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Charmides
by Plato； translated by Benjamin Jowett。
THE DIALOGUES OF PLATO
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH WITH ANALYSES AND INTRODUCTIONS
BY
B。 JOWETT； M。A。
Master of Balliol College
Regius Professor of Greek in the University of Oxford
Doctor in Theology of the University of Leyden
TO MY FORMER PUPILS
in Balliol College and in the University of Oxford who during fifty years
have been the best of friends to me these volumes are inscribed in grateful
recognition of their never failing attachment。
The additions and alterations which have been made； both in the
Introductions and in the Text of this Edition； affect at least a third of
the work。
Having regard to the extent of these alterations； and to the annoyance
which is naturally felt by the owner of a book at the possession of it in
an inferior form； and still more keenly by the writer himself； who must
always desire to be read as he is at his best； I have thought that the
possessor of either of the former Editions （1870 and 1876） might wish to
exchange it for the present one。 I have therefore arranged that those who
would like to make this exchange； on depositing a perfect and undamaged
copy of the first or second Edition with any agent of the Clarendon Press；
shall be entitled to receive a copy of a new Edition at half…price。
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION。
The Text which has been mostly followed in this Translation of Plato is the
latest 8vo。 edition of Stallbaum； the principal deviations are noted at the
bottom of the page。
I have to acknowledge many obligations to old friends and pupils。 These
are：Mr。 John Purves； Fellow of Balliol College； with whom I have revised
about half of the entire Translation； the Rev。 Professor Campbell； of St。
Andrews； who has helped me in the revision of several parts of the work；
especially of the Theaetetus； Sophist； and Politicus； Mr。 Robinson Ellis；
Fellow of Trinity College； and Mr。 Alfred Robinson； Fellow of New College；
who read with me the Cratylus and the Gorgias； Mr。 Paravicini； Student of
Christ Church； who assisted me in the Symposium； Mr。 Raper； Fellow of
Queen's College； Mr。 Monro； Fellow of Oriel College； and Mr。 Shadwell；
Student of Christ Church； who gave me similar assistance in the Laws。 Dr。
Greenhill； of Hastings； has also kindly sent me remarks on the
physiological part of the Timaeus； which I have inserted as corrections
under the head of errata at the end of the Introduction。 The degree of
accuracy which I have been enabled to attain is in great measure due to
these gentlemen； and I heartily thank them for the pains and time which
they have bestowed on my work。
I have further to explain how far I have received help from other labourers
in the same field。 The books which I have found of most use are Steinhart
and Muller's German Translation of Plato with Introductions； Zeller's
'Philosophie der Griechen；' and 'Platonische Studien；' Susemihl's
'Genetische Entwickelung der Paltonischen Philosophie；' Hermann's
'Geschichte der Platonischen Philosophie；' Bonitz； 'Platonische Studien；'
Stallbaum's Notes and Introductions； Professor Campbell's editions of the
'Theaetetus；' the 'Sophist；' and the 'Politicus；' Professor Thompson's
'Phaedrus；' Th。 Martin's 'Etudes sur le Timee；' Mr。 Poste's edition and
translation of the 'Philebus；' the Translation of the 'Republic；' by
Messrs。 Davies and Vaughan； and the Translation of the 'Gorgias；' by Mr。
Cope。
I have also derived much assistance from the great work of Mr。 Grote； which
contains excellent analyses of the Dialogues； and is rich in original
thoughts and observations。 I agree with him in rejecting as futile the
attempt of Schleiermacher and others to arrange the Dialogues of Plato into
a harmonious whole。 Any such arrangement appears to me not only to be
unsupported by evidence； but to involve an anachronism in the history of
philosophy。 There is a common spirit in the writings of Plato； but not a
unity of design in the whole； nor perhaps a perfect unity in any single
Dialogue。 The hypothesis of a general plan which is worked out in the
successive Dialogues is an after…thought of the critics who have attributed
a system to writings belonging to an age when system had not as yet taken
possession of philosophy。
If Mr。 Grote should do me the honour to read any portion of this work he
will probably remark that I have endeavoured to approach Plato from a point
of view which is opposed to his own。 The aim of the Introductions in these
volumes has been to represent Plato as the father of Idealism； who is not
to be measured by the standard of utilitarianism or any other modern
philosophical system。 He is the poet or maker of ideas； satisfying the
wants of his own age； providing the instruments of thought for future
generations。 He is no dreamer； but a great philosophical genius struggling
with the unequal conditions of light and knowledge under which he is
living。 He may be illustrated by the writings of moderns； but he must be
interpreted by his own； and by his place in the history of philosophy。 We
are not concerned to determine what is the residuum of truth which remains
for ourselves。 His truth may not be our truth； and nevertheless may have
an extraordinary value and interest for us。
I cannot agree with Mr。 Grote in admitting as genuine all the writings
commonly attributed to Plato in antiquity； any more than with Schaarschmidt
and some other German critics who reject nearly half of them。 The German
critics； to whom I refer； proceed chiefly on grounds of internal evidence；
they appear to me to lay too much stress on the variety of doctrine and
style； which must be equally acknowledged as a fact； even in the Dialogues
regarded by Schaarschmidt as genuine； e。g。 in the Phaedrus； or Symposium；
when compared with the Laws。 He who admits works so different in style and
matter to have been the composition of the same author； need have no
difficulty in admitting the Sophist or the Politicus。 （The negative
argument adduced by the same school of critics； which is based on the
silence of Aristotle； is not worthy of much consideration。 For why should
Aristotle； because he has quoted several Dialogues of Plato； have quoted
them all？ Something must be allowed to chance； and to the nature of the
subjects treated of in them。） On the other hand； Mr。 Grote trusts mainly
to the Alexandrian Canon。 But I hardly think that we are justified in
attributing much weight to the authority of the Alexandrian librarians in
an age when there was no regular publication of books； and every temptation
to forge them； and in which the writings of a school were naturally
attributed to the founder of the school。 And even without intentional
fraud； there was an inclination to believe rather than to enquire。 Would
Mr。 Grote accept as genuine all the writings which he finds in the lists of
learned ancients attributed to Hippocrates； to Xenophon； to Aristotle？ The
Alexandrian Canon of the Platonic writings is deprived of credit by the
admission of the Epistles； which are not only unworthy of Plato； and in
several passages plagiarized from him； but flagrantly at variance with
historical fact。 It will be seen also that I do not agree with Mr。 Grote's
views about the Sophists； nor with the low estimate which he has formed of
Plato's Laws； nor with his opinion respecting Plato's doctrine of the
rotation of the earth。 But I 'am not going to lay hands on my father
Parmenides' （Soph。）； who will； I hope； forgive me for differing from him on
these points。 I cannot close this Preface without expressing my deep
respect for his noble and gentle character； and the great services which he
has rendered to Greek Literature。
Balliol College；
January； 1871。
PREFACE TO THE SECOND AND THIRD EDITIONS。
In publishing a Second Edition （1875） of the Dialogues of Plato in English；
I had to acknowledge the assistance of several friends： of the Rev。 G。G。
Bradley； Master of University College； now Dean of Westminster； who sent me
some valuable remarks on the Phaedo； of Dr。 Greenhill； who had again
revised a portion of the Timaeus； of Mr。 R。L。 Nettleship； Fellow and Tutor
of Balliol College； to whom I was indebted for an excellent criticism of
the Parmenides； and； above all； of the