Classical Civilisation - Love and Relationships Summary
Pederasty – erastes old, eromenos young – education in exchange for
sexual pleasure – citizen men cant take women’s role
Platos’s symposium – also look at textbook for other plato texts
Phaedreus – “love has no parents”, “love is the oldest of the gods”, “no
greater benefit for a boy” than to have a relationship w an older man,
nothing can make you live nobly as “effectively as by love”, an army
“should entirely consist of lovers and loved” -band of thebes – all male
overs inspire strength and honour, “only lovers would sacrifice their life for
another” loyal love rewarderd – Alcestis soul released by hades
Pausanias – an erastes himself – 2 Aphrodite’s common and heavenly –
older one, “baser sort of men feel” commonly Aphrodite - “physical rather
than spiritual” and only aim is to satisfy desire, heavenly “naturally the
stronger and more intelligent” cause men have smart convos, doesn’t
involve boys but men “near growing a beard” – doesn’t support it with
young boys since you don’t know them spiritually, pederasty causes
people to commit good deeds – “Aristogiton & Harmodius overthrew
Hippas and paved way for democracy, “begging” & “slavery” accepted
only in pederastic relationships, the “bad commonly man” would leave
once physical beauty gone unlike noble pederastic “lovers for life”,
benefits are “service” and “education” pederasty = heavenly love
Eryximachus – a doctor - love not only in “men’s souls” but all things,
the “art of music produces a harmony” that’s like medicine, “love whose
object is good” and you’ll posess the greatest power
Aristophanes – comic playwright – Love “pursuit of wholeness”
because humans were split by Zeus as punishment for their arrogance,
“always looking for our matching half” - Love is the longing to restore this
lost unity, “There were three genders: male, female, and androgynous” -
love is about finding one’s true counterpart, when pairs meet they are
“lost in an amazement of love.” - True love is about more than just
attraction—it’s about feeling whole “overwhelmed with affection” when
you meet your true half
Agathon – host of symposium & eromenos – Love the “youngest of
the gods” associated with beauty and kindness, Love the “most virtuous
of all” - people in love strive to be better, acting honourably and
justly, love motivates artistic and intellectual achievement, Love who
“captured Ares” - Love is a strong force, influencing even the gods, love is
“never where there is discord” prevents division and war, Love “the most
beautiful and best of the gods” - Agathon’s view is idealistic, ignoring
love’s potential difficulties.
Socrates – famous philosopher – dead at time of symposium –
“Love is a great spirit, neither mortal nor immortal” connecting humans
, with the divine, “He who loves the good wishes to possess it forever” -
True love seeks lasting goodness, not just temporary pleasure, “First, he
will love one body … then knowledge itself” Love is a journey from simple
attraction to ultimate truth, “the love of wisdom is the highest and purest
form of love” not just physical beauty, “Love is the son of Poverty and
Resource” - Love is a longing for something one does not yet possess.
Alcibiades – politician – often mocked in contemporary literature –
starts with “I propose to praise Socrates” - speech emotional and
personal, unlike the previous philosophical arguments, Socrates like
“statues of Silenus” - Socrates’ wisdom is more valuable than physical
beauty, “I lay beside him, thinking he would succumb, but he did not” -
Socrates values wisdom over bodily pleasures as he tries to get with him 4
times, Loving Socrates is like “being enslaved to a master who will never
love you back”, wants to know “all that Socrates knew”, Socrates will help
him achieve “as near perfection as possible
Sappho – fragments broken off and lost – directed towards women
– 6th/5th BC
Romantic/ sexual love – has a physical reaction as “her dress aroused
you” – Loeb 22, “may the maidens sing” sung outside wedding chamber
when keeping watch – Loeb 30, man “equal to a god” because he gets to
watch the girl – Loeb 31, “used to love” Atthis when she was younger and
clumsy – Loeb 49, “a handsome man is only good to look at – Loeb 50
beauty only skin deep, love as delicate in Loeb 96 – gentle Atthis like
“beautiful dew…roses…tender chervil”, Wedding songs Loeb 110 111,
112, “virginity where have you gone” in Loeb 114 separated forever
Familial love – Helen “abandoned her husband” – Loeb 16, Loeb 98a –
takes mothers advice “my mother said that” was a rage to tie up hair,
loves her daughter “more than all of lydia” in Loeb 132, Loeb 104a –
Hesperus “brings back the child to it’s mother”
Divine Love – Aphrodite references in Loeb 1 makes sure girl “will
pursue”, Graces favour the beautiful floral” in Loeb 81 – gods more
delights by how adorned you are,
Love as pain – “be my ally” equates trials of love to battle, Sappho’s
“tongue breaks” and has “tremors” – Loeb 31 she is broken down piece by
piece and overcome by the love for the person even “on the point of
death” from unreciprocated love, “Love shook my soul like a wind” – love
a forceful nature in Loeb 47, “honestly I want to die” when recounting past
convos – Loeb 94, “Love loosened the limbs… shakes me” in Loeb 130,
“the thought of me now repulses you”
Randoms – Loeb 39 talks of “embroidered sandals”, Loeb 55 – girl can’t
“pull up her ragged dress” criticized for her self presentation, Loeb 17
story of Agamemnon and Menelaus in Lesbos, the “beautiful moon” in
