A review by aspiringorakle
Symposium by Plato

adventurous challenging informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.25

I was not expecting this work to be as narrative and multifaceted as it was--it is not the typical Platonic dialogue. Of course, Diatoma's speech is the most fascinating, and her treatment of the form of Beauty and the ladder of love are deeply illuminating. One wonders if Plato understands the love of persons, or just the love of things--for the love of things in people will lead one up the ladder to love, but leave the persons behind in some sense. Or perhaps it is only that one should love reality in a different way than one loves persons. Alcibades' ending was very confusing within the broader context--I wasn't sure what purpose he served for the story. Finally, as always with these sorts of dialogues, the pederasty was abhorrent. 
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