ANNE-MARIE BOWERYrative dialogues demands further consideration. Here, I simply suggest
that it symbolizes the philosophical power of narrative to move us from
ignorance to wisdom.
The narrative focus shifts when Charmides enters the Palaestra
(154b). Socrates agrees to pretend that he has the cure for Charmides’
early morning headaches (155b). Socrates is mesmerized by his brief
glances beneath Charmides’ cloak (155d), but once he regains com-
posure, he tells the story of King Zalmoxis and the headache charm
(156d– 157d). Socrates then recounts the conversation between himself,
Critias, and Charmides about the nature of sophrosune and how one gains
control of tyrannical desire. The dialogue ends without any clear indica-
tion that Charmides has benefi ted from the discussion about this “great
good,” and with a strong suggestion that Charmides would choose force
over the persuasive capability of genuine philosophical conversation.
In addition to these many structural similarities between the
Charmides, Lysis, and Republic, Socrates’ narrative style in the Charmides
resembles his narrative style in the preceding dialogues. Socrates pro-
vides details about the setting and perceptive comments about his inter-
locutors. Socrates also assesses his own emotional state and intellectual
attitudes (153b, 153c– d, 155c– e, 156d, 162c, 170c). Socrates’ narrative
voice remains a consistent presence throughout the dialogue, and the
dialogue remains in the temporality of the narrated events. Through-
out the dialogue, Socrates presents himself as a reliable narrator. He
does not qualify his narrative with any claims about not remembering
clearly. One might think that Socrates’ admission of his willingness to
mislead Charmides about having a cure for his headache would detract
from Socrates’ narrative reliability. However, as was the case in the Lysis,
Socrates’ willingness to reveal his subterfuge to the audience demon-
strates a level of trust and honesty between himself and his friend that
was clearly not present in his encounter with Charmides and Critias.
As with the preceding dialogues, Socrates’ willingness to narrate the
conversation implies an amiable relationship between himself and his
narrative audience, a relationship where he can speak freely in a way
that he could not during the narrated events.
The Protagoras’ narrative structure differs from the preceding three
dialogues.^28 It starts with a brief enacted exchange between Socrates
and a friend (309a– 310a). A friend questions Socrates: “Where have
you just come from, Socrates?” The friend apparently knows Socrates
well, as his answer to his initial query evidences: “It’s pretty obvious that
you’ve been hunting the ripe and ready Alcibiades” (309a). This en-
acted beginning increases the dialogue’s narrative complexity because