Symposium - AIC

The concept of harmony (187 a-e) and its cosmological role in Eryximachus’
discourse
Introduction
Laura Candiotto
This article aims to analyze the role of harmony specifically in the Symposium 187a-e and, more
generally, in Eryximachus’ discourse. In opposition to those who consider Eryximachus a pedant 1 ,
whose discourse is refuted by Diotima’s discourse 2 , the paper proposes an interpretation emphasizing
literary and philosophical aspects which enable us to grasp the positive significance carried by
Eryximachus’ discourse within the Symposium 3 .
After having analyzed Eryximachus’ character and its role in the dialogue, the concept of
“harmony” will be explored in relation to pre-Socratic physics and Hippocratic medicine. The aim of
this article is to evaluate the philosophical import of a “cosmological medicine”, emphasizing how
this concept recurs also in other dialogues, and to present reasons for considering it as an expression
of platonic philosophy.
Eryximachus and the medicine of IV Century
Eryximachus 4 is a physikos belonging to a family of doctors 5 (his father is Acumenus) whose
members trace their origin back to Asclepius. As a platonic character, we find him – in addition to the
Symposium – in Protagoras 315c, where he questions Hippias about nature, astronomy and
meteorology. Moreover, he is cited in Phaedrus 268a as Phaedrus’s friend 6 . In these three occasions
he is presented as a friend of Phaedrus, so his relationship with him developed at least from 433/432
BC, dramatic dating of Protagoras, to 416 BC, dramatic dating of the Symposium. One Eryximachus
is cited among those who desecrate the Herms in 415, but it is not clear whether or not he is the
Eryximachus we are referring to.
Eryximachus represents temperance or – we could say on the basis of what will be
demonstrated below – the concept of harmony: as a symposiarch he decides a correct balance to the
proportions of water and wine 7 , as a doctor he proposes a therapy for Aristophanes’ hiccups 8 , as a
good musician he establishes the order of discourses and restores it after the disorder generated by
Alcibiades’ arrival 9 . The characterization of Eryximachus reflects thus the content conveyed by his
encomium of Eros and by his prominent position in the dialogue 10 . Arguably, grasping these aspects
enables us to question, at least partially, the assumption that Eryximachus’ discourse is pedantic and
sophistic.
Plato intervened with a discourse of this type in the debate 11 concerning the relation between
philosophy and medicine, which develops in the fifth Century due to the establishment of Hippocratic
medicine 12 . In the discourse of Eryximachus, Plato places himself between Empedocles and the Ionics
on the one hand and Hippocrates on the other 13 . The discourse is thought also as a response to
Eleatism and Heraclitism in relation to the nature of the compounds.
The Cosmological role of harmony
We are going to highlight now the aspects of closeness and distance between Eryximachus’ discourse
and each of these positions, in particular in relation to the cosmological role of harmony, to the
1
Bury 1909, Robin 1929, Dover 1980, Rosen 1987, Nehamas 1989.
2
For example Corrigan 2004.
3
In line with Edlestein 1945, Konstan, Young-Bruehl 1982, Rowe 1999, Hunter 2004, McPerrhan 2006, Cooksey 2010.
4
Nails 2002.
5
Plat., Symp. 214b.
6
Cf. also Plat., Symp. 177a.
7
Plat., Symp.176b, 214b.
8
Plat., Symp. 185c7-8.
9
Plat. Symp. 223b.
10
In agreement with what has been demonstrated by Edelstein 1945, in particular cf. p. 99.
11
Cambiano 1991, Longrigg 1993, Vegetti 1995.
12 Edelstein 1945.
13 Jouanna 1961.