LIBA 202 Lecture Notes - Lecture 25: Platonic Love, Christian Mysticism, Eryximachus
1 Dec 2017
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Document Summary
Bernardo bembo had close ties with the culture of florence. Pietro bembo (bernardo"s son) is chosen to be the spokesperson of platonic love. Purpose of his speech is to answer the question by re-defining what love is. Since love is seen to be only for the young. Switches up the conversation from love as a social activity to a level that can be defined as metaphysical. Human beings placed between animal soul and intellectual soul of angels - argument of the dignity of men. Love is defined as a desire for beauty, for an abstract quality. Metaphor of ladder burrowed from plato"s symposium, diotima"s higher mysteries. This metaphor is found again where old age and love are not only presented as compatible but necessary. Pietro"s speech culminates with the definition of beauty as a sacred thing. Phaedrus -> pausanias -> eryximachus -> aristophanes (turning point aristophanes" hiccups) -> agathon.
