J. C. Woods

The Disguised Lover: Eros and the Ladder of Loves J. C. Woods

Socrates goes by night to a party given by the tragic poet Agathon. On there, a discussion breaks out on the nature of romantic love which issues in a competition of speeches in praise of love. Behind it all, putting the strings of this shadow play, is Plato. He was too young to have attended the event, so, what is his interest in telling its story? And how, moreover, is philosophy related to romantic love. In writing his great "dialogue," Symposium proved that a book of philosophy could also be a work of art. Here we attempt to disentangle this great and beautiful work and find the meaning in Plato's art.