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THE BANQUET OP PLATO 

 Photogravure from the Painting by Ansel in Fcucrbacli. 



Banquets or Symposia were very frequent in ancient Greece. The Banquet 

 of Plato, reproduced here from Feuerbach's original painting, gives us a lively 

 idea of such entertainments at Athens. The enjoyment was heightened by 

 agreeable conversation and by the introduction of. music and dancing. Some- 

 times philosophical subjects were discussed, although a symposium, as the 

 Greek term implies, was originally only intended as a drinking party. The 

 guests reclined on couches and were crowned with garlands of flowers. 



Feuerbach's great painting presents a symposium to which the banqueters, 

 mcluding Socrates, were invited by Plato to celebrate the tragic victory of" 

 Agathon, and, as they were not in the mood for hard drinking, they dismissed 

 the flute girl, and entertained each other with the praise of love. "The Ban- 

 quet of Plato" won universal admiration when it was first placed on view 

 at the International Exhibition of Munich in 1869. 



