Plato describes how drunken Alcibiades surrounded by the lush gang of revelers suddenly breaks into a banquet. The audience somehow explains to him the essence of the ongoing negotiations, and also offers to give a speech in honor of Eros. But after learning the contents of the Socrates words, Alcibiades fully agrees with them. Since he has nothing to add about Eros, he decides to make a speech in honor of Socrates (Gill).
Originate from the aristocratic families, with the gift of beauty, passing through all stages of public recognition, learned from Socrates, Alcibiades did not adjust to the opinion of the crowd or anyone else.
Alcibiades continued buffoonery, pretending frightened of Socrates, who does not forgive him ridicule. Socrates agrees with only one: Alcibiades will tell only the truth. Alcibiades promised in any case not to laugh from Socrates, but that is how he begins his speech.
Being a disciple of Socrates, Alcibiades had to demonstrate what he has learned. He should have shown it with the help of the content of the speech and its structure. Alcibiades coped with this brilliantly.
- In the presence of Socrates is dangerous to praise others, even Eros;
- Then it is advised to praise Socrates;
- For Alcibiades "to praise Socrates" means to avenge him — it is necessary to tell the truth, whatever it may be, including the strangeness of Socrates;
- Alcibiades asks Socrates himself to witness and obliges him to interrupt a speech if he would tell lies (Gill). This idea he repeated twice, but Socrates was silent during the speech of Alcibiades, thereby confirming its truthfulness.
Alcibiades speaks about diligence, endurance, bravery, the courage of Socrates. Joint participation in the war, saving the life of Alcibiades by Socrates is the basis of such statements.
The main arguments of Alcibiades are the spiritual beauty of Socrates, physical endurance, the social face of Socrates. These are very important characteristics. But even more important is his spiritual nature, his ability to think dialectically, which is manifested in his speeches. This is the main argument for Alcibiades, which Plato presents very skillfully.
Alcibiades was "bitten by philosophical speeches" of Socrates, thus, it was important to win recognition of Socrates. As a disciple, Alcibiades wanted to win the favor of Socrates. However, Socrates was not interested in money or weapons. Alcibiades found only one way - love.
In general, Alcibiades compares Socrates:
- with Selena, satyr, Marsyas;
- indicates the treasures of his soul;
- reveals the spiritual beauty of Socrates.
According to Alcibiades, Socrates cannot be compared with ordinary people. It is possible only to compare him with Selena, satyrs, Marsyas
For us, Selena and Marsyas are blank, though mysterious sounds. For those of Plato time they were famous subjects of myth as the main form of social consciousness.
Selena charmed listeners with the help of speeches and Marsyas - with the flute. The appearance of Marsyas is unattractive. Having become a flutist with the help of God's flute, he has taken a worthy place in the Greek mythology.
Alcibiades uses a number of Marsyas characteristics: an attractive appearance, stout character. Regarding the first, he enlists the tacit consent of the Socrates.
Socrates is similar to Marsyas by the power of his mesmerizing effect on the audience. Plato could indicate the similarity of their fates: Marsyas was killed by Apollo and Socrates - by "democrats".
The seventh speech in the "The Symposium ", namely the speech of Alcibiades, does not allow reducing the teaching of Plato to the abstract conceptual objective idealism. The philosophical concept of Alcibiades is that in addition to the conventional matching of internal and external, subjective and objective, ideal and real, life forces us to recognize also its extremely varied and colorful contradictions. Socrates seemed to be the perfect sage who only knows to design all sorts of logical categories of objective idealism. To fascinate listeners Socrates uses not the flute, but speeches, forcing people to live in a new way and to be ashamed of their misdeeds. Socrates is extremely strong physically, courageous and brave - about it tells his heroic behavior during the war. The main thing in Socrates, according to of Alcibiades, is the difference from any of the ancients or of his contemporaries. For everyone, it is possible to find someone to match, but Socrates in his habits and speech unique. Externally set of subjects and objects of his analysis looks primitive, but the substantial part is divine: Socrates' speeches lead to higher nobility.
Anyone who would like to reduce the teachings of Plato to the idealism will be very disappointed after reading the speech of Alcibiades. To a large extent, Socrates is a perfect sage, both historically and in the image of Alcibiades.
All this Socrates-Plato's transcendental dialectic and mythology are given in the form of an extremely deep and acute life-irony, which perfectly proves us that Plato is not just an objective idealist in the logical sense of the term, but also very passionate, contradictory, and always seeking nature. Objective idealism as it is given in "The Symposium" besides the transcendental dialectic theory of ideas is permeated from beginning to end with painfully sweet sensation of life in which the ideal and the material are hopelessly entangled and mixed - sometimes even up to full indistinguishable. This is confirmed by the accidentally thrown remark of Socrates, that the true creator of the tragedy must be a creator and a true comedy. It is not just a random aphorism of Plato, but is a true result of all philosophy ideas in "The Symposium".
Works Cited
Gill, Christopher. Plato, The Symposium. London: Penguin Books, 1999. Print.
