The Symposium

Must read

I got new book without any damage. Also the book is a very good read.

Good

Excellent description of love and its nature.

As mentioned in the title. The gift wrap option is a sham. Just another way to squeeze of money without doing real work. It was delivered as this.

Do NOT buy this. This copy that is being sold is either not genuine or penguin classics has lowered the quality of paper to such lows that it feels like recycled paper. Even the print is a little blurry and the cover is thin. I would return it if the return window hadn't closed.( I left home for a month or so)

The Symposium is a classic dialogue of Plato's and is set during an ancient Greek drinking party, with the discussion revolving around Love/Desire. As well as a philosophical work, it is a fantastic piece of history and the scene of the party is so well presented that you really do get a sense of the social scene in ancient Greece at the time (circa 400BC). I am quite new myself to the works of Plato and philosophy in general, so I can't offer up a discussion of how it fits into the wider scheme of things but I can say that Symposium is an enjoyable and interesting discussion. Whether the ideas presented in this dialogue are scientifically or even philosophically relevant now I'm not too sure, but it's still a wonderful piece of ancient Greece, complete with the usual references to Greek Gods and Goddesses and musings on the mystery of love. You may be as surprised as I was to read that nearly all references to love and lovers are concerning man and boy relationships, rather than heterosexual relationships, though this is not really important to the nature of love as is discussed. It seems to have been a much more acceptable and normal practice to the ancient Greeks, than it is in the modern world. Some of Penguin classic' series on Plato's dialogues can be difficult to read, being interspersed with lengthy commentary and footnotes, though that this does not happen with this book. The dialogue is unbroken by any commentary and this is better for the reader, as it allows him or her to produce their own understanding of the text. There is a lengthy introduction and closing notes, though if you do intend to read these then these are best read after you have read the dialogue, again so as not to be influenced by the ideas and conclusions of someone else. All in all, this a fairly short but enjoyable book, that is an interesting and an enlightening glimpse into the social and philosophical beginnings of western civilisation.

Wild read. Didn’t expect to enjoy it this much—Plato really knew how to stir up a dinner party

Très bon service et produit.

I just got the book and I'm looking forward to read it. The only reason, I gave a one star review, is because of the poor packaging of the book😡😡😡. The book was creased and corners looked worn, feels like I bought a book from a vintage bookstore, instead of a brand new book.

This is probably one of Plato's most accessible texts. Lighthearted and profound. Interesting excursion on the topic of love that offers an intimate glance of an evening amongst friends in ancient Greece.