Charmides

"Charmides" is a dialogue written by Plato that delves into the nature of wisdom and self-knowledge. The conversation takes place between Socrates and Charmides, a young man renowned for his beauty and noble heritage. Socrates challenges Charmides' claim to possess self-control or temperance, arguing that true self-knowledge requires an examination of one's own nature. This leads to a discussion on the nature of wisdom and how it is cultivated through inquiry and self-examination, rather than being possessed as a physical object. Read in English, unabridged.