Loeb 34
Pederasty – erastes old, eromenos young – education in exchange for
sexual pleasure – citizen men cant take women’s role
Platos’s symposium – also look at textbook for other plato texts
Phaedreus – “love has no parents”, “love is the oldest of the gods”, “no
greater benefit for a boy” than to have a relationship w an older man,
nothing can make you live nobly as “effectively as by love”, an army
“should entirely consist of lovers and loved” -band of thebes – all male
overs inspire strength and honour, “only lovers would sacrifice their life for
another” loyal love rewarderd – Alcestis soul released by hades
Pausanias – an erastes himself – 2 Aphrodite’s common and heavenly –
older one, “baser sort of men feel” commonly Aphrodite - “physical rather
than spiritual” and only aim is to satisfy desire, heavenly “naturally the
stronger and more intelligent” cause men have smart convos, doesn’t
involve boys but men “near growing a beard” – doesn’t support it with
young boys since you don’t know them spiritually, pederasty causes
people to commit good deeds – “Aristogiton & Harmodius overthrew
Hippas and paved way for democracy, “begging” & “slavery” accepted
only in pederastic relationships, the “bad commonly man” would leave
once physical beauty gone unlike noble pederastic “lovers for life”,
benefits are “service” and “education” pederasty = heavenly love
Eryximachus – a doctor - love not only in “men’s souls” but all things,
the “art of music produces a harmony” that’s like medicine, “love whose
object is good” and you’ll posess the greatest power
Aristophanes – comic playwright – Love “pursuit of wholeness”
because humans were split by Zeus as punishment for their arrogance,
“always looking for our matching half” - Love is the longing to restore this
lost unity, “There were three genders: male, female, and androgynous” -
love is about finding one’s true counterpart, when pairs meet they are
“lost in an amazement of love.” - True love is about more than just
attraction—it’s about feeling whole “overwhelmed with affection” when
you meet your true half
Agathon – host of symposium & eromenos – Love the “youngest of
the gods” associated with beauty and kindness, Love the “most virtuous
of all” - people in love strive to be better, acting honourably and
justly, love motivates artistic and intellectual achievement, Love who
“captured Ares” - Love is a strong force, influencing even the gods, love is
“never where there is discord” prevents division and war, Love “the most
beautiful and best of the gods” - Agathon’s view is idealistic, ignoring
love’s potential difficulties.
Socrates – famous philosopher – dead at time of symposium –
“Love is a great spirit, neither mortal nor immortal” connecting humans
, with the divine, “He who loves the good wishes to possess it forever” -
True love seeks lasting goodness, not just temporary pleasure, “First, he
will love one body … then knowledge itself” Love is a journey from simple
attraction to ultimate truth, “the love of wisdom is the highest and purest
form of love” not just physical beauty, “Love is the son of Poverty and
Resource” - Love is a longing for something one does not yet possess.
Alcibiades – politician – often mocked in contemporary literature –
starts with “I propose to praise Socrates” - speech emotional and
personal, unlike the previous philosophical arguments, Socrates like
“statues of Silenus” - Socrates’ wisdom is more valuable than physical
beauty, “I lay beside him, thinking he would succumb, but he did not” -
Socrates values wisdom over bodily pleasures as he tries to get with him 4
times, Loving Socrates is like “being enslaved to a master who will never
love you back”, wants to know “all that Socrates knew”, Socrates will help
him achieve “as near perfection as possible
Sappho – fragments broken off and lost – directed towards women
– 6th/5th BC
Romantic/ sexual love – has a physical reaction as “her dress aroused
you” – Loeb 22, “may the maidens sing” sung outside wedding chamber
when keeping watch – Loeb 30, man “equal to a god” because he gets to
watch the girl – Loeb 31, “used to love” Atthis when she was younger and
clumsy – Loeb 49, “a handsome man is only good to look at – Loeb 50
beauty only skin deep, love as delicate in Loeb 96 – gentle Atthis like
“beautiful dew…roses…tender chervil”, Wedding songs Loeb 110 111,
112, “virginity where have you gone” in Loeb 114 separated forever
Familial love – Helen “abandoned her husband” – Loeb 16, Loeb 98a –
takes mothers advice “my mother said that” was a rage to tie up hair,
loves her daughter “more than all of lydia” in Loeb 132, Loeb 104a –
Hesperus “brings back the child to it’s mother”
Divine Love – Aphrodite references in Loeb 1 makes sure girl “will
pursue”, Graces favour the beautiful floral” in Loeb 81 – gods more
delights by how adorned you are,
Love as pain – “be my ally” equates trials of love to battle, Sappho’s
“tongue breaks” and has “tremors” – Loeb 31 she is broken down piece by
piece and overcome by the love for the person even “on the point of
death” from unreciprocated love, “Love shook my soul like a wind” – love
a forceful nature in Loeb 47, “honestly I want to die” when recounting past
convos – Loeb 94, “Love loosened the limbs… shakes me” in Loeb 130,
“the thought of me now repulses you”
Randoms – Loeb 39 talks of “embroidered sandals”, Loeb 55 – girl can’t
“pull up her ragged dress” criticized for her self presentation, Loeb 17
story of Agamemnon and Menelaus in Lesbos, the “beautiful moon” in
Loeb 34
