superficial¡¡and£»¡¡except¡¡in¡¡the¡¡case¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Republic¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Laws£»¡¡have¡¡no
philosophical¡¡importance¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡do¡¡not¡¡affect¡¡the¡¡substance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡work¡£¡¡
It¡¡may¡¡be¡¡remarked¡¡further¡¡that¡¡several¡¡of¡¡the¡¡dialogues£»¡¡such¡¡as¡¡the
Phaedrus£»¡¡the¡¡Sophist£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Parmenides£»¡¡have¡¡more¡¡than¡¡one¡¡subject¡£¡¡¡¡But
it¡¡does¡¡not¡¡therefore¡¡follow¡¡that¡¡Plato¡¡intended¡¡one¡¡dialogue¡¡to¡¡succeed
another£»¡¡or¡¡that¡¡he¡¡begins¡¡anew¡¡in¡¡one¡¡dialogue¡¡a¡¡subject¡¡which¡¡he¡¡has¡¡left
unfinished¡¡in¡¡another£»¡¡or¡¡that¡¡even¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡dialogue¡¡he¡¡always¡¡intended
the¡¡two¡¡parts¡¡to¡¡be¡¡connected¡¡with¡¡each¡¡other¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡cannot¡¡argue¡¡from¡¡a
casual¡¡statement¡¡found¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Parmenides¡¡to¡¡other¡¡statements¡¡which¡¡occur¡¡in
the¡¡Philebus¡£¡¡¡¡Much¡¡more¡¡truly¡¡is¡¡his¡¡own¡¡manner¡¡described¡¡by¡¡himself¡¡when
he¡¡says¡¡that¡¡'words¡¡are¡¡more¡¡plastic¡¡than¡¡wax'¡¡£¨Rep¡££©£»¡¡and¡¡'whither¡¡the
wind¡¡blows£»¡¡the¡¡argument¡¡follows'¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡dialogues¡¡of¡¡Plato¡¡are¡¡like¡¡poems£»
isolated¡¡and¡¡separate¡¡works£»¡¡except¡¡where¡¡they¡¡are¡¡indicated¡¡by¡¡the¡¡author
himself¡¡to¡¡have¡¡an¡¡intentional¡¡sequence¡£
It¡¡is¡¡this¡¡method¡¡of¡¡taking¡¡passages¡¡out¡¡of¡¡their¡¡context¡¡and¡¡placing¡¡them
in¡¡a¡¡new¡¡connexion¡¡when¡¡they¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡confirm¡¡a¡¡preconceived¡¡theory£»¡¡which
is¡¡the¡¡defect¡¡of¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Jackson's¡¡procedure¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡may¡¡be¡¡compared£»¡¡though¡¡not
wholly¡¡the¡¡same¡¡with¡¡it£»¡¡to¡¡that¡¡method¡¡which¡¡the¡¡Fathers¡¡practised£»
sometimes¡¡called¡¡'the¡¡mystical¡¡interpretation¡¡of¡¡Scripture£»'¡¡in¡¡which
isolated¡¡words¡¡are¡¡separated¡¡from¡¡their¡¡context£»¡¡and¡¡receive¡¡any¡¡sense
which¡¡the¡¡fancy¡¡of¡¡the¡¡interpreter¡¡may¡¡suggest¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡akin¡¡to¡¡the¡¡method
employed¡¡by¡¡Schleiermacher¡¡of¡¡arranging¡¡the¡¡dialogues¡¡of¡¡Plato¡¡in
chronological¡¡order¡¡according¡¡to¡¡what¡¡he¡¡deems¡¡the¡¡true¡¡arrangement¡¡of¡¡the
ideas¡¡contained¡¡in¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¡£¨Dr¡£¡¡Jackson¡¡is¡¡also¡¡inclined£»¡¡having¡¡constructed
a¡¡theory£»¡¡to¡¡make¡¡the¡¡chronology¡¡of¡¡Plato's¡¡writings¡¡dependent¡¡upon¡¡it¡¡
