The meaning of love is as intricate and unique as the purpose it serves. It seems that the nature of love is found in the mind, body and soul. In Plato's Symposium each member of the party gives their own interpretation of love. As each speaker engages in their speech, the concept of love is evaluated from different angles. According to Phaedrus, homoerotic love is the highest form of love and that sacrificing oneself for love will result in a multitude of rewards from the gods, while Pausanias believes that there are two forms of love: common and heavenly. As a physician, Eryximachus claims that love appears in every part of the universe, including plants and animals, and that protection comes from love. Before starting his speech, Aristophanes tells the group that his discussion of love may seem completely absurd, as he explains that in the beginning a body had two people who were eventually split in half by Zeus. This explains why people are constantly looking for their "other half". Furthermore, Agathon, the poet celebrated in the symposium, criticizes the previous speakers by saying that they did not praise the god of love. He states that love rejects weakness and embraces youth, also implying that love creates justice, courage and wisdom. The last person to speak is Socrates. First, he examines Agathon's speech through a series of questions in which Agathon finds himself rejecting many of the points made earlier. Although Agathon's speech is beautifully delivered, according to Socrates, it is incorrect because it lacks true philosophical content. In the midst of all the questions, Socrates comes to the conclusion that “Love is of something; second, that it is... middle of paper... unconditional love for God. Once Augustine converts, he reaches the purest form of love and is reserved exclusively for God. The Symposium, the Aeneid and the Confessions help to demonstrate how the nature of love can be found in different places, both in the mind and in the body. or the soul. These texts also provide enlightening views of love as they adapt our understanding of what love truly is. By giving ourselves a reformed love spectrum, we are able to engage in introspective thinking and determine whether the things we love are truly worthy of our feeling. Works Cited Plato. The Symposium. Trans. Christopher Gill. New York: Penguin Books, 1999. Print.Maro, Vergiliou, Publius (Virgil). The Aeneid. Trans. Allen Mandelbaum. New York: Bantam Books, 1971. Print. Augustine. Confessions. Trans. Henry Chadwick. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print.