Love

Question 1

Aristophanes theory

Answer 1

soulmates. Love is the ‘pursuit of wholeness’. designed to restore the human form.

Question 2

Phaedrus theory

Answer 2

Love between two men causes the development of positive traits ‘courage’ and ‘loyalty’. Homoerotic men are less likely to act out of cowardice as a man ‘feels most ashamed in front of his lover.’ Sacred band of Thebes context.

Question 3

Pausanius theory

Answer 3

Pandemion Eros, sexual love, felt by both sexes, ‘this is the kind of love inferior people feel’. Uranian eros is men alone, there must be desire for ‘education and wisdom’.

Question 4

Diotima ladder of love

Answer 4

Love of a body, love of bodies, love of a mind, love of minds, love of knowledge.

‘slavishly attached’
‘foolish’

Question 5

Diotima immortality

Answer 5

sexual reproduction is ‘divine’. ‘this is how mortals create immortality through pregnancy and birth’

knowledge reproduction. Men only. ‘children of this partnership are mor ebeautiful and more immortal’

Question 6

Diotima defining love

Answer 6

the desire to have the good forever.

function is giving birth in mind and body

in between, mortal & immortal, beauty & ugliness, wisdom & knowledge

Question 7

Agathon

Answer 7

love is the youngest most beautiful god. he is fluid and only settles in soft people, never ugliness.

Question 8

Eryximachus

Answer 8

love should be balanced

Question 9

sappho on love of beauty

Answer 9

loeb 16 - criticises Helen, who is loved because of her beauty, ‘abandoned her husband’, ‘without a thought for her daughter’

Question 10

sappho on love of character

Answer 10

‘handsome man is only good to look at, a good man becomes handsome’.

Anactoria’s description ‘lovely walk’, ‘gleaming face’

Question 11

Sappho love as the will of the gods