£¨See¡¡J¡£¡¡of¡¡Philol¡£and¡¡elsewhere¡££©¡££©¡¡¡¡It¡¡may¡¡likewise¡¡be¡¡illustrated¡¡by¡¡the
ingenuity¡¡of¡¡those¡¡who¡¡employ¡¡symbols¡¡to¡¡find¡¡in¡¡Shakespeare¡¡a¡¡hidden
meaning¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡the¡¡three¡¡cases¡¡the¡¡error¡¡is¡¡nearly¡¡the¡¡same£ºwords¡¡are¡¡taken
out¡¡of¡¡their¡¡natural¡¡context£»¡¡and¡¡thus¡¡become¡¡destitute¡¡of¡¡any¡¡real
meaning¡£
£¨4£©¡¡According¡¡to¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Jackson's¡¡'Later¡¡Theory£»'¡¡Plato's¡¡Ideas£»¡¡which¡¡were
once¡¡regarded¡¡as¡¡the¡¡summa¡¡genera¡¡of¡¡all¡¡things£»¡¡are¡¡now¡¡to¡¡be¡¡explained¡¡as
Forms¡¡or¡¡Types¡¡of¡¡some¡¡things¡¡only£»that¡¡is¡¡to¡¡say£»¡¡of¡¡natural¡¡objects£º¡¡
these¡¡we¡¡conceive¡¡imperfectly£»¡¡but¡¡are¡¡always¡¡seeking¡¡in¡¡vain¡¡to¡¡have¡¡a
more¡¡perfect¡¡notion¡¡of¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡says¡¡£¨J¡£¡¡of¡¡Philol¡££©¡¡that¡¡'Plato¡¡hoped¡¡by
the¡¡study¡¡of¡¡a¡¡series¡¡of¡¡hypothetical¡¡or¡¡provisional¡¡classifications¡¡to
arrive¡¡at¡¡one¡¡in¡¡which¡¡nature's¡¡distribution¡¡of¡¡kinds¡¡is¡¡approximately
represented£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡to¡¡attain¡¡approximately¡¡to¡¡the¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ideas¡£¡¡
But¡¡whereas¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Republic£»¡¡and¡¡even¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Phaedo£»¡¡though¡¡less¡¡hopefully£»
he¡¡had¡¡sought¡¡to¡¡convert¡¡his¡¡provisional¡¡definitions¡¡into¡¡final¡¡ones¡¡by
tracing¡¡their¡¡connexion¡¡with¡¡the¡¡summum¡¡genus£»¡¡the¡¡£¨Greek£©£»¡¡in¡¡the
Parmenides¡¡his¡¡aspirations¡¡are¡¡less¡¡ambitious£»'¡¡and¡¡so¡¡on¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡where¡¡does
Dr¡£¡¡Jackson¡¡find¡¡any¡¡such¡¡notion¡¡as¡¡this¡¡in¡¡Plato¡¡or¡¡anywhere¡¡in¡¡ancient
philosophy£¿¡¡¡¡Is¡¡it¡¡not¡¡an¡¡anachronism£»¡¡gracious¡¡to¡¡the¡¡modern¡¡physical
philosopher£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡more¡¡acceptable¡¡because¡¡it¡¡seems¡¡to¡¡form¡¡a¡¡link
between¡¡ancient¡¡and¡¡modern¡¡philosophy£»¡¡and¡¡between¡¡physical¡¡and
metaphysical¡¡science£»¡¡but¡¡really¡¡unmeaning£¿
£¨5£©¡¡To¡¡this¡¡'Later¡¡Theory'¡¡of¡¡Plato's¡¡Ideas¡¡I¡¡oppose¡¡the¡¡authority¡¡of
Professor¡¡Zeller£»¡¡who¡¡affirms¡¡that¡¡none¡¡of¡¡the¡¡passages¡¡to¡¡which¡¡Dr¡£
Jackson¡¡appeals¡¡£¨Theaet¡££»¡¡Phil¡££»¡¡Tim¡££»¡¡Parm¡££©¡¡'in¡¡the¡¡smallest¡¡degree¡¡prove
his¡¡point'£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡in¡¡the¡¡second¡¡class¡¡of¡¡dialogues£»¡¡in¡¡which¡¡the¡¡'Later
Theory¡¡of¡¡Ideas'¡¡is¡¡supposed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡found£»¡¡quite¡¡as¡¡clearly¡¡as¡¡in¡¡the¡¡first£»
are¡¡admitted¡¡Ideas£»¡¡not¡¡only¡¡of¡¡natural¡¡objects£»¡¡but¡¡of¡¡properties£»
