The speakers in Plato’s Symposium offer varying definitions of Eros or love. However, many of the speeches share overlapping principals or themes. For example, both Phaedrus and Pausanias reflect on Eros’ association with virtue (179B, 185B). Furthermore, Aristophanes and Pausanias each consider Eros’ role in pederasty, while Agathon and Socrates stress a connection between Eros and the beautiful and the good (191E, 184D, 197B, 203D). In fact, Socrates’ speech, an account of Diotima’s teaching, combines virtue, pederasty, and the beautiful and the good in relation to Eros (212A, 211B, 203D). Late to the party, Alcibiades arrives, and though informed of the Eros-themed speechmaking agenda, his address concerns Socrates. Furthermore, Alcibiades makes many claims regarding Socrates that echo the previous speeches’ definitions of Eros. By close examination of Alcibiades’ oration and Diotima’s definition, via Socrates, one can claim that Socrates is portrayed as a reflection of Eros.
As a premise of his speech, Socrates instructs Agathon to recognize Eros as a ‘“love of something,”’ and therefore the pursuit of something (200B). In recalling Diotima’s teaching, Socrates states that Eros ‘“is far from being tender and beautiful’” and ‘“is in between wisdom and lack of understanding”’ (203C-D, E). Eros, in pursuit of beauty and wisdom, is therefore defined by Diotima as ‘“a philosopher”’ (204B). Alcibiades claims that Socrates has a habit of seeking beauty when he states, ‘“Socrates is erotically inclined to the beauties and is always around them,”’ and when he alleges, ‘“When Socrates is present it is impossible for someone else to get hold of the beauties”’ (216D, 223A). Through Diotima’s instruction, it is revealed that Socrates desires union with the beautiful in order to reproduce in another that which is his (209B). Socrates not only seeks the beautiful but also seeks the ignorant, those lacking wisdom. Therefore, by seeking beautiful ones void of wisdom Socrates, like Eros, according to Diotima, is ‘“always dwelling among neediness”’ (203D).
Alcibiads lists some of Socrates beloveds as, ‘“Charmides the son of Glaucon, Euthydemus the son of Diocles, and many many others,”’ indicating that Socrates seeks the beautiful through the pederasty of many (222B). Furthermore, Alcibiades indicates that Agathon is involved in a pederast relationship with Socrates as well (222B). Therefore, Socrates, ‘“no longer … content like a lackey with the beauty in one, of a boy, if some human being, or of one practice … but with a permanent turn to the vast open sea of the beautiful,”’ participates in Diotima’s definition of the ‘“correct practice of pederasty”’ (210D, 211C). Through the pederast practice of reproducing himself in beautiful ones, Socrates reflects Diotima’s statement that Eros ‘“is of engendering and bringing to birth in the beautiful”’ (206E). In likeness to Eros, ‘“that which is supplied”’ to Socrates ‘“is always gradually flowing out,”’ by the pederasty of many (203E).
Diotima describes Eros as being a ‘“daemon,”’ something ‘“between mortal and immortal,”’ and it is through pederasty that Socrates becomes ‘“daemonic,”’ like Eros (202D-E). Though his body will succumb to mortality, the ‘“virtues”’ that come from Socrates’ ‘“pregnant soul”’ are potentially immortal (209A-B). The potential for immortality, however, lies with those who receive Socrates’ seed. Alcibiades, Agathon, and the other beloveds, for example, have the opportunity to foster Socrates’ seed of virtue and eventually pass it on to another beautiful vessel, thus producing, in a sense, the immortal lineage of Socrates.
Socrates, therefore, demonstrates one quality of Eros according to Diotima’s definition by philosophizing and pursuing the beautiful. Furthermore, like Eros, Socrates exists somewhere between man and divine through the pederasty of many. By close readings of Diotima’s definition of Eros and Alcibiades’ remarks toward Socrates, one can support the claim that Socrates is portrayed as a reflection of Eros in Plato’s Symposium.