#293 - The Birth of Love

#293 - The Birth of Love

From Books of Titans Podcast by Erik Rostad

May 29, 2026 · 27 min · Episode 293

About this episode

The episode explores the myth of the birth of love in Plato's Symposium and its implications on beauty and persuasion.

In this episode, I cover The Birth of Love myth in Plato’s Symposium dialogue. I don’t usually think of Plato as a myth maker, but here he is offering a different spin on the birth of Eros to show how love’s parentage shows our need for Beauty. The ladder of love leads to Plato’s heavenly form of Beauty in a wonderful way. I talk about this myth, Plato’s use of myth, and myth in general in the art of persuasion. Books / Articles Referenced: * Plato: Selected Myths / Translation by Catalin Partenie / Oxford World’s Classics * Hesiod: Theogony / Translation by M.L. West / Oxford World’s Classics * Plotinus: The Enneads on Love / Translation by Stephen Mackenna / Penguin Classics * From Plato to Christ / Louis Markos * God in the Dock: Myth Became Fact / CS. Lewis * Better Than Sex! / Deacon Harrison Garlick This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

People in this episode

Host: Erik Rostad

Topics covered

  • Plato
  • myth
  • love
  • Eros
  • Beauty
  • persuasion

Keywords

  • Plato
  • myth
  • Eros
  • Beauty
  • persuasion
  • Symposium
  • Hesiod
  • Plotinus
  • C.S. Lewis

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Plato: Selected Myths, Hesiod: Theogony, Plotinus: The Enneads on Love, From Plato to Christ, God in the Dock: Myth Became Fact, Better Than Sex!

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