It was interesting to read about how different Greek writers viewed the idea of love. To Plato, love could take many forms, as shown through several different speakers in the Symposium. Despite these differing perspectives, Plato insists that the love of wisdom is the greatest form that love can take, in a sense because to love wisdom is to strive for self-improvement and knowledge. These virtuous qualities are what give love the utmost value in a man. On the other hand, Sappho views love with a more physical effect. According to Sappho, love can act as a driving force between two subjects, and is the most sought after beauty in any human. Love represents an inner connection between a person and a subject, and is rare to find in true form. Lastly, Catullus takes a view on love that is somewhere in between, as shown through his description of his relationship with Lesbia. Catullus establishes that love has both a physical and sentimental aspect. He briefly mentions that he enjoys kissing Lesbia, to demonstrate the physical love he feels for her. However, he does not move past this physical description, but rather talks about the mutual devotion of time and effort into their emotional connection. Thus, Catullus emphasizes that love is dual in nature, similar to Plato’s sentiment that love can take on many forms. Thus, these three Greek writers had quite varying perceptions of love.
Great Works of Literature, Spring 2017 (hybrid)
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