Brooklyn College/Core Studies 1 A1 and C

Classical Origins of Western Culture

Self-Quiz:Plato's Symposium (1)

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1. Why did Apollodorus, the narrator, not attend the symposium (drinking party) that he describes?

Apollodorus was so hung over from the party the night before that he had stayed home in bed
the party took place long ago, when Apollodorus was still a child
Apollodorus did not receive an invitation because he had offended Agathon
Apollodorus thought symposia (drinking parties) were immoral and he stayed away from them on principle

2. Why did Socrates arrive so much later than Aristodemus, the guest he had invited to accompany him to the symposium?

Socrates was barefoot and therefore had to walk more slowly
Socrates had gone to the court to see what cases were being tried that day
Socrates had stopped off in the agora and became involved in a heated discussion
Socrates had gone off to a neighbor's porch and was just standing there

3. What proposal does Eryximachus make regarding the evening's drinking and entertainment?:

that, instead of drinking in excess, they listen to Socrates give his famous lecture on eros (love)
that, instead of drinking in excess, each give a speech in praise of philosophy
that, instead of drinking in excess, each give a speech in praise of eros/Eros (love).
that they see who could drink the most before passing out

4. What, according to Phaedrus, is the greatest good for a lover?

a wife who loves him
a woman to love
a boy to love
to love wisdom

5. According to Phaedrus, a city or army made up of [male] lovers and the boys they love would be he best possible society because

they would do nothing shameful, but would always do what was honorable in each others' eyes.
there would be no women for the men to strive over
there would be equality between all the lovers and boys
there would be none of the disorder that women create by their presence in the polis

6. According to Phaedrus, Alcestis is proof of what?

that women are not to be trusted
that the best lover is a woman
that it is possible to come back from the dead
that no one will die for you but a lover

7. According to Pausanias, there are two goddesses of love and, therefore, two kinds of love, which he calls

Aphrodite/love of women and Eros/ love of boys
Physis love and Nomos love
heavenly Aprodite/love and common Aphrodite/love
Philia/love of family and Eros/ sexual love

8. According to Pausanias, outright condemnation of taking a [male] lover reveals

general dullness and stupidity of the society
lust for power in the rulers
honor for the heavenly Aphrodite
the wisdom of philosopher-kings

9. Pausanias claims that the Athenian system, in which lovers are encouraged to pursue a boy to love but boys are discouraged from complying, is designed to

keep most of the citizens confused most of the time
imitate the Spartan social system
make sure the boys get expensive gifts before they comply
separate the proper (heavenly) love from the vile (common) love.

10. What else was happening during the last part of Pausanias' speech?

Socrates finally arrived, so Antiphon was trying to make a place for him
Aristophanes was hiccuping
the flute girl arrived and began to play
the guests took the drinking contest back up

 

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Format and code shamelessly lifted from Prof. Hardy Hansen's Core 1/P site