relations£»¡¡works¡¡of¡¡art£»¡¡negative¡¡notions¡¡£¨Theaet¡££»¡¡Parm¡££»¡¡Soph¡££©£»¡¡and¡¡that
what¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Jackson¡¡distinguishes¡¡as¡¡the¡¡first¡¡class¡¡of¡¡dialogues¡¡from¡¡the
second¡¡equally¡¡assert¡¡or¡¡imply¡¡that¡¡the¡¡relation¡¡of¡¡things¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Ideas£»¡¡is
one¡¡of¡¡participation¡¡in¡¡them¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡of¡¡imitation¡¡of¡¡them¡¡£¨Prof¡£
Zeller's¡¡summary¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡review¡¡of¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Jackson£»¡¡Archiv¡¡fur¡¡Geschichte
der¡¡Philosophie¡££©
In¡¡conclusion¡¡I¡¡may¡¡remark¡¡that¡¡in¡¡Plato's¡¡writings¡¡there¡¡is¡¡both¡¡unity£»
and¡¡also¡¡growth¡¡and¡¡development£»¡¡but¡¡that¡¡we¡¡must¡¡not¡¡intrude¡¡upon¡¡him
either¡¡a¡¡system¡¡or¡¡a¡¡technical¡¡language¡£
Balliol¡¡College£»
October£»¡¡1891¡£
NOTE
The¡¡chief¡¡additions¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Introductions¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Third¡¡Edition¡¡consist¡¡of
Essays¡¡on¡¡the¡¡following¡¡subjects£º
1¡£¡¡¡¡Language¡£
2¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡decline¡¡of¡¡Greek¡¡Literature¡£
3¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡'Ideas'¡¡of¡¡Plato¡¡and¡¡Modern¡¡Philosophy¡£
4¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡myths¡¡of¡¡Plato¡£
5¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡relation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Republic£»¡¡Statesman¡¡and¡¡Laws¡£
6¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡legend¡¡of¡¡Atlantis¡£
7¡£¡¡¡¡Psychology¡£
8¡£¡¡¡¡Comparison¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Laws¡¡of¡¡Plato¡¡with¡¡Spartan¡¡and¡¡Athenian¡¡Laws¡¡and
Institutions¡£
CHARMIDES¡£
INTRODUCTION¡£
The¡¡subject¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Charmides¡¡is¡¡Temperance¡¡or¡¡£¨Greek£©£»¡¡a¡¡peculiarly¡¡Greek
notion£»¡¡which¡¡may¡¡also¡¡be¡¡rendered¡¡Moderation¡¡£¨Compare¡¡Cic¡£¡¡Tusc¡£¡¡'£¨Greek£©£»
quam¡¡soleo¡¡equidem¡¡tum¡¡temperantiam£»¡¡tum¡¡moderationem¡¡appellare£»¡¡nonnunquam
etiam¡¡modestiam¡£'£©£»¡¡Modesty£»¡¡Discretion£»¡¡Wisdom£»¡¡without¡¡completely
exhausting¡¡by¡¡all¡¡these¡¡terms¡¡the¡¡various¡¡associations¡¡of¡¡the¡¡word¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡may
be¡¡described¡¡as¡¡'mens¡¡sana¡¡in¡¡corpore¡¡sano£»'¡¡the¡¡harmony¡¡or¡¡due¡¡proportion
of¡¡the¡¡higher¡¡and¡¡lower¡¡elements¡¡of¡¡human¡¡nature¡¡which¡¡'makes¡¡a¡¡man¡¡his¡¡own
master£»'¡¡according¡¡to¡¡the¡¡definition¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Republic¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡the¡¡accompanying
