Love In Agathon's Symposium

Words: 429
Pages: 2

In Symposium, Agathon wishes to discuss about what love is, rather than what it does, as he states “ In the case of love, it is right for us to praise him first for what he is and afterward for his gifts”(195a). In discussing what love is he first states how, God of love is beautiful, young, and good. He sets this picture of how love appears to him stating “And the exquisite coloring of his skin!, the way the god consorts with flowers show that. His place is wherever it is flowery and fragrant; there he settles, there he stays” (196b), describing love as being beautiful, and everyone just being happy and in love with each other.

Agathon, then discuss love’s moral character, virtue. The virtue of Love, breaks down into four cardinal virtues,