KNOW THYSELFit creates a dramatic context in which Socrates the character becomes
Socrates the narrator. The enacted beginning calls the audience’s at-
tention to the fact that Socrates will narrate the subsequent events.
Though this beginning is enacted and not reported, the dialogue con-
tains many structural similarities and thematic parallels with the other
dialogues Socrates narrates. We do not know exactly where or when
this conversation occurs.^29 It takes place almost immediately after the
events that Socrates will soon narrate. Again, this indeterminacy is even
more apparent when compared to the detail that Socrates’ narrative
provides. This extended enacted conversation between Socrates and his
friend may suggest something about the narrative audience of the other
narrated dialogues. For example, though we do not see the request for
Socrates’ narrative in the other three dialogues, we can assume that
Socrates is narrating in response to a request, as he does here. Also, the
friend indicates that other people are present in the narrative audience
(310a). It is likely that a group of people listen to the other narratives
that Socrates tells.^30 We can also assume that Socrates willingly narrates
to people he considers friends and to people interested in the story.
After the initial conversation between Socrates and his friend,
Socrates tells the story in an uninterrupted fashion. The narration be-
gins in Socrates’ bedroom: “Just before daybreak, while it was still dark,
Hippocrates, son of Apollodoros and Phason’s brother, banged on my
door with his stick, and when it was opened for him he barged right
in and yelled in that voice of his, ‘Socrates, are you awake or asleep?’ ”
(310b). As he does in most of the preceding dialogues, Socrates reports
a change in physical location. Actually, two location shifts occur. Hip-
pocrates and Socrates move from the bedroom and walk in the court-
yard of Socrates’ house (311b) as they discuss Hippocrates’ motivation
for seeking out instruction from a sophist (311b– 314c). Once they arrive
at Callias’ house, Socrates recounts their encounter with the doorman
(314d) and he describes the numerous sophists in attendance (314c–
317e). Socrates narrates his initial conversation with Protagoras about
the possibility of teaching political virtue (317e– 320c) and recounts the
narrative that Protagoras tells of Prometheus (320c– 328d). Socrates also
relates their conversation about the unity of the virtues (329d– 331b).
Socrates reports his desire to stop the conversation and he explains
how Alcibiades intercedes on his behalf (335c– 338e). After being “per-
suaded to stay” (335d), Socrates recounts Protagoras’ interpretations of
Simonides’ poem and his own (338e– 347a) and how he asks Prodicus
for help. Socrates then narrates the fi nal conversation about the inter-
relationship of virtues like courage and wisdom and their relationship