Symposium Themes

Symposium Themes

What is Love?

There are many explanations given by the speakers in the dialogue about what is love. Love is referred to as a god or spirit, but this is the way the Greeks speak about all forces in nature. One explanation says that love is based purely on physical attraction. Another explanation is that common love exists, but it is common and inferior to the higher love based on cooperation to develop the lover and beloved's mind. Love is a force and a reason that makes people do their best and be willing to even fight and die. It is also shown in many of the speeches that there are certain social rules and expectations in matters of love. Even where men fall in love with young men or boys, this is allowed in some instances but not allowed or discouraged in others. The purpose of...
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