Symposium
Related: Greece - philosopy - Plato
Symposium originally referred to a drinking party (the Greek verb sympotein means "to drink together") but has since come to refer to any academic conference, whether or not drinking takes place. The sympotic elegies of Theognis of Megara, two Socratic dialogues, Plato's Symposium and Xenophon's Symposium all describe symposia in the original sense. [Aug 2006]
The general idea of sexual desire as a response to the embodiment of our values is reminiscent of Socrates's speech in Plato's Symposium (388 BC-367 BC). --via Ayn Rand's Wikipedia page [Aug 2006]
The Symposium (360 B.C.E) - Plato
[Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]In Plato's Symposium the speech of Pausanias distinguishes two manifestations of Aphrodite, represented by the two stories: Aphrodite Ourania ("heavenly" Aphrodite), and Aphrodite Pandemos ("Common" Aphrodite). These two manifestations represented her role in homosexuality and heterosexuality, respectively. --via Aphrodite's Wikipedia page [Aug 2006]
The Epideixis, in praise of love, which he recites in the Symposium, is full of the artificial and rhetorical expressions which might be expected from a former pupil of Gorgias. --via Agathon's Wikipedia page [Aug 2006]
Le Banquet is the French title of Plato's Symposium.
Definition
Symposium originally referred to a drinking party (the Greek verb sympotein means "to drink together") but has since come to refer to any academic conference, whether or not drinking takes place. The sympotic elegies of Theognis of Megara, two Socratic dialogues, Plato's Symposium and Xenophon's Symposium all describe symposia in the original sense. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symposium [Aug 2006]
The Symposium
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The Symposium (360 B.C.E) - Plato
[Amazon.com]
The Symposium is a Socratic dialogue by Plato. The Symposium is one of the most controversial of Plato's dialogues.
Some argue that it proves incontrovertibly that Socrates engaged in pederasty; and furthermore that denial of this is merely wishful thinking by those who cannot bear a speck on Socrates' reputation. Others claim equally stridently, that not only does it not prove any such thing, but that it is in fact artfully constructed to rebut just those kinds of calumnies propagated by Socrates political enemies. Arguably it could also be intended thus without being true, but that view has not been proffered much.
It is necessary to be careful when judging the ancients to avoid modern standards. Male homosexuality among the aristocracy was perfectly acceptable in ancient Greece, and pederasty was institutionalised in Sparta at least. Just as in some other societies, some circles of the middle class were much less liberal in outlook.
It is also a notable dialogue of Socrates with one of his own teachers, the deeply and broadly learned courtesan Diotima. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symposium_%28Plato%29 [Jan 2005]