KNOW THYSELFcess of examination turned inward but one infused with a remarkable
degree of passion, sensitivity to feeling, and refl ection on the emotional
dimensions of human experience.
A Socratic State of MindThough Socrates the narrator could simply narrate these dialogues as a
reported factual account of events, he includes descriptions of Socrates
the character’s state of mind. Consider the opening passages of these
narrated dialogues again. Socrates begins the Charmides: “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.
So I went into the Palaestra” (153a). A similar self-observation begins
the Republic: “I went down to the Piraeus yesterday with Glaucon, son
of Ariston, to pray to the goddess; and, at the same time, I wanted to
observe how they would put on the festival, since they were now hold-
ing it for the fi rst time.” Socrates also assesses his experience: “Now, in
my opinion, the procession of the native inhabitants was fi ne; but the
one the Thracians conducted was no less fi tting a show” (327a). This
passage suggests that Socrates can judge fairly and impartially, that he
does not immediately prefer the Athenian performance simply because
he is Athenian. The Protagoras begins with a brief exchange between
Socrates and his friend. In this initial conversation, Socrates recounts
his thoughts about his encounter with Alcibiades and Protagoras (309a–
310). Once Socr ates beg ins nar r at ing, he includes numerous indicat ions
of his thoughts and perceptions. For example, Socrates “recognizes
[Hippocrates] and his fi ghting spirit (310a, 310c). Socrates wants to “see
what Hippocrates was made of and begins to question him” (311b). In
this way, Socrates the narrator focuses the audience’s attention on both
the narrated events and the mind-set of Socrates the character.
The enacted conversation that begins the Euthydemus also empha-
sizes Socrates’ state of mind. Though not without ironic undertones,
Socrates tells Crito that he thought the brothers were “amazing” and
that he has “a mind to hand myself over to these men” (272a) were it not
for the “anxiety he would feel at disgracing them” (272c). Once Socrates
begins his narration, he immediately describes his state of mind: “I was
sitting by myself in the undressing room just where you saw me and was
already thinking of leaving. But when I got up, my customary divine sign
put in an appearance. So I sat down again” (272e).^48
By beginning his narratives in this way, Socrates the narrator gives
the audience a window into Socrates the character’s thoughts. While
these beginning observations that Socrates makes about his state of