Dialogue

 1 Charm|               idea’ or ‘class,’ (Greek), ‘temperance’ or ‘prudence,’—at the point
 2 Charm|               subject of the Charmides is Temperance or (Greek), a peculiarly
 3 Charm|                   different places either Temperance or Wisdom, as the connection
 4 Charm|               asked by Socrates, ‘What is Temperance?’ He answers characteristically, (
 5 Charm| characteristically, (1) ‘Quietness.’ ‘But Temperance is a fine and noble thing;
 6 Charm|                   again and says (2) that temperance is modesty. But this again
 7 Charm|                 application of Homer: for temperance is good as well as noble,
 8 Charm|              Critias must be the author: ‘Temperance is doing one’s own business.’
 9 Charm|               doing his own business; and temperance defined thus would be opposed
10 Charm|                   exclusively good sense: Temperance is doing one’s own business;—(
11 Charm|                   a fifth definition, (5) Temperance is self-knowledge. But all
12 Charm|           medicine—what is the subject of temperance or wisdom? The answer is
13 Charm|                    The answer is that (6) Temperance is the knowledge of what
14 Charm|                   knowledge which we term Temperance is of this reflex nature,
15 Charm|                   and the knowledge which temperance gives must be of a kind
16 Charm|                which will do us good; for temperance is a good. But this universal
17 Charm|                ascertaining the nature of temperance, which Charmides has already
18 Charm|              contained in the notion that temperance is ‘doing one’s own business,’
19 Charm|                 as the definition, not of temperance, but of justice; (5) The
20 Charm|             Socrates of any definition of temperance in which an element of science
21 Charm|                The preceding definition, ‘Temperance is doing one’s own business,’
22 Charm|            conclusion.~The definitions of temperance proceed in regular order
23 Charm|                   of the word (Greek), or temperance. From the ethical notion
24 Charm|                From the ethical notion of temperance, which is variously defined
25 Charm|                  a light on the nature of temperance, and that, unlike the distinction
26 Charm|                             CHARMIDES, OR TEMPERANCE~PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE:
27 Charm|                   fair words; and by them temperance is implanted in the soul,
28 Charm|          implanted in the soul, and where temperance is, there health is speedily
29 Charm|                  and this, as you say, is temperance?~Yes, I said.~Then let me
30 Charm|                them. If to beauty you add temperance, and if in other respects
31 Charm|           declares, you have this gift of temperance already, and are temperate
32 Charm|                   you not this quality of temperance?~Charmides blushed, and
33 Charm|             asking you a question; for if temperance abides in you, you must
34 Charm|               conjecture whether you have temperance abiding in you or not, tell
35 Charm|                 what, in your opinion, is Temperance?~At first he hesitated,
36 Charm|                   he said that he thought temperance was doing things orderly
37 Charm|               answer that, in my opinion, temperance is quietness.~Are you right,
38 Charm|                 you would not acknowledge temperance to be of the class of the
39 Charm|                    Yes, certainly.~And is temperance a good?~Yes.~Then, in reference
40 Charm|                   be the higher degree of temperance, if temperance is a good?~
41 Charm|                  degree of temperance, if temperance is a good?~True, he said.~
42 Charm|                    Clearly they are.~Then temperance is not quietness, nor is
43 Charm|                    even if we grant this, temperance will not be acting quietly
44 Charm|                  the unquiet, seeing that temperance is admitted by us to be
45 Charm|                 consider the effect which temperance has upon yourself, and the
46 Charm|              brave youth, tell me—What is temperance?~After a moment’s pause,
47 Charm|                opinion is, Socrates, that temperance makes a man ashamed or modest,
48 Charm|               ashamed or modest, and that temperance is the same as modesty.~
49 Charm|                 not admit, just now, that temperance is noble?~Yes, certainly,
50 Charm|                  And you would infer that temperance is not only noble, but also
51 Charm|                 is not good?~Clearly.~But temperance, whose presence makes men
52 Charm|                 And the inference is that temperance cannot be modesty—if temperance
53 Charm|           temperance cannot be modesty—if temperance is a good, and if modesty
54 Charm|               about another definition of temperance, which I just now remember
55 Charm|                 some one, who said, ‘That temperance is doing our own business.’
56 Charm|                  course, he replied.~Then temperance, I said, will not be doing
57 Charm|              saying, he who declared that temperance is a man doing his own business
58 Charm|                   heard this answer about temperance from Critias. And Charmides,
59 Charm|              author of this definition of temperance did not understand the meaning
60 Charm|                  accept his definition of temperance, I would much rather argue
61 Charm|               proposes as a definition of temperance, ‘doing one’s own business,’
62 Charm|                  use, of good actions, is temperance?~I do, he said.~Then not
63 Charm|                   good, and not evil: for temperance I define in plain words
64 Charm|                 are ignorant of their own temperance?~I do not think so, he said.~
65 Charm|                not know his own wisdom or temperance?~But that, Socrates, he
66 Charm|                  prove, if you deny, that temperance is self-knowledge.~Yes,
67 Charm|                replied, and discover that temperance, or wisdom, if implying
68 Charm|                  a similar question about temperance, or wisdom, which, according
69 Charm|             worthy of the name wise, does temperance or wisdom, which is the
70 Charm|                  asking in what wisdom or temperance differs from the other sciences,
71 Charm|                    And this is wisdom and temperance and self-knowledge—for a
72 Charm|                 which is called wisdom or temperance is included. I altogether
73 Charm|          acknowledge this to be wisdom or temperance, until I can also see whether
74 Charm|                   have an impression that temperance is a benefit and a good.
75 Charm|        Callaeschrus, as you maintain that temperance or wisdom is a science of
76 Charm|                 are right in your view of temperance.~Critias heard me say this,
77 Charm|               knows health;—not wisdom or temperance, but the art of medicine
78 Charm|                   neither, from wisdom or temperance: and the same of other things.~
79 Charm|                Then, assuredly, wisdom or temperance, if only a science of science,
80 Charm|                   any longer in wisdom or temperance which yet remains, if this
81 Charm|                  science is not wisdom or temperance, but a science of human
82 Charm|                 be of use, then wisdom or temperance will not be of use.~And
83 Charm|                   names gave this name of temperance or wisdom. And yet many
84 Charm|                 be the true definition of temperance or wisdom: which result,
85 Charm|                beauty and such wisdom and temperance of soul, should have no
86 Charm|                 life from your wisdom and temperance. And still more am I grieved
87 Charm|                   enquirer, for wisdom or temperance I believe to be really a
88 Charm|                   this gift of wisdom and temperance; for how can I know whether
89 Charm|                shall have a proof of your temperance, that is, if you allow yourself