See now whether you have it, and are in no need of the charm; for if it is yours, I should rather advise you to regard me as a babbler who is unable to argue out any subject of inquiry whatsoever, and yourself as advancing in happiness as you advance in temperance.
Then Charmides said: Why, upon my word, Socrates, I do not know at all whether I have it or have it not. For how can I know, when even you two are unable 176b to discover what this thing is?—so you say, but of this you do not at all convince me—and I quite believe, Socrates, that I do need the charm, and for my part I have no objection to being charmed by you every day of my life, until you say I have had enough of the treatment.
Very well, said Critias: now, Charmides, if you do this, it will be a proof to me of your temperance—if you submit to be charmed by Socrates and do not forsake him through thick and thin.
Count on me to follow, he said, and not forsake him; 176c for it would ill become me to disobey you, my guardian, and refuse to do your bidding.
Well now, he said, I bid you.
Then I will do as you say, he replied, and will start this very day.
There, there, I said, what are you two plotting to do?
Nothing, replied Charmides; we have made our plot.
So you will use force, I said, before even allowing me to make my affidavit?
You must expect me to use force, he replied, since he gives me the command: take counsel, therefore, on your side, as to what you will do 176d But that leaves no room, I said, for counsel; for if once you set about doing anything and use force, no man alive will be able to withstand you.
Then do not you, he said, withstand me.
Then I will not withstand you, I replied.
Then Charmides said: Why, upon my word, Socrates, I do not know at all whether I have it or have it not. For how can I know, when even you two are unable 176b to discover what this thing is?—so you say, but of this you do not at all convince me—and I quite believe, Socrates, that I do need the charm, and for my part I have no objection to being charmed by you every day of my life, until you say I have had enough of the treatment.
Very well, said Critias: now, Charmides, if you do this, it will be a proof to me of your temperance—if you submit to be charmed by Socrates and do not forsake him through thick and thin.
Count on me to follow, he said, and not forsake him; 176c for it would ill become me to disobey you, my guardian, and refuse to do your bidding.
Well now, he said, I bid you.
Then I will do as you say, he replied, and will start this very day.
There, there, I said, what are you two plotting to do?
Nothing, replied Charmides; we have made our plot.
So you will use force, I said, before even allowing me to make my affidavit?
You must expect me to use force, he replied, since he gives me the command: take counsel, therefore, on your side, as to what you will do 176d But that leaves no room, I said, for counsel; for if once you set about doing anything and use force, no man alive will be able to withstand you.
Then do not you, he said, withstand me.
Then I will not withstand you, I replied.
Charmides. Plato. Walter Rangeley Maitland Lamb (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1927.
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