Symposia were held just as

a passing of time over

wine. To what extent is
this adequate a description
of symposia held till
300BC?
a passing of time over wine Plutarch, Convivial Questions 621C
Latin Internal Assessment SL

Laxmi Kaliyappan
788
 Contents

1) Title Page
2) Contents Page
3) Introduction
4) Sources and Annotations
i) Symposia were serious affairs (guests entertained themselves)
ii) Symposia were for the celebration of accomplishments
iii) Symposia were for the enjoyment of entertainment
iv) Symposia were for relaxation
v) Symposia were rowdy, violent affairs
vi) Symposia were held for games and revels
vii) The dinner feast
5) Conclusion
6) Bibliography

Introduction

Symposium itself comes from the Greek verb (sympinein) meaning to drink

together like a modern-day drinking party. This was a male-only affair that took place in the
Andron1. However, men usually brought a (hetaira)2. Plutarch defines a symposium as

a passing of time over wine3. To what extent is this an adept description of symposia? My

research has shown that documented symposia were held for different purposes. Different

symposiasts led to different symposia being held. In the following dossier I have included a

variety of sources from my research, cognisant of their validity.

Held for self-entertainment amongst guests

1 The Andron was the mens quarters of an ancient Greek house. It would be the most
elaborately decorated room in the house decorated with tapestries and mosaic floors. It
contained a dining room furnished with couches and tables. At a symposium the guests would
have reclined on their left elbows on couches arranged around the sides of the Andron.
2 a high-class prostitute used for entertainment at symposia
3 Plutarch, Convivial Questions 621C
Source A

Plato, Laches. Protagoras. Meno. Euthydemus. 347D-E

But where the party consists of thorough gentlemen who have had a proper education, you
will see neither flute-girls nor dancing-girls nor harp-girls, but only the company contenting
themselves with their own conversation, and none of these fooleries and frolics each
speaking and listening decently in his turn, even though they may drink a great deal of wine."

Translation: W. R. M. Lamb, Plato, Laches. Protagoras. Meno. Euthydemus Cambridge MA:

Harvard University Press 1924

Source A suggests that symposia were held for the conversation amongst a company of men.

Plato suggests that the best symposium does not involve external entertainment:

(flute-girls) or (dancing-girls) or (harp-girls). He

dismisses this entertainment as unnecessary and perceives good conversation amongst

4 being more desirable. Hence, we can infer that symposia were hosted for the

entertainment elicited from philosophical conversation. However, it is noteworthy that Plato 5

would prefer philosophical discussion to drinking copious amounts of wine; therefore

questioning how representative this source is of symposia.

4 Reference to the description of the ideal personal conduct which is that if he is both
it means he is both handsome and good. A social translation of this phrase would be
a gentleman.
5 An ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician born circa 427BC
Held for celebration of achievements

Source B

Xenophon, Symposium, 1.2

It was on the occasion of the horse-races at the greater Panathenaic games; Kallias,
Hipponikoss son, was enamoured, as it happened, of the boy Autolykos, and in honour of
his victory in the Pankration had brought him to see the spectacle.

Translation: O. J. Todd, Xenophon, Symposium, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press,

1923.

Source B shows a symposium hosted by Kallias 6 for the celebration of Autolykos winning the

Pankration7. However, the credibility of this source is disputed8. Ceding this may not be a

firsthand account; it still seems to be representative of symposia held for the celebration of

achievement. Xenophon refers to the symposium as a (spectacle) which has

connotations of it being a grand event. So, we can see that Kallias may have hosted this

symposium to impress Autolykos because he was (enamoured) of him. This may have

6 Kallias was an ancient Athenian aristocrat and political figure. He was the son of
Hipponicus by the former wife of Cleinias, and the third member of one of the most
distinguished Athenian families to bear the name of Kallias.
7 Literally meaning "all of might" the Pankration was a sporting event introduced into the
Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC and founded as a blend of boxing and wrestling but with
scarcely any rules.
8 Classica et Mediaevalia 55 by Ole Thomsen, published by Museum Tusculanum Press, 2 Sep 2005, Page 18 -
It is generally accepted that the Xenophons Symposium does not record an historical event. The most popular
argument against historicity rests on the fact that it is set at a date (422BC) when by most accounts Xenophon
was a very young boy. It is widely accepted that Xenophon was born around 425BC, based on the evidence that
he refers to himself as a young man in the Anabasis (written by Xenophon about the expedition of Cyrus the
Younger, a Persian prince, against his brother, King Artaxerxes II). It is also worth noting that Xenophon does
not actually appear at all during the symposium. This seems to undermine his attendance. But these arguments
against the historicity of the work are not decisive by themselves as we do not really known when Xenophon
was born.
also been a show of wealth from Kallias 9, as symposia also functioned as an opportunity for

aristocratic men to display their wealth and sophistication10.

