Observations placeholder
Socrates - Plato Alcibiades - What is love?
Identifier
013691
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Plato - Alcibiades
Socrates
And if anyone is found to be a lover of Alcibiades' body, he has fallen in love, not with Alcibiades, but with something belonging to Alcibiades?
Alcibiades
That is true.
Socrates
Your lover is rather he who loves your soul?
Alcibiades
He must be, apparently, by our argument.
Socrates
And he who loves your body quits you, and is gone, as soon as its bloom is over?
Alcibiades
Apparently. [131d]
Socrates
Whereas he who loves your soul will not quit you so long as it makes for what is better?
Alcibiades
So it seems.
Socrates
And I am he who does not quit you, but remains with you when your body's prime is over, and the rest have departed.
Alcibiades
Yes, and I am glad of it, Socrates, and hope you will not go.
Socrates
Then you must endeavor to be as handsome as you can.
Alcibiades
Well, I shall endeavor.
Socrates
You see how you stand: Alcibiades, [131e] the son of Cleinias, it seems, neither had nor has any lover except one only, and that a cherished one, Socrates, the son of Sophroniscus and Phaenarete.