Symposium

A lively banquet in ancient Athens sets the stage for a night of unexpected philosophy. After a brief, wine‑soaked interlude, Socrates joins the gathering at Agathon’s house and, at the urging of the physician Eryximachus, the guests agree to replace music with a series of speeches in honor of love. The conversation unfolds as each guest reclines in turn, turning a festive meal into a reflective symposium.

The first speaker, Phaedrus, celebrates love’s ancient roots and its power to ennoble the cowardly, while Pausanias soon draws a line between heavenly and earthly desire, hinting at the dual nature of the goddess Aphrodite. As the dialogue progresses, the participants weave myth, personal experience, and reason into a rich tapestry that explores honor, bravery, and the transformative potential of affection. Listeners are invited to follow the conversation as it moves from poetry to philosophy, discovering how a simple toast can become a profound inquiry into what it means to love.