translation¡¡the¡¡word¡¡has¡¡been¡¡rendered¡¡in¡¡different¡¡places¡¡either
Temperance¡¡or¡¡Wisdom£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡connection¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡require£º¡¡¡¡for¡¡in¡¡the
philosophy¡¡of¡¡Plato¡¡£¨Greek£©¡¡still¡¡retains¡¡an¡¡intellectual¡¡element¡¡£¨as
Socrates¡¡is¡¡also¡¡said¡¡to¡¡have¡¡identified¡¡£¨Greek£©¡¡with¡¡£¨Greek£©£º¡¡¡¡Xen¡£¡¡Mem¡££©¡¡
and¡¡is¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡relegated¡¡to¡¡the¡¡sphere¡¡of¡¡moral¡¡virtue£»¡¡as¡¡in¡¡the
Nicomachean¡¡Ethics¡¡of¡¡Aristotle¡£
The¡¡beautiful¡¡youth£»¡¡Charmides£»¡¡who¡¡is¡¡also¡¡the¡¡most¡¡temperate¡¡of¡¡human
beings£»¡¡is¡¡asked¡¡by¡¡Socrates£»¡¡'What¡¡is¡¡Temperance£¿'¡¡¡¡He¡¡answers
characteristically£»¡¡£¨1£©¡¡'Quietness¡£'¡¡¡¡'But¡¡Temperance¡¡is¡¡a¡¡fine¡¡and¡¡noble
thing£»¡¡and¡¡quietness¡¡in¡¡many¡¡or¡¡most¡¡cases¡¡is¡¡not¡¡so¡¡fine¡¡a¡¡thing¡¡as
quickness¡£'¡¡¡¡He¡¡tries¡¡again¡¡and¡¡says¡¡£¨2£©¡¡that¡¡temperance¡¡is¡¡modesty¡£¡¡¡¡But
this¡¡again¡¡is¡¡set¡¡aside¡¡by¡¡a¡¡sophistical¡¡application¡¡of¡¡Homer£º¡¡¡¡for
temperance¡¡is¡¡good¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡noble£»¡¡and¡¡Homer¡¡has¡¡declared¡¡that¡¡'modesty
is¡¡not¡¡good¡¡for¡¡a¡¡needy¡¡man¡£'¡¡¡¡£¨3£©¡¡Once¡¡more¡¡Charmides¡¡makes¡¡the¡¡attempt¡£¡¡
This¡¡time¡¡he¡¡gives¡¡a¡¡definition¡¡which¡¡he¡¡has¡¡heard£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡which¡¡Socrates
conjectures¡¡that¡¡Critias¡¡must¡¡be¡¡the¡¡author£º¡¡¡¡'Temperance¡¡is¡¡doing¡¡one's
own¡¡business¡£'¡¡¡¡But¡¡the¡¡artisan¡¡who¡¡makes¡¡another¡¡man's¡¡shoes¡¡may¡¡be
temperate£»¡¡and¡¡yet¡¡he¡¡is¡¡not¡¡doing¡¡his¡¡own¡¡business£»¡¡and¡¡temperance¡¡defined
thus¡¡would¡¡be¡¡opposed¡¡to¡¡the¡¡division¡¡of¡¡labour¡¡which¡¡exists¡¡in¡¡every
temperate¡¡or¡¡well¡ordered¡¡state¡£¡¡¡¡How¡¡is¡¡this¡¡riddle¡¡to¡¡be¡¡explained£¿
Critias£»¡¡who¡¡takes¡¡the¡¡place¡¡of¡¡Charmides£»¡¡distinguishes¡¡in¡¡his¡¡answer
between¡¡'making'¡¡and¡¡'doing£»'¡¡and¡¡with¡¡the¡¡help¡¡of¡¡a¡¡misapplied¡¡quotation
from¡¡Hesiod¡¡assigns¡¡to¡¡the¡¡words¡¡'doing'¡¡and¡¡'work'¡¡an¡¡exclusively¡¡good
sense£º¡¡¡¡Temperance¡¡is¡¡doing¡¡one's¡¡own¡¡business£»£¨4£©¡¡is¡¡doing¡¡good¡£
Still¡¡an¡¡element¡¡of¡¡knowledge¡¡is¡¡wanting¡¡which¡¡Critias¡¡is¡¡readily¡¡induced
to¡¡admit¡¡at¡¡the¡¡suggestion¡¡of¡¡Socrates£»¡¡and£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡spirit¡¡of¡¡Socrates¡¡and
of¡¡Greek¡¡life¡¡generally£»¡¡proposes¡¡as¡¡a¡¡fifth¡¡definition£»¡¡£¨5£©¡¡Temperance¡¡is
self¡knowledge¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡all¡¡sciences¡¡have¡¡a¡¡subject£º¡¡¡¡number¡¡is¡¡the¡¡subject¡¡of
arithmetic£»¡¡health¡¡of¡¡medicinewhat¡¡is¡¡the¡¡subject¡¡of¡¡temperance¡¡or
