Alcibiades

money and had no navy. Their only advantage was the combat on land. Sparta won by joining forces with Persia, Lysander’s command and taking advantage of Athens’ troubles. Athens’ lost due to many factors that were and were not in their control. Alcibiades could have been their ticket to winning, but Athens…

generals (Nicias, Lamachus, and Alcibiades) of how the Athenians should proceed. Similar to the ends construct, competing ideas are a risk in the sense that they detract from the detail and focus of one agreed upon idea. As seen above, Nicias spoke out against any campaign on Sicily since he was concerned that they would “leave many enemies behind [Athens]” This risk might have been more fully considered if not for the competing plans of Lamachus and Alcibiades. Lamachus proposes sailing…

This entrance of Alcibiades’ at Athens is also emblemized by his appearance in Plato’s Symposium written in 380 B.C., as he disrupts the ladder of love. In Plato’s Republic (375 B.C.), the perfect community that he envisions cannot come to fruition because people are either…

During the Peloponnesian war, Athens and their rival, Sparta, competed against one another in an effort to establish their dominance of Greece, forming alliances and colonies with imperialistic motives. Large alliances that were formed before the Peloponnesian war were an important factor in what escalated it. Sparta formed the Peloponnesian League while Athens created what is now referred to as the Athenian Empire. The Spartans won the long Peloponnesian war against Athens in 405, after the…

to lead the expedition. They named Alcibiades, Nicias and Lamchus as their leaders. Nicias, who had tried to convince the people of Attica not to go to Sicily, suggested that they sail towards Sicily and force a settlement between Segesta and Selinus; then after that return home. Lamachus, suggested that they could attack their real enemy, Syracuse as this would catch them off guard, and would encourage the rest of Sicily to be on the Athenian side. Alcibiades was the expedition’s leader of…

At the end of the Symposium, Alcibiades gives a speech, in which he talks about his relationship with Socrates (37-39). Alcibiades talks about how even though Socrates is not physically attractive he has wisdom. He talks about how Socrates’s wisdom can be sexually and emotionally alluring to others (39). This serves as a reminder to the fact that Socrates has the attributes of the ideal lover, which were described in Diotima 's speech. Diotima says, “this will lead him on to consider that the…

In the Symposium, Phaedrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, Aristophanes, Agathon, Socrates and Alcibiades all gather at Agathon’s residence to share a drink together. All of whom, not including Socrates, are part of the elite; intellectual and aristocratic. The reason for such a high profile gathering was their intention to celebrate Agathon’s victory at a contest; he was a playwright in tragedy. He is described as a young beautiful man with a superior command of words. Soon after their dinner, they…

that we may be able to form those similar, ever essential bonds with others. WHAT DOES ALCIBIDADES’S SPEECH REVEAL ABOUT SOCRATES? ABOUT ALCIBIADES HIMSELF? HOW DOES ALCIBIADES UPHOLD OR TEAR DOWN SOCRATES’ ARGUMENTS? (WHICH IS IT?) WHAT DOES HE WANT FROM SOCRATES? WHO IS “LOVER,” WHO “BELOVED” HERE? WHICH OF THEM DID YOU SYMPATHIZE WITH, AS YOU REAL ALCIBIADES’ ACCOUNT OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP? WHICH OF THEM KNOWS / UNDERSTANDS MORE ABOUT…

“True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing”. This statement is a quote from Socrates, a philosopher that had lasting effects in Greek history. It began with Peloponnesian Wars, which ended with the desecration of Athens’ main source of pride, their democracy. Ensuing the loss of their government system, Athenians felt intimidated by Socrates and his beliefs, which eventually led to his demise. Athens executed Socrates after the downfall of their democratic system following their…

Throughout Plato’s Symposium there are many encounters where a theme is present. All seven of the eulogies touch on a few important points, origin of genealogy, good qualities other than virtue but also virtue such as, wisdom, justice, and courage, habits and way of life, and lastly, achievement of subject contested with those of the other. The most relevant theme of all was, love and wisdom. Plato is known for the style of writing, frame within a frame. This style of writing will become…