KNOW THYSELFgests that at least some ancient Greeks read silently, the general point
about ancient textual oral performance still obtains.^8
Scholars actively debate the textual practices surrounding the cre-
ation and dissemination of the Platonic dialogues. In Harold Tarrant’s
view, the dialogues were generally performed inside the Academy. Typi-
cally, Plato or another teacher would read or “narrate” the dialogue to
the students. The narrator might supply additional information as the
“text” was performed. Tarrant suggests that Plato allowed the dialogues
with narrative frames to be disseminated publicly. In this more public
context, the narrator/author could not always be present. As a result,
the narrative frame serves the narrator/author function. The narrative
frame gives the new audience necessary information about how to enact
and interpret the dialogues.^9 Borrowing Umberto Eco’s terminology,
Victorino Tejera suggests that the narrative dimensions of the dialogues
function as “self-focusing devices” that allow the text itself to guide its
own interpretation.^10 They reveal philosophically important dimensions
of the dialogue to the audience.
How exactly do these narrative markers function? Consider the
opening of the Phaedo. The outer frame is set in Phlius. Some Pythago-
reans took refuge there after the uprisings in Croton. By setting the
dialogue in this Pythagorean enclave, Plato places the entire dialogue
in a Pythagorean context. Furthermore, there are numerous references
to words and images associated with Pythagoreanism.^11 Simply put, the
Pythagorean setting of the narrative frame and the repetition of words
and images associated with Pythagoreanism tell the audience to attend
to other Pythagorean allusions that occur throughout the dialogue. If
these narrative frames and markers do indeed function as self-focusing
devices that guide the dialogic audience, then once that preliminary
attunement is accomplished, the audience has been provided with what
Thomas Szlezák sees as a hermeneutic key to unlock the philosophi-
cal meaning of the dialogue.^12 Because of these “narrative precautions”
that “guide the audience,” the audience has learned what to listen and
look for as the dialogue progresses.^13 While these narrative markers may
have or ig i na l ly helped a n aud ience hea r t he phi losophic a l complex it y i n
an oral performance, they can still function in a similar manner in our
age of silent, private, rapid reading if we take time to consider them.
Many important philosophical themes emerge when we consider
the narrative dimensions of dialogues. Elsewhere, I offer a comprehen-
sive analysis of these themes.^14 Here, I examine Socrates’ role as a narra-
tor in the fi ve dialogues he narrates: Lysis, Republic, Charmides, Protagoras,
and Euthydemus.^15 In these dialogues, Plato presents a dual depiction of