The Symposium

Xenophon, 431 BCE-350？ BCEProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.9

Word count: 128K words
Chapters: 13

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Symposium by XenophonAuthor: Xenophon, 431 BCE-350? BCE,Language: English, Class: PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature, Release Date: Jan 1, 1998

Editor's review

Xenophon's Symposium is one of the representative works of ancient Greek dialogue, forming an intriguing contrast with Plato's work of the same name. Set at an aristocratic banquet, the book unfolds a light yet substantive conversation among Socrates and his companions on love, virtue, education, and entertainment, with humorous interludes and detailed characterization. Compared with Plato's metaphysical elevation, Xenophon focuses more on concrete human relations and everyday character; his prose is plain and brisk, highly narrative, and well suited as an introductory read into ancient Greek thought and style. The public-domain English electronic text provided by Project Gutenberg is convenient for searching and comparative reading, especially for reading alongside Plato's Symposium to observe how the two authors treat the same figure and theme differently. While reading, note the staging of scenes and the characters' reactions, for such details often reveal the author's intent more than the arguments themselves.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in ancient Greek philosophy and literature who want an accessible entry point
Classics students studying Plato's Symposium who need a reference text for comparison
General readers who enjoy dialogue-form narrative and attention to character and atmosphere
Learners who need a public-domain English text for course reading or translation practice

Not a good fit for

Serious philosophy researchers expecting systematic philosophical argument or theoretical framework
Readers who prefer modern vernacular translations and find the English original difficult
Beginners seeking detailed annotations and scholarly introductions

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the banquet scene and character relationships, then return to Socrates' key speeches.
Read alongside Plato's Symposium and note how the two books treat Eros, virtue, and the figure of Socrates differently.
Mark characters' identities and the order of speeches as you read to clarify the layers of dialogue and the author's attitude.
If the English is difficult, read a Chinese translation first for the gist, then return to the public-domain English text to appreciate tone and wording.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this the same work as Plato's Symposium?

No. The two share a title but have different authors. Both Xenophon and Plato wrote Socratic dialogues set at a banquet, but their content, character arrangements, and intellectual emphases differ. Reading them together reveals two different images of Socrates and two writing styles.

Can I understand it without a background in ancient Greek philosophy?

Yes. Xenophon's narrative is relatively plain, with clear scenes and character relationships, and does not rely on complex terminology. It helps to first learn who Socrates was and the general historical background, and to pay attention to the characters' reactions in the dialogue.

Does this edition include annotations and an introduction?

According to the available information, this is a public-domain English electronic text released by Project Gutenberg, consisting mainly of the main text and usually without detailed scholarly annotations or an introduction. If annotations are needed, consult a relevant translation or scholarly work alongside it.

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About the author

Xenophon, 431 BCE-350？ BCE Author

Xenophon (c. 431–c. 350 BCE) was an ancient Greek historian, military commander and prose writer. Public information about the details of his life is limited, and his works are the main basis for understanding him and his thought. The collection holds 20 of his works, including Anabasis, Hellenica, Cyropaedia and The Memorabilia. These writings combine historical narrative, military memoir and philosophical dialogue; their style is clear and plain, their narration concrete and vivid, and they are especially notable for firsthand accounts of campaigns he experienced. His works have long circulated as important sources for the study of ancient Greek politics, warfare and thought, and have influenced later historical writing and educational ideas.