Plato's Symposium is a philosophical work written between 385 and 370 BC.

It depicts a friendly competition of impromptu remarks amongst a group of distinguished individuals during a banquet. The philosopher Socrates, the general and politician Alcibiades, and the comedic playwright Aristophanes are among the males. The speeches will be dedicated to Eros, the god of passion and love. Eros is recognised in the Symposium as both sensual love and a phenomenon capable of motivating courage, valour, great deeds and accomplishments, as well as overcoming man's natural fear of death. It is thought to have transcended its earthy roots and attained spiritual apex.

This enormous elevation of the concept of love raises the question of whether some of the most extreme interpretations were intended as farce or comedy. Eros is usually always translated as "love," and the English term has its own nuances and ambiguities that add to the difficulty of comprehending ancient Athens' Eros. This dialogue is regarded as one of Plato's most important writings, valued for both its philosophical content and literary merits.