Book
Symposium
Philosophy & Ethics
Spirituality & MythWhat is the Symposium in the Agency editorial?
The Symposium is a book written by Plato. In Issue.13, the edition describes it as a book that grew from a gathering where some of the greatest thinkers of ancient Greece discussed the meaning of love. In Creative.11, the author cites it as the source of his philosophy of love.
In short
The Symposium appears in two editions. In Issue.13, the edition says the gathering not only happened but was turned into a book written by Plato called The Symposium, where every person present was invited to deliver a speech of appreciation for the idea of love. The edition notes some say it is a work of fiction but says the ideas are timeless. Earlier in the same edition, Diotima of Mantinea is quoted from the Symposium, with the word Aûsu, on its intermediate nature as a bridge between the physical and abstract worlds. In Creative.11, the author says he learned from Plato's book Symposium that we all search for love in the external world but eventually realize it was within us all along.
Key facts
- How does Issue.13 describe the book?
- As a book that grew from a dinner party of some of the greatest Greek thinkers, each delivering a speech about love. Some call it fiction, but the edition says the ideas are timeless.
- How does the author cite it in Creative.11?
- He says he learned from Plato's Symposium that we all search for love externally but eventually realize it was within us all along.
- Who is quoted from the book in Issue.13?
- Diotima of Mantinea, quoted with the word Aûsu, which she describes as a bridge between the physical world of men and the abstract world of the gods.
What is the Symposium?
The Symposium is a dialogue by Plato, written around 385 BCE. These identification facts come from outside the editions and are marked for verification.
How does the Symposium appear across the editions?
In Issue.13, the edition describes how a particular day in ancient Greece became a book by Plato called The Symposium, where every person present was invited to deliver a speech about love. Diotima of Mantinea is quoted saying Aûsu has an intermediate nature, a bridge connecting the physical world to the abstract world of the gods. The edition notes some consider it fiction but says the ideas are timeless.
In Creative.11, the author cites Plato's Symposium as the source of his personal philosophy of love: that we all search for love externally but eventually realize it was within us all along, and that by trying to be close to it, we become it.
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Also from these editions: concepts
Also from these editions: terms
Related concepts
- PlatoPlato was a philosopher of ancient Athens, a student of Socrates and the author of dialogues such as the Republic and the Symposium. The Agency editorial returns to him…
- Platonic DialogueA Platonic dialogue is a classical philosophical literary genre developed by Plato, presenting dramatic conversations between historical or archetypal figures to explore…