Abstract

This paper analyses the particular composition of the last book of the Quaestiones Convivales and puts it in relation to the remaining eight books. The particularity of the 9th book can be seen at different levels. The prologue is the shortest one and has no educational goals in contrast to all preceding ones. There are more questions - 15 instead of 10 - and all of them belong to the same symposion. Accordingly there is a stable constellation of participants instead of a permanent changing of characters. In this particular structure the last book should be placed near to the classical symposia of Plato and Xenophon, while the first eight books have a strong proximity to the problemata literature. A close look at the content shows an interesting development: There is no friendly conversation at the beginning, but disconnected and chaotic discussions, so the symposiarch Ammonios and other participants like Plutarch have to apply all their knowledge on symposia to achieve a friendly atmosphere. There are no programmatic discourses on symposia but a display of all necessary skills. Therefore the last book of the Quaestiones Convivales can be seen as a last examination for the reader and an opportunity to polish his learned symposiac skills. The dramatic time of this last symposion is set in the young days of Plutarch, when he was a student in Athens. He is one of the young participants, his master Ammonios is the host.While Ammonios plays the role of an alter Socrates, Plutarch as his pupil acts as a symposiast-to-be. In this way Plutarch illustrates in this last book the first step of his path to knowledge and presents himself as a worthy successor of Ammonios in sympotic competence.