Symposium

• What did Phaedrus believe about the origins of Love?


  He believed that Love was the most ancient of all gods and "has no parents"
• What was Phaedrus's view on pederasty?


  "There can be no greater benefit for a boy than to have a worthy lover from his earliest youth, nor for a lover than to have a worthy object for his affection."
• Did Phaedrus believe pederasty was beneficial to the state?


  Yes, "Without these feelings neither a state nor an individual can accomplish anything great or fine."
• Which army does Phaedrus allude to?


  The Sacred Band of Thebes, an army consisting of people in pederastic relationships
• What did Phaedrus believe about lovers?


  That only lovers would sacrifice their lives for each other
• Which two types of Love did Pausanias believe in?


  Heavenly Love and Common Love
• What was significant about Heavenly Love?


  Pausanias believed that this Love could only come from being attracted to males
• What was Pausanias's view on love affairs?


  Success was glorious but failure was disgraceful
• What was Common Love?


  Being in love with the body rather than the soul
• What was Pausanias's view on pederasty?


  He supported it but only if the boy had the intention of getting an education and wasn't interested in the man's appearance or how much money he had
• What does Eryximachus believe about love?


  That there was a distinction between healthy and unhealthy love
• What does Aristophanes believe about Love?


  "Men seem to me to be utterly insensible of the power of Love
• How many sexes did Aristophanes believe there used to be?


  Three: Male, female, and hermaphrodite
• According to Aristophanes what did humans use to be shaped like?

  Spheres
• What did Zeus do to the sphere-shaped humans?


  He cut them in two to weaken them
• How does Aristophanes use the sphere story to explain love?

  He talks about the concept of a person being your "other half"
• How do the spheres explain sexual orientations?


  Two male spheres were two gay men, two female spheres were lesbian women, one of each was a straight man and straight woman
• What did Aristophanes think everyone wanted?


  To be physically joined to their other half
• Who does Agathon directly address in most of his speech?


  Phaedrus
• What does Agathon believe about Love?


  That he is the youngest of the gods
• How powerful does Agathon think Love is?


  More powerful than Ares
• Who came up with the concept of the Ladder of Love?


  Diotima
• What was the first step of the Ladder of Love?


  Loving only one person
• What was the second step of the Ladder of Love?


  Acknowledge beauty in all bodies
• What was the third step of the Ladder of Love?


  Realising that beauty of the soul outweighs beauty of the body
• What was the fourth step of the Ladder of Love?


  Recognising beauty and virtue in its purest form
• Who does Socrates quote in his speech?

  Diotima
• Who is Socrates in a pederastic relationship with?


  Alcibiades
• How does Alcibiades describe Socrates?


  Modern Marsyas
• What emotion does Alcibiades state Socrates is the only one who can make him feel like that?


  Shame
• Where does Alcibiades take Socrates in one of his attempts to make sexual advances?


  The gymnasium
• What does Alcibiades respect about Socrates?


  Self-control and courage