KNOW THYSELFSocrates, Glaucon, Adeimantus, and the others discuss simple, imita-
tive, and mixed narrative styles (392e following). Here the philosophical
content leads the audience to refl ect upon the narrative structure of the
Republic itself.^22 Additionally, as a character within the story, Socrates
tells narrative stories to his dramatic audience at pedagogically signifi -
cant moments, for example, the allegory of the Cave (book 7) and the
Myth of Er (book 10), and other characters, such as Glaucon, also tell
stories (359d following). In all these ways, the structure and theme of
the Republic call attention to the narrative process in a way that the Lysis
does not. However, perhaps due to the dialogue’s length, Socrates’ narra-
tive commentary largely disappears after 449a.^23 As a narrator, Socrates
moves into the temporality of the narrated events. On this point, Jacob
Howland notes that “the Republic ends in direct discourse even though it
began in indirect discourse. The effect is to make the reader forget that
Socrates is narrating the dialogue.”^24
The Charmides also begins with Socrates narrating: “Yesterday eve-
ning we returned from the army at Potidaea and having been a good
while away, I thought that I should like to go and look at my old haunts”
(153a).^25 Again, we do not know to whom Socrates speaks or exactly
where he is when he recounts these events to his friend. While Socrates
considers his narrative audience a “friend” (154c, 155c), his identity is
otherwise indiscernible. As in the Lysis and the Republic, his audience
does not interrupt the narrative. As in the Republic, we can assign an ap-
proximate dramatic date to the story that Socrates chooses to narrate,
either 432 or 429 b.c.e.^26 However, we do not know how much time has
elapsed between the narrated events and the subsequent narration.^27
Socrates amply describes the setting. The encounter took place “at
the Palaestra of Ta u r e a s , which is over against the temple of Basile, and
there I found a number of persons, most of whom I knew, but not all.
My visit was unexpected, and no sooner did they see me entering than
they saluted me from afar on all sides” (153a). Socrates also explains the
dramatic context. Chaerephon hails him from behind (153b). Chaere-
phon immediately refers to another report about the battle that they
have heard but only incompletely (153c). Socrates is asked to recount
episodes from the battle. Socrates then asks “about the state of affairs in
the city and about the present state of philosophy and about the young
men, whether there were any who had become distinguished for wis-
dom or beauty or both” (153d). These references to previous narrative
activity call attention to the fact that Socrates is telling a narrative. This
specifi city of the narrative setting starkly contrasts the indeterminacy
of its retelling. This movement from aporia to knowledge in these nar-