Held for the enjoyment of external entertainment

Source D

Xenophon, Symposium, 2.1-2.3

He had with him a fine flute- girl, a dancing-girl

one of those skilled in acrobatic tricks,
and a very handsome boy, who was expert
at playing the cither and at dancing; the Syracusan
made money by exhibiting their performances as a
spectacle. They now played for the assemblage,
the flute-girl on the flute, the boy on the cither;
and it was agreed that both furnished capital amuse-
ment. Thereupon Socrates remarked: " On my
word, Kallias, you are giving us a perfect dinner;
for not only have you set before us a feast that is
above criticism, but you are also offering us very
delightful sights and sounds.

Translation: O. J. Todd, Xenophon, Symposium, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press,

1923.

Source D highlights the importance of entertainment at symposia. Entertainment appears to

be necessary, as Socrates says, for a (perfect) dinner party. It seems that the greater

the varieties of entertainment on offer the better the symposium in providing capital

9 He was regarded as infamous for his extravagance and profligacy. His inherited fortune
came from the leasing of large numbers of slaves to the state-owned silver mines of Laurium
for which in return, the Kalliai were paid a share of the mine proceeds, in silver.
10 William J. Slater, 1991. "Introduction," ed. William J. Slater, Dining in a Classical Context
(Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press 1991): 1-5. "a symposium was a place for the
ostentatious display not just of gilded ceilings or inlaid floors, Ionian couches, exotic
entertainment, or luxury vases, but also of the cultural quality of host and guests".
amusement. Socrates also devises an idea of the symposium appealing to all the senses,

through sight (dancing-girl), taste (dinner feast) and sound (flute or cithara). This challenges

Plutarchs definition of a symposium as passing of time over wine11 and Platos ideal

symposium too12.

Held for relaxation

Source E

Aristophanes, Wasps, 1212-1217

Bdelycleon
Spread your knees on the tapestries and give your body the most easy curves, like those
taught in the gymnasium. Then praise some bronze vase, survey the ceiling, admire the
awning stretched over the court. Water is poured over our hands; the tables are spread; we sup
and, after ablution, we now offer libations to the gods.

Translation: http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg004.perseus-
eng1:1170-1223

Source E focuses on the relaxation aspect of symposia. In Aristophaness comedic play

Wasps Bdelycleon advises Procleon13 before he attends a symposium. Upon Procleon asking

Bdelycleon how to recline at a symposium, Bdelycleon replies give your body the most easy

curves suggesting that there was no strict protocol for sitting upright or in a certain manner.

The use of the superlative enhances this relaxed manner showing that symposia required little

work apart from praising or admiring surroundings.

11 Plutarch, Convivial Questions 621C

12 Source A
13 Father of Bdelycleon
Rowdy affairs leading to violence

Source G

Lucian, The Carousal (Symposium) or The Lapiths. 47

The wounded
men were carried away in sorry condition, especially
the old man Zenothemis, who had one hand on his
nose and the other on his eye and was shouting that
he was dying with pain, so that Hermon, in spite of
his own sad plight (for he had had two teeth
knocked out) called attention to it and said : " Just
remember, Zenothemis, that you do consider pain of
some consequence, after all! "The bridegroom, after
his wound had been dressed by Dionicus, was taken
home with his head wrapped in bandages,

Translation: A. M. Harmon. Loeb Classical Library 14. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press, 1913.

Source G is an example of a rowdy symposium. We see that the (bridegroom) was

wounded suggesting that this symposium must have been a celebratory event before the

intemperance of wine. This shows the influence of wine at the symposium and that leads to a
violent passing of time over wine14 due to overindulgence. We see that Zenothemis was

dying with pain yet this could be a hyperbolic description Lucian has used to promote

temperance and to discourage disorderly symposia.

