The Symposium

A roomful of Athenians falls silent—not at a philosopher’s argument, but at the sight of a beautiful young athlete. Then comes a knock: a jester has arrived uninvited, hoping to earn his supper with jokes.

After the horse races at Athens’ great Panathenaic festival, wealthy Callias gathers Socrates and his companions to dine with Autolycus, the young victor, and his father. In the glow of the feast, talk turns from beauty and love to the awkward business of making people laugh. But Philippus, the professional jester, finds his jokes falling flat—and mourns that laughter itself has vanished from the world. Can this supper restore his fortunes, or will its guests prove too serious even for a jester?

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