Platonic Love: Brains Or Body?

Brains or Body?
History is a large mystery only to be discovered through assumption of clues left behind from the people of the time. Greek and Roman culture are particularly interesting to scholars of today because of the deep faith embedded in their lives and actions. Plato and Longus both write of love in different settings though we now look at them on their truth value. Scholars analyze these to determine the day to day life of each civilization and how body, desire, sex, and love play into the beliefs of the people. Plato’s view on love and expressions through the symposium, vary within themselves making the truth fall on a spectrum of love. In Longus’ novel the answers to these questions are more straight forward but the writing itself

Through his explanations of these we find his personal views heavily influence which form is “correct” and more desirable. Platonic love being the desirable of all love forms. Platonic love is conceived by play to be ascending past desire for the individual to have passion for wisdom and ideal knowledge. This is a close relationship between two individuals in which sexual desire should be nonexistent or at the least suppressed. Through platonic love, male-male relationships were the ideal as men were supposed to be wise and philosophical while women were supposed to be caretakers and, in basics, baby factories. Women were generally seen as reproductive partners to continue lineage rather than an ultimate partner. Although male-male love is specific in the writings of Plato, it is still the more desirable for intellectual sharing. Plato

This can be seen when Daphnis and Chloe originally begin attempts to have sex, they are too innocent to understand how to do it. This provides opportunity for an older, more experienced woman to teach Daphnis. An interesting scene in itself, this furthers Daphnis’ sexual maturity while again promoting male-female relationships. In other texts women’s sexuality is supposed to be suppressed and almost feared by men. Women who express their sexuality are often seen as sinful or given into evil. In Daphnis and Chloe Lycaenion is not shamed for her actions, but she is written as a helping hand. She teaches Daphnis how to love “properly” and this is portrayed as furthering his connection to Chloe. This entire scene is showing sexual maturity to grow Daphnis and Chloe’s relationship. Another sexual scene is the attempted rape of Daphnis, which does two things. His opposition to love with another male proves his love to Chloe even though the relationship may be difficult to obtain. It also furthers the ideal of male-female relationships over male-male relationships which were previously thought to be the more