Platonic love? Not for Greek thinker

|

Sydney Morning Herald:

Not so platonic after all ... an academic claims the Greek philospher included coded messages in his work.

PLATO never believed in Platonic love, says an academic who has unlocked the secret codes of the ancient Greek philosopher's writings.
Despite giving his name to the notion that spiritual love without sex is the highest form of romance, Plato in fact celebrated eroticism and advocated a middle path, avoiding both promiscuity and abstinence.
The new interpretation of Plato's writings comes from Dr Jay Kennedy, a science historian at the University of Manchester, who uncovered secret messages hidden within his work.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Plato's teacher, Socrates, was executed for ''corrupting the youth'' and Plato feared for his own safety. So the philosopher used a cryptic series of musical symbols to hide his true beliefs, Dr Kennedy says.