driving the soul’s ascent from the appreciation of physical beauty to the ultimate contemplation of the Form of Beauty. This philosophical eros is not just about attraction but about a profound, lifelong pursuit of the good, the true, and the beautiful, culminating in wisdom and a form of immortality through the generation of noble ideas and deeds.