compare Agathons and Socrates ways of speaking in the Symposium

Symposium

Abstract

Symposium ' is one of the most fundamental works of a great philosopher Plato , where he not only shows himself as a skillful writer but expounds his ideas and persuasions concerning the theme of true Love . The beauty of the poetical means of writing impresses as much as the deepness of thoughts of the Symposium . That 's why this work is worth reading and analyzing

Symposium

Introduction

The Symposium is organized around a central theme or motif which appears and reappears on many levels and in many contexts

: in the religious occasion during which the banquet occurs in the lives of particular characters in the political and historical situation of Athens during the period which separates the actual banquet from the narration of the story by Apollodorus in the series of speeches itself and in the speech of Socrates . This is the theme of a cyclic process of birth struggle , death and rebirth

The action of the Symposium ' takes place at the house of Agathon when his friends decided to express their opinions about Love

The speech of Agathon is marvelous and it is full of exact and poetic comparisons . He praises Love and talks of his perfection in everything Agathon mentions that Love is wonderful , tender , kind , strong , clever and courageous . In other words , Love has all the virtues in himself

He bestows gentleness , banishing brutality , loves to give joy while withholding grief , and has a graceful cheerfulness . Wise men may look at him , and the gods find him wonderful . By those who are unhappy he is coveted , by those who have a happy lot , treasured . He is the begetter of delicacy and elegance , wantonness and beneficence , of human desire and yearning . He is , concerned with good men , mindless of bad . In misery , in fear , in drunkenness and the affairs of state , shipmate , comrade , and dearest savior , ornament of all gods and men together , most beautiful and highest leader , whom all men must follow , singing sweetly and partaking of the music he sings as he enchants the mind of every god and man (Groden S . Q , Brentlinger J . A , 1970 ,

. 73

Socrates begins to speak about Love after Agathon and that 's why he set off his thoughts about it against Agathon 's ones . The philosopher agrees that his friend is very skillful in speeches , but he says that Agathon chose the most comfort way to succeed in talking . This way is just fawning Love , without taking into consideration his features and qualities . So , Socrates emphasizes on the detailed analyzing of Love . He finds the truth because of it . He relies on logic , that 's why each of his arguments seems to be clear and persuasive

First of all he denies Love as a god and says that he is only an intermediary between gods and people . Then Socrates let Agathon understand that he has described Love as a feeling towards somebody or something , but as a feeling that is superficial . This idea comes from the reflection...