The ugliest man of Athens? Or the most beautiful soul of all? A mere intellectual? Or the finest fencing-master? The central focus of our episode today, in part two of our analysis of Plato's Symposium, is Nietzsche's interpretation of the text. Nietzsche argues that Socrates rounds off the discussion on the attributes of love in his speech, and that the image he gives of the power of love is then demonstrated to be manifested by Socrates himself, in his living character, by the final, drunken speech of Alcibiades.

In today's lecture, we will examine the final three speeches of the symposium, including those of Agathon, Socrates, as well as the impromptu, drunken praise of Socrates that Alcibiades gives.

Episode art: Marcello Bacciarelli - Alcibiades Being Taught by Socrates (1776-77)