{"product_id":"symposium-plato-9781806292233","title":"Symposium: Plato's Timeless Dialogue on Love, Desire, and the Nature of Beauty - A Foundational Work of Western Philosophy","description":"\u003cem\u003eWhat if the secret to love's power lay hidden in a single night of storytelling?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSymposium\u003c\/em\u003e is Plato's sparkling masterpiece of philosophy and drama. On the morning after a victory banquet, Aristophanes, Agathon, Phaedrus, Diotima-through-Socrates, and other brilliant Athenians agree to praise Eros instead of drinking to excess. Their speeches range from rib-tickling myth to cosmic revelation, culminating in Socrates' mysterious lesson from the seer Diotima: love is the soul's ladder from bodily longing to the contemplation of absolute Beauty.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis contemporary edition breathes fresh clarity into Plato's Greek while preserving his humor and passion, making the dialogue vivid for modern readers who seek both intellectual rigor and literary delight.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat You'll Discover in This Modern Translation: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA Lively Banquet of Voices\u003c\/strong\u003e - From Aristophanes' twin-soul myth to Alcibiades' scandalous toast, every speech restored in crisp, engaging prose.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePhilosophy Woven with Storytelling\u003c\/strong\u003e - Experience ideas through character, humor, and dramatic tension, not dry abstraction.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Ladder of Love Explained\u003c\/strong\u003e - Follow Socrates step by step from physical desire to the vision of eternal Forms.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEssential Context \u0026amp; Notes\u003c\/strong\u003e - Accessible introductions and footnotes illuminate historical setting, Greek terms, and key concepts.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhether you're exploring Plato for the first time or returning to an old favorite, this edition of \u003cem\u003eSymposium\u003c\/em\u003e offers a feast for mind and heart alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Plato\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1806292238\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781806292233\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Library of Alexandria\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/25\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 98\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.21lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.00h x 5.00w x 0.25d","brand":"Plato","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47931071398143,"sku":"9781806292233","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_1c814961-73f2-404b-8406-62288fbabe12.jpg?v=1766346250","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/symposium-plato-9781806292233","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}