Diotima of Mantinea

Abstract

Diotima and Aspasia are the only two women who are characterized as philosophers in the Socratic dialogues of Plato although other women, notably Axiothea of Philesia and Lasthenia of Mantinea, are known to have been students of Plato. Both Diotima and Aspasia are widely regarded as non-philosophers: the former because she is assumed to be the only fictitious person created by Plato, the latter because her role as author of the Epitaphia, which comprises most of the Menexenus, is viewed as an example of Platonic cynicism. In Section I of this chapter, I discuss various aspects of Diotima's philosophy and distinguish it from that of Plato and of Socrates. In Section II I present the evidence others have given to the effect that Diotima was not a historical person but rather was a fictitious character created by Plato. In Section III I examine the evidence in favor of the historicity of Diotima and in Section IV offer textual support for that claim.