Book 3, Chapter 7

Now Charmides, ¹ the son of Glaucon, was, as Socrates observed, a man of mark and influence: a much more powerful person in fact than the mass of those devoted to politics at that date, but at the same time he was a man who shrank from approaching the people or busying himself with the concerns of the state. Accordingly Socrates addressed him thus:

Socrates observed that Charmides, ¹ the son of Glaucon, was a prominent and influential man. In fact, he was much more powerful than most people involved in politics at the time. But he was reluctant to address the people or involve himself in public affairs. So Socrates spoke to him as follows:

Tell me, Charmides, supposing some one competent to win a victory in the arena and to receive a crown, ² whereby he will gain honour himself and make the land of his fathers more glorious in Hellas, ³ were to refuse to enter the lists—what kind of person should you set him down to be?

Tell me, Charmides, suppose someone could win a victory in the arena and receive a crown. ² By doing so, he would gain honor for himself and bring greater glory to his homeland in Hellas. ³ What would you think of him if he refused to compete?

Clearly an effeminate and cowardly fellow (he answered).

Clearly an effeminate and cowardly man, he replied.

Soc. And what if another man, who had it in him, by devotion to affairs of state, to exalt his city and win honour himself thereby, were to shrink and hesitate and hang back—would he too not reasonably be regarded as a coward?

Soc. What if another man could make his city great and win honor for himself by devoting himself to public affairs? If he shrank from doing so, hesitated, and held back, wouldn’t he too reasonably be considered a coward?

Possibly (he answered); but why do you address these questions to me?

“Possibly,” he answered. “But why are you asking me these questions?”

Because (replied Socrates) I think that you, who have this power, do hesitate to devote yourself to matters which, as being a citizen, if for no other reason, you are bound to take part in. ⁴

“Because,” Socrates replied, “I think you hesitate to devote yourself to matters you have the power to handle. You are obliged to take part in them, if only because you are a citizen.” ⁴

Charm. And wherein have you detected in me this power, that you pass so severe a sentence upon me?

Charm. And where have you seen this power in me, that you judge me so harshly?

Soc. I have detected it plainly enough in those gatherings ⁵ in which you meet the politicians of the day, when, as I observe, each time they consult you on any point you have always good advice to offer, and when they make a blunder you lay your finger on the weak point immediately.

Soc. I have seen it clearly at those gatherings ⁵ where you meet the politicians of the day. I notice that whenever they ask for your advice, you always have good advice to offer. And when they make a mistake, you immediately put your finger on the weak point.

Charm. To discuss and reason in private is one thing, Socrates, to battle in the throng of the assembly is another.

Charm. Socrates, discussing and reasoning in private is one thing. Battling in the crowded assembly is another.

Soc. And yet a man who can count, counts every bit as well in a crowd as when seated alone by himself; and it is the best performer on the harp in private who carries off the palm of victory in public.

Soc. And yet a person who can count does it just as well in a crowd as when sitting alone. And the best harp player in private is the one who wins in public.

Charm. But do you not see that modesty and timidity are feelings implanted in man's nature? and these are much more powerfully present to us in a crowd than within the circle of our intimates.

Charm. But don't you see that modesty and shyness are natural human feelings? We feel them much more strongly in a crowd than among close friends.

Soc. Yes, but what I am bent on teaching you is that while you feel no such bashfulness and timidity before the wisest and strongest of men, you are ashamed of opening your lips in the midst of weaklings and dullards. ⁶ Is it the fullers among them of whom you stand in awe, or the cobblers, or the carpenters, or the coppersmiths, or the merchants, or the farmers, or the hucksters of the market-place exchanging their wares, and bethinking them how they are to buy this thing cheap, and to sell the other dear—is it before these you are ashamed, for these are the individual atoms out of which the Public Assembly is composed? ⁷ And what is the difference, pray, between your behaviour and that of a man who, being the superior of trained athletes, quails before a set of amateurs? Is it not the case that you who can argue so readily with the foremost statesmen in the city, some of whom affect to look down upon you—you, with your vast superiority over practised popular debaters—are no sooner confronted with a set of folk who never in their lives gave politics a thought, and into whose heads certainly it never entered to look down upon you—than you are afraid to open your lips in mortal terror of being laughed at?

Soc. Yes, but here is what I want you to understand. You feel no such shyness or fear before the wisest and strongest men. Yet you are ashamed to speak among weaklings and fools. ⁶ Are you in awe of the cloth cleaners, the shoemakers, the carpenters, or the coppersmiths? Or is it the merchants, the farmers, or the market traders? The traders exchange goods and think about how to buy one thing cheaply and sell another at a high price. Are these the people you are ashamed to speak before? For these are the individuals who make up the Public Assembly. ⁷ How is your behavior different from that of a man who is better than trained athletes but shrinks from amateurs? You can argue so easily with the city’s leading statesmen, some of whom pretend to look down on you. You are far better than experienced public speakers. Yet as soon as you face people who have never given politics a thought, you are afraid to speak. It has certainly never occurred to them to look down on you, yet you are terrified they will laugh at you.

Well, but you would admit (he answered) that sound argument does frequently bring down the ridicule of the Popular Assembly.

“Well, but you would admit,” he replied, “that sound arguments often draw ridicule from the Popular Assembly.”

Soc. Which is equally true of the others. ⁸ And that is just what rouses my astonishment, that you who can cope so easily with these lordly people (when guilty of ridicule) should persuade yourself that you cannot stand up against a set of commoners. ⁹ My good fellow, do not be ignorant of yourself! ¹⁰ do not fall into that commonest of errors—theirs who rush off to investigate the concerns of the rest of the world, and have no time to turn and examine themselves. Yet that is a duty which you must not in cowardly sort draw back from: rather must you brace ourself to give good heed to your own self; and as to public affairs, if by any manner of means they may be improved through you, do not neglect them. Success in the sphere of politics means that not only the mass of your fellow-citizens, but your personal friends and you yourself last but not least, will profit by your action.

Soc. The same is equally true of the others. ⁸ And that is what amazes me. You can deal so easily with these distinguished people when they ridicule you. Yet you convince yourself that you cannot stand up to a group of ordinary people. ⁹ My friend, know yourself! ¹⁰ Do not make that most common mistake. People rush to examine everyone else's affairs and have no time to examine themselves. But you must not shrink from that duty out of cowardice. Instead, you must make an effort to pay close attention to yourself. And do not neglect public affairs if you can improve them in any way. If you succeed in politics, you will benefit not only most of your fellow citizens, but also your friends. And, last but not least, you will benefit yourself.