Accounts of Eros in the Plato's "Symposium"

The word love carries with it many, many different interpretations. In modern day, our views on what is appropriate love is much different from the views from the time of Socrates and Plato. To them love was eros, a direct translation of the word love. However, the word itself wasn't the only thing that was different about love. In Plato's 'Symposium', there is a celebration for Agathon. He had just won a dramatic contest in …

…the god Love in terms of his moral character and his virtues. These three accounts were the best of all that were offered. Socrates was the superior one to the other two, but nonetheless, the speeches of Aristophanes and Agathon were complete. Together, these three accounts form a very good picture of eros, one that shows every aspect of what eros truly is.                                    Bibliography Nehamas, A. & Woodruff, P. 'Symposium', Hackett Publishing Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1989