Abstract

In the Charmides, Socrates sets out to critique the Apollonian conception of self-knowledge, illustrated by Apollo's precept, know thyself, inscribed on the portals at Delphi . Socrates cannot jeopardize his piety through mounting an attack directly against Apollo. Thus, the Socratic elenchus begins with Charmides and his mentor Critias discussing the nature of temperance. The focus of this essay is to illustrate how Socrates is able to attack the Apollonian precept indirectly through syllogistic logic, associating Critias' reasoning with that of Apollo, then undercutting Critias' argument, thereby also undercutting Apollo's precept