Plato's Symposium isn't an easy to follow book. There are two sections to it. The first one deals with the lesser arguments on Eros. The second portion deals with the greater argument on Eros, viewing it through a series in initiations rather than through a set pattern. As I said, it's not an easy text, but a worthwhile one if anyone is interested in understanding the reasoning Plato puts forward in all of his texts. So if you're interested in Plato, get the book. It'll be a great primer.
Probably the best translation out there:
Perhaps greatest things about this translation are 1) the Introduction, in which the translators summarize the text and explain why they translated certain ancient Greek words in certain ways; 2) the footnotes, which provide a wealth of historical background information; and 3) the Bibliography at the end, which refers the reader to numerous other books and articles that might help them better understand the text. Hackett Publishing is the King Midas of Philosophy texts...everything it touches turns to... more info
Love "Gives Peace To Men And Stillness To The Sea":
I'm giving this book three stars not as a reflection of the authors' introduction or anything like that. I would probably give any version of this dialogue three stars. For me probably the most interesting part of the book was the description of Socrates as he was serving in the army. He was able to walk around in the cold weather wearing just a light cloak and barefoot and he could survive on limited food better than everyone else. He was also very brave in battle and the enemy soldiers avoided... more info
Plato's famous and influential examination of love:
It is rather difficult to review Plato's Symposium from a modern viewpoint. The attempts by Agathon's guests, including Socrates, to define love are largely based on the love of boys rather than women. While that is a difficult concept for me to ponder, I recognize that such a social custom prevailed to some degree in ancient Athens and will attempt to offer an unbiased view of the text. Basically, partygoers celebrating Agathon's first victory in a drama contest decide to do something besides drink... more info