Held for games and revels

Source H

The Brygos Painter

Made in Athens
Excavated: Vulci
490BC-480BC

Walters, H B; Forsdyke, E J; Smith, C H, Catalogue of Vases in the British Museum, I-IV, London,
BMP, 1893

Source I

Vase number: 203844

Berlin, Antikensammlung
F2298

Beazley, J.D.,
Attic Red-figure Vase-painters, 1st ed. (Oxford, 1942): 241.29

14 Plutarch, Convivial Questions 621C

These sources are Kylix15 paintings. Source H is a scene of komos 16 where the men clearly

look unrestrained in contrast to 17. This source suggests that maybe these

types of symposia were more common than the philosophical symposia. Source I depicts a

scene of kottabos18 and maybe skolion19 too. The kottabos game shows that the the passing

of time20 was also through playing with wine. The man on the far left of the Kylix looks like

hes struggling to formulate the next verse in a game of skolion; suggesting that symposia

may also have been exacting events that required guests to be quick-witted.

The Dinner feast

Source J

After them first came not an ordinary tureen, my love, but a riveted vessel of huge size; ... a
glistening dish of eels to break our fast, full of conger-faced morsels that would delight a god.
After this another pot of the same size came in, and a soused ray of perfect roundness. There
were small kettles, one containing some meat of a shark, another a sting-ray. Another rich
dish there was, made of squid and sepia-polyps with soft tentacles. After this came a grey
mullet hot from its contact with fire, the whole as large as the table, exhaling spirals of steam.
After it came breaded squid, my friend, and crooked prawns done brown. Following these we
had flower-leaved cakes and fresh confections spiced puff-cakes of wheat with frosting, large
as the pot. This is called the 'navel of the feast' by you and me, I ween. Last there came the
gods are my witnesses a monstrous slice of tunny, baked hot, from over the sea where it
was carved with knives from the meatiest part of the belly.

Athenaeus, The Deipnosophistae

Translation: Charles Burton Gulick, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1927 1941

Source J shows a lavish menu that was served at a symposium. We can see that the

complexity of the meal shows how important food was to a symposium. Referring to

15 a type of wine-drinking cup

16 a rowdy, usually drunken, dance
17 Seen in Source A
18 A game frequently played at symposia. The game involves flicking wine from the cup
usually at a target bowl. Inside the target bowl were small floating dishes and the aim was to
sink them; however, there are many variations of this game.
19 Skolion is a game where the drinker/leader started to sing a short verse on a subject of his
choice and the next drinker had to continue from where he had left off. This game is known
to require great ingenuity and skill.
20 Plutarch, Convivial Questions 621C
Socratess idea21 we can see that the meal appeals to the sense of taste. This highlights the

importance of the meal itself, refuting Plutarchs view of the symposium merely being a

passing of time over wine22, because food was consumed as well.

Conclusion

From the variety of my sources I can see that symposia were not just a passing of time over

wine23. Although all symposia involved drinking wine, my sources show that food was

served as well showing that eating was involved too with drinking. However, I do

comprehend that strictly speaking the meal is not part of the symposium 24. Symposia were

held for different purposes; some symposia were conservative held for philosophical

discussion amongst friends. Some were rowdy affairs involving violence. Some were just for

relaxation amongst friends, which seems to fit best with Plutarchs definition of symposia.

21 Source D
22 Plutarch, Convivial Questions 621C
23 Plutarch, Convivial Questions 621C
24 Francois Lissarague, The Aesthetics of the Greek Banquet: Images of Wine and Ritual, tr.
Andrew Szegedy-Maszak (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press 1990): 7. The
symposium is often defined as a banquet, though this is not entirely accurate due to the fact
that symposia were generally held after the meal itself.
 Bibliography

Primary Sources

Aristophanes, Wasps

Athenaeus, The Deipnosophistae

Lucian, The Lapiths or The Carousel

Plutarch, Convivial Questions

Plato, Laches. Protagoras. Meno. Euthydemus

Xenophon, Symposium

Beazley, J.D., Attic Red-figure Vase-painters, 1st ed. (Oxford, 1942): 241.29
Walters, H B; Forsdyke, E J; Smith, C H, Catalogue of Vases in the British Museum, I-IV,

London, BMP, 1893

Secondary Sources

Ole Thomsen, Classica et Mediaevalia 55, published by Museum Tusculanum Press, 2 Sep

2005

William J. Slater, 1991. "Introduction," ed. William J. Slater, Dining in a Classical Context

(Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press 1991)

Francois Lissarague, The Aesthetics of the Greek Banquet: Images of Wine and Ritual, tr.

Andrew Szegedy-Maszak (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press 1990)