Symposium
A group of Athenians at a dinner party in the house of the playwright Agathon agree to give speeches in praise of Love. Phaedrus, Pausanias, the doctor Eryximachus, the comic poet Aristophanes, who tells the myth of the divided lovers searching for their other halves, and Agathon himself each take a turn. Then Socrates reports what he learned from the priestess Diotima: that love is a longing for the beautiful and the good that leads from the body to the soul to the idea of beauty itself. The party is interrupted by a drunken Alcibiades, who describes his failed attempt to seduce Socrates. Written around 385 BC, the dialogue is Plato's most dramatic. This edition presents Benjamin Jowett's translation, with his introduction. Read it online in your browser on Vinteuil; the opening pages are free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about Symposium
Symposium by Plato can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read Symposium online?
Yes. Symposium opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is Symposium free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of Symposium is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is Symposium in the public domain?
Yes. Symposium by Plato is a public-domain work, here in the translation by Benjamin Jowett. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read Symposium?
About 2 h 11 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is Symposium?
Symposium by Plato is filed under "Philosophy" in the Vinteuil library.
