The Symposium Summary & Key Insights

Plato's Symposium, as presented in Christopher Gill's translation and commentary, recounts a banquet hosted by the Athenian playwright Agathon to celebrate his dramatic victory. The core of the narrative centers on a series of speeches delivered by the assembled guests, each offering their own definition of love (Eros). This conversational structure allows Plato to explore multifaceted aspects of love and its philosophical implications.

The key characters are vital to the unfolding arguments. Socrates, the central figure, is not the first to speak but ultimately dominates the conversation with his characteristic questioning and dialectic. His account, relayed by Apollodorus who recounts the event to a friend, is the centerpiece of the book. Other significant participants include Phaedrus, who presents a romanticized view of Eros as inspiring heroic deeds; Pausanias, offering a more nuanced distinction between heavenly and earthly love; Eryximachus, applying a cosmic and medical perspective to Eros, seeing it as a force of order and harmony; Aristophanes, contributing a humorous yet profound myth about human origins and the search for our "other half"; and Agathon, whose speech, although elegant, is ultimately dissected and refuted by Socrates. Alcibiades, the final speaker, bursts in drunk and delivers a dramatic and somewhat irreverent eulogy to Socrates, further highlighting the complexity and power of Eros.

The overarching theme is the nature of love, specifically Eros, but it transcends a simple definition. The speeches gradually progress from simplistic, often poetic or celebratory views of love to increasingly complex and philosophical explorations. The banquet unfolds as a journey towards a deeper understanding, not just of love as a physical or emotional desire, but as a philosophical pursuit of beauty and goodness. Socrates' contribution, guided by his beloved Diotima, elevates Eros beyond mere desire to a striving for immortality and the apprehension of the Forms – the ultimate ideal of beauty and truth. His conclusion, involving the ascent from earthly love to a contemplation of absolute beauty, forms the philosophical climax of the Symposium.

Throughout, the dialogue reveals tensions between different aspects of love: physical attraction versus spiritual yearning, the erotic versus the philosophical. The interplay between these perspectives, presented through diverse viewpoints and stylistic approaches, emphasizes the richness and complexity of Eros itself and human nature. The Symposium is thus not only a celebration of love but also a profound exploration of the human condition and the pursuit of knowledge. Gill's work enhances the reader's understanding by providing context and analysis, making the ancient text accessible and illuminating.