An Interpretation of Aristophanes’ Eulogy in Plato’s Symposium

Abstract

Plato’s Symposium centers on the praise of the god of love, Eros, bringing together various perspectives on desire from prominent Greek intellectuals. Among them, Aristophanes’ encomium stands out for its mythopoetic expression, reflecting the comic poet’s profound insight into human nature, society, and politics. Through the allegory of spherical humans split in half by Zeus, Aristophanes suggests that desire originates from humanity’s longing for an original state of wholeness. This eros is not merely a response to bodily trauma, but also a yearning for self-identity and the unity of the soul.

The article further reveals that Aristophanes attributes higher value to love between men, thereby reflecting the interconnection between political ideals and gender order in ancient Greek society. Moreover, by analyzing rhetorical devices, temporal structure, and the redemptive function of Eros, the paper explores the mechanisms of irony and metaphysical symbolism embedded in Aristophanes’ speech. Love, in this view, is not only an expression of emotion and desire, but also a philosophical response to the fractures within the self and the ruptures of history. As a comic poet, Aristophanes deftly employs humor and myth to construct eros as a complex structure that traverses the domains of nature, ontology, society, and power.