ABSTRACT
The 'bittersweet' eros of Sappho appears to have been regarded by Theognis as well as most other Greeks, as bitter rather than sweet, and in any case dangerous and potentially destructive. Most people doubted that erotic mania could be tamed, and opted for less ardent but controllable attraction, siding therefore with Plato's Lysias. For them, eros in moderation was gratifying, while passionate desire threatened individuals and even communities. Plato considered erotic passion as an excellent example of the ambiguous kinds of mania, and had Socrates articulate this idea. Together with his contemporaries who enjoyed love in a respectful fashion, Plato's Socrates thought that a lover had to revere the beloved's soul and body: passion out of control was definitely detrimental to the lover and the beloved. Plato parted ways from common thought, suggesting that in a wise person, erotic mania in conjunction with ascetic discipline is conductive to a union with the divine and therefore a blessing.
