Plato 
Symposium 

Plato’s ‘Symposium’ is a thought-provoking dialogue that delves into the nature of love through a series of speeches given during a banquet. Written in a dramatic and engaging style typical of Plato’s dialogues, ‘Symposium’ challenges readers to contemplate the different aspects of love, from physical desire to spiritual unity. Set against the backdrop of ancient Greece, the text explores themes of beauty, wisdom, and the search for ultimate truth, making it a timeless work of philosophy and literature. Through the voices of various characters, Plato presents a nuanced exploration of love that continues to captivate readers to this day. Plato, one of the greatest philosophers of ancient Greece, was a student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle. His deep reflections on the nature of reality and the human soul are reflected in his writings, including ‘Symposium’. Drawing on his own philosophical inquiries and dialogues with fellow thinkers, Plato offers readers a challenging and thought-provoking examination of love in ‘Symposium’. With its enduring relevance and profound insights, ‘Symposium’ is a must-read for anyone interested in philosophy, literature, or the human experience.

Giới thiệu về tác giả

Plato (circa 427-347 BCE) remains among the most pivotal figures in the development of Western philosophy. A disciple of Socrates and the mentor to Aristotle, Plato’s work laid the foundational stones for Western political philosophy, epistemology, and ethics. Born into an aristocratic Athenian family, he was expected to take up a political career, but the execution of Socrates in 399 BCE profoundly affected Plato and steered him towards a life of philosophical inquiry. He founded the Academy, one of the earliest known organized schools in Western civilization, around 387 BCE, where he taught until his death.

Plato’s works are typically structured as dialogues, where philosophical ideas are explored through conversations between characters, the most prominent of whom is often Socrates, serving as Plato’s mouthpiece. ‘Symposium, ‘ one of his middle-period works, vividly encapsulates his literary and philosophical genius. This philosophical text delves into the nature of love through a series of speeches by attendees at a banquet, offering insights into human desire and the pursuit of beauty. Beyond its immediate subject matter, the ‘Symposium’ is lauded for its rich characterizations and its complex structure that mirrors the multi-layered understanding of love it seeks to convey. The philosophical contributions of Plato have been widely recognized and persist in their influence; his metaphysical and theoretical explorations have endured through centuries, making him a timeless beacon in intellectual history.