The Symposium is a dialogue that was written by Plato in the 4th century BCE. In it, a man tells a story he heard from another man about a symposium (which translates to "drinks party") at which Socrates, Aristophanes, and other eminent Athenians were invited to make speeches in praise of the god of Love. Plato's further retelling of this repeated tale puts us among the famous and famously loquacious party-goers try to verbally out-do each other.

Summary

Read the detailed section-by-section Summary & Analysis, the Full Work Summary, or the Full Work Analysis of The Symposium.

Key Themes & People

Reference lists of key terms and people to consult as you study The Symposium.