Seven drunk Athenians compete to praise love — and Socrates wins by praising himself instead.
Who drives the story
The late-arriving philosopher who wins the speech contest by refusing to give one, dismantling Agathon with questions and reporting Diotima's teaching. He ends the night as he began: unshaken, sober in a room of drunks, arguing about tragedy and comedy at dawn.
The young tragic playwright hosting the party to celebrate his first victory at the Dionysia. He gives the most beautiful and least philosophical speech, then loses his definition of Love to Socrates' questioning — and ends the night lying next to him.
The handsome, charismatic politician who crashes the party terribly drunk. He abandons the contest to praise Socrates instead, confessing his failed seduction and the shame only Socrates has ever made him feel.
The comic playwright whose hiccups delay his turn, and whose myth of split spherical beings gives the Western world its 'other half' story. He falls asleep first at dawn, losing the argument about tragedy and comedy.
The guest whose suggestion sets up the whole speech contest. He opens by arguing Love is the oldest god and that lovers die for each other, citing Alcestis and Achilles.
The physician who formalizes the speech contest and claims love governs medicine, music, astronomy, and the balance of bodily elements. He also prescribes Aristophanes' hiccup cures.
The quiet guest who was actually at the party and fell asleep before dawn. He is Apollodorus's source, waking to see the final argument between Socrates, Aristophanes, and Agathon.
Also in the story
The wise woman of Mantinea whom Socrates quotes but never met on stage. Her teaching — Love as a daemon, Beauty as a ladder — is the philosophical climax of the book.
The legal expert who splits love into vulgar and heavenly kinds and surveys which Greek cities approve of pederastic love. His distinction sets up what Socrates later transcends.
The devoted Socrates-follower who frames the whole story, retelling it secondhand from Aristodemus. His eagerness to relay the tale is the book's first image of love for wisdom.
How they are connected
The late-arriving philosopher who wins the speech contest by refusing to give one, dismantling Agathon with questions and reporting Diotima's teaching.
The late-arriving philosopher who wins the speech contest by refusing to give one, dismantling Agathon with questions and reporting Diotima's teaching.
He abandons the contest to praise Socrates instead, confessing his failed seduction and the shame only Socrates has ever made him feel.
His distinction sets up what Socrates later transcends.
He also prescribes Aristophanes' hiccup cures.
The devoted Socrates-follower who frames the whole story, retelling it secondhand from Aristodemus.
The devoted Socrates-follower who frames the whole story, retelling it secondhand from Aristodemus.
He is Apollodorus's source, waking to see the final argument between Socrates, Aristophanes, and Agathon.
He is Apollodorus's source, waking to see the final argument between Socrates, Aristophanes, and Agathon.
He is Apollodorus's source, waking to see the final argument between Socrates, Aristophanes, and Agathon.
Go deeper
Love as a ladder, not a destination · Wholeness and the other half · The gap between beauty and goodness · Philosophy as seduction
Themes explainedThe full story act by act, the ending explained and a quick quiz.
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