Symposium

The Symposium is a philosophical dialogue written by Plato around 370 BCE. It depicts a friendly contest of extemporaneous speeches given by a group of notable Athenian men, including Socrates, Alcibiades, and Aristophanes, in praise of Eros, the god of love.

The dialogue is structured as a series of speeches, each developing the ideas of the previous one, and culminates in Socrates' speech, which recounts his conversation with the wise woman Diotima.

The work explores various aspects of love, including its benefits, its connection to philosophy, and its role in human happiness.

The setting is a banquet at the house of the tragedian Agathon, where the men engage in drinking and conversation, leading to heartfelt and noble speeches about love.