Week 3: Eryximachus and Aristophanes
The speeches of Eryximachus and Aristophanes (185c – 193e)
What do you think of Eryximachus’ view that Love (Eros) governs both human relationships and physical phenomena?
Why is Aristophanes’ speech delayed (by hiccups)? What dramatic purpose does Plato have here?
What is the point of Aristophanes’ fable about the four-legged creatures that were separated by Zeus? Is he being serious or satirical or both?
What do you think of Aristophanes’ view that “We human beings will never attain happiness unless we find perfect love, unless we each come across the love of our lives and thereby recover our original nature.”
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