Symposium - AIC

Conclusion: the philosophical import of a medicine connected to cosmology
Laura Candiotto
The perspective presented in Eryximachus’ discourse plays an important role among the passages of
the Corpus Platonicum in relation to harmony, enabling to grasp its cosmological and holistic
character. In his encomium cosmological medicine assumes the character of philosophy. Therefore it
comes to partake in the general framework of a platonic philosophy of relations 55 , which aims to
institute and recreate harmonies among parts whether operating at cosmological, ontological, ethical
or political levels. Re-evaluating Eryximachus’ discourse in this light enables us also to verify the
positive role of his character and his discourse in the interpretation of the Symposium. Although for
reasons of space it is not possible to develop further this subject of enquiry in this paper, I would like
to conclude with three questions which trace a possible trajectory of research: to what extent does the
metaxy of Socrate-Diotima’s discourse depend on the concept of harmony developed by
Eryximachus? Is it possible to intend the metaxy not as something which stands in the middle of a
division but as a proportional equilibrium which does not transform the ugly in beautiful but in
something qualitatively and quantitatively different? To what extent the ascent from the corporeal
plane to divination present in Eryximachus’ encomium is connected to the erotic ascent expressed by
Diotima? 56
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55 Candiotto 2011
56 In relation to this last question, contextualized with references drawn from the Republic and Timeous, cf. Edelstein 1945,
p. 93.
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