The Ancient Greek word, ‘Eros’, translates into English as “Love”. Love is generally viewed by society as an intense feeling of deep affection, however, love does not pertain to any one object or desire. Rather many various forms of love are believed to be in existence. Some of these more common forms entail romantic love, spiritual love, materialistic love, familial love, and sensual love, and many others.
Within the Bernadete translation of the Plato’s Symposium, a gathering is held between the characters, where the different philosophical dimensions of Eros are pondered and discussed by each character possessing their own opinions in regards. Plato’s Symposium takes place in Athens, Greece. The beginning of the translation leads to two characters, Aristodemus and Socrates, heading to Agathon’s residence for a celebratory dinner in honor of Agathon’s victory in a dramatic festival, for the tragedy he wrote.
At Agathon’s place, they are joined by a young man named Phaedrus, a doctor named Eryximachus, a comedic playwriter named Aristophanes, and Agathon’s partner, Pausanias. After dinner, Pausanias was held responsible for organizing the drinking for the party. However, the group is hung over from the previous night, leaving Eryximachus to suggest drinking at ease, and to instead engage in a heavy philosophical discussion regarding Eros. As mentioned earlier, each character possessed their own opinions regarding Eros, and proceeded to share their insight with the rest of the group.
Pausanias proposes the idea that eros is neither noble or base, good or bad. “For if it is done nobly and correctly, it proves to be noble, and if incorrectly, base. ” (181A) This quote by Pausanias regards to Eros in the sense that there is nothing wrong with one loving, unless they are loving in a wrong way. She attempts to explain this first by addressing Aphrodites, the God of Eros. In theory, there are two forms of Aphrodites. The first form is the noble form, Uranian. This form suggests that Aphrodites is the daughter of Uranos, and is without a mother. This implies that eros is directed toward males.
That is how it comes about that those inspired by this kind of love turn to the male, with an affection for that which is naturally more vigorous and has more sense. And one might recognize in pederasty itself those who have been prompted purely by this kind of love; for they do not love boys except when boys start having sense, and that is close to the time when the beard first appears. For those who start loving a boy at this point in time are in a position | believe to be with him and live with him for their whole life and not-once they have deceived and seized a young and foolish boy-to laugh at him and then run away together. (181C-D) This quote by Pausanias implies that Uranian Eros is a homosexual love, where an elder man loves a younger man of developing maturity due to his intelligence. This kind of a relationship has long-term results.
The second form of Eros is the base form, Pandemus. “Those who are of the same sort as this Eros are, first of all, no less in love with women than with boys; secondly, they are in love with their bodies rather than their souls; and thirdly, they are in love with the stupidest there can be, for they have an eye only to act and are unconcerned with whether it is noble or not. (181B) This quote by Pausanias implies that this form of love is base or bad, because the attraction is purely physical. The attraction is directed towards the body rather than the mind. And those who engage in this love are prone to involvement with those whom are less intelligent, for they are easier to take advantage of. This kind of love fulfills sexual gratification. Pausanias is strongly in favor or Uranian Eros, and strongly disapproves of Pandemus Eros. He even suggests that laws should be made to prohibit the acts of Pandemus Eros because of their immorality.
Pausanias urges that the purpose of eros is to attain virtue. When it is Agathon’s turn to speak, he suggests that though all the previous speakers posed some interesting and valuable theories, they have only spoken about the benefits humans have gained from eros rather than addressing the God of Eros himself. “I want first to say how I must speak, and then to speak. For in my own opinion all the previous speakers did not eulogize the god but blessed human beings for the goods of which the god is the cause; yet no one has said what sort is he who makes these gifts. (1945-195A)
He then goes on to suggest that the God of Eros is the happiest of the gods because he is the most beautiful. “I declare that though all gods are happy, Eros, (if sacred law allow it and it be without nemesis to say so) is the happiest of them, as he is the most beautiful and the best. As the most beautiful he is of the following sort: First, he is the youngest of gods, Phaedrus; and he by himself supplies a great proof for this assertion, for with healing flight he avoids old ageswift though it plainly is, coming on us, at any rate, swifter than he should.
It is precisely old age that Eros naturally detests; he does not even come within hailing distance of it. He is always with and of the young. ” (195A-B) In this quote by Agathon, he implies that the God of Eros is the happiest of the gods because he is the youngest. He avoids old age, and only stays with and within the young. All obstacles old gods faced against each other have reformed in to peace since the God of Eros has ruled amongst them. “So it is plain that, when Eros came to be among them, the affairs of the goofed were arranged out of love and beauty_for there is no eros present in ugliness.
But before that, as I said at the start, many awesome events tok place among the gods, as is said, through the monarchy of Necessity; whereas since the birth of this god, all good things have resulted for gods as well as for human beings from loving the beautiful things. ” (197B) This quotation by Agathon implies that beauty induces love, for it builds peace within an object or an atmosphere. It is almost as if love is sensitive so that it circulates, in order to promote peace and softness where it is not found before.
Thus Eros, in my opinion, Phaedrus, stands first, because he is the fairest and the best, and, after this, he is the cause for everyone else of the same sort of fair and goof things. It occurs to me to say something in meter too, that he is the one who makes “Peace among human beings, on the open sea calm, And Cloudlessness, the resting of winds and sleeping of care. “” (1970) Love can also be viewed as a mentality, rather than in physical manner and matter. Love is within minds and personas. Agathon also implies that love is practiced in moderation, considering pleasure and desire. Love also inspires wisdom, considering peace.