The Economic Times

Quote of the day by Socrates: 'Love is always poor, and anything but fair, as the many imagine; it is rough and has no shoes...' - Love lessons on desire and why humans want what they do not have by the ancient Greek philosopher

Socrates description of Love in Platos The Symposium turns a familiar idea of romance on its head. Instead of presenting Love as beautiful, gentle and complete, he describes it as poor, rough and homeless. The unusual image comes from a lesson Socrates says he learned from Diotima, who explains Loves nature through the contrasting forces of Plenty and Poverty.