wisdom£¿¡¡¡¡The¡¡answer¡¡is¡¡that¡¡£¨6£©¡¡Temperance¡¡is¡¡the¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡what¡¡a¡¡man
knows¡¡and¡¡of¡¡what¡¡he¡¡does¡¡not¡¡know¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡this¡¡is¡¡contrary¡¡to¡¡analogy£»¡¡there
is¡¡no¡¡vision¡¡of¡¡vision£»¡¡but¡¡only¡¡of¡¡visible¡¡things£»¡¡no¡¡love¡¡of¡¡loves£»¡¡but
only¡¡of¡¡beautiful¡¡things£»¡¡how¡¡then¡¡can¡¡there¡¡be¡¡a¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡knowledge£¿¡¡
That¡¡which¡¡is¡¡older£»¡¡heavier£»¡¡lighter£»¡¡is¡¡older£»¡¡heavier£»¡¡and¡¡lighter¡¡than
something¡¡else£»¡¡not¡¡than¡¡itself£»¡¡and¡¡this¡¡seems¡¡to¡¡be¡¡true¡¡of¡¡all¡¡relative
notionsthe¡¡object¡¡of¡¡relation¡¡is¡¡outside¡¡of¡¡them£»¡¡at¡¡any¡¡rate¡¡they¡¡can
only¡¡have¡¡relation¡¡to¡¡themselves¡¡in¡¡the¡¡form¡¡of¡¡that¡¡object¡£¡¡¡¡Whether¡¡there
are¡¡any¡¡such¡¡cases¡¡of¡¡reflex¡¡relation¡¡or¡¡not£»¡¡and¡¡whether¡¡that¡¡sort¡¡of
knowledge¡¡which¡¡we¡¡term¡¡Temperance¡¡is¡¡of¡¡this¡¡reflex¡¡nature£»¡¡has¡¡yet¡¡to¡¡be
determined¡¡by¡¡the¡¡great¡¡metaphysician¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡even¡¡if¡¡knowledge¡¡can¡¡know
itself£»¡¡how¡¡does¡¡the¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡what¡¡we¡¡know¡¡imply¡¡the¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡what
we¡¡do¡¡not¡¡know£¿¡¡¡¡Besides£»¡¡knowledge¡¡is¡¡an¡¡abstraction¡¡only£»¡¡and¡¡will¡¡not
inform¡¡us¡¡of¡¡any¡¡particular¡¡subject£»¡¡such¡¡as¡¡medicine£»¡¡building£»¡¡and¡¡the
like¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡may¡¡tell¡¡us¡¡that¡¡we¡¡or¡¡other¡¡men¡¡know¡¡something£»¡¡but¡¡can¡¡never
tell¡¡us¡¡what¡¡we¡¡know¡£
Admitting¡¡that¡¡there¡¡is¡¡a¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡what¡¡we¡¡know¡¡and¡¡of¡¡what¡¡we¡¡do¡¡not
know£»¡¡which¡¡would¡¡supply¡¡a¡¡rule¡¡and¡¡measure¡¡of¡¡all¡¡things£»¡¡still¡¡there
would¡¡be¡¡no¡¡good¡¡in¡¡this£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡knowledge¡¡which¡¡temperance¡¡gives¡¡must¡¡be
of¡¡a¡¡kind¡¡which¡¡will¡¡do¡¡us¡¡good£»¡¡for¡¡temperance¡¡is¡¡a¡¡good¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡this
universal¡¡knowledge¡¡does¡¡not¡¡tend¡¡to¡¡our¡¡happiness¡¡and¡¡good£º¡¡¡¡the¡¡only¡¡kind
of¡¡knowledge¡¡which¡¡brings¡¡happiness¡¡is¡¡the¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡good¡¡and¡¡evil¡£¡¡¡¡To
this¡¡Critias¡¡replies¡¡that¡¡the¡¡science¡¡or¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡good¡¡and¡¡evil£»¡¡and
all¡¡the¡¡other¡¡sciences£»¡¡are¡¡regulated¡¡by¡¡the¡¡higher¡¡science¡¡or¡¡knowledge¡¡of
knowledge¡£¡¡¡¡Socrates¡¡replies¡¡by¡¡again¡¡dividing¡¡the
СÌáʾ£º°´ »Ø³µ [Enter] ¼ü ·µ»ØÊéÄ¿£¬°´ ¡û ¼ü ·µ»ØÉÏÒ»Ò³£¬ °´ ¡ú ¼ü ½øÈëÏÂÒ»Ò³¡£
ÔÞÒ»ÏÂ
Ìí¼ÓÊéÇ©¼ÓÈëÊé¼Ü