This blog has been createdby Mair Lloyd to help the A396 class of 2009 to do some work on Plato’s Symposium together – it is not an official Open University site. Anyone at all with an interest in the Symposium is welcome to contribute and learn. Thanks for joining us.
Hello,
I have been looking and looking for the correct way to cite Plato’s Symposium and all the speeches within. Particularly that of Aristophanes. I was told I cited incorrectly when quoting the speech and citing Plato as the author.
While Aristophanes MAY have created the myth itself, Plato wrote the damned Symposium. Am I incorrect?
Thanks for clearing this up.
-Diana
Hi Diana,
I am very flattered that you think I will be able to sort it out 🙂 However, I am just a student like you doing my best to learn as much Classics as I can. Having said that, I am sure you should be citing Plato as the author. Although some of his characters are real people, the way he portrays them may not be accurate and may well be adapted to delivering his own message. Aristophanes did not necessarily write the words credited to him in the Symposium – Plato did. If you want to fall in with your tutors, you could go for something like
‘…. quote’ (‘Arisophanes’ in Plato, date, p.xxx) or whatever format you have been told to follow, having put Plato in as the author in your reference list, but I think a simple reference to Plato would be correct.
Hope this helps a bit.
All the best with your studies.
Any other opinions on this welcome here too 🙂