Conversation

Use in the book

Socrates proposes conversation as the way to inspect Charmides’ soul. Critias assures him the boy is willing, and the presence of the guardian makes the exchange socially proper. Socrates then admits that the confidence with which he expected an easy conversation vanished when Charmides sat beside him. The verb therefore belongs to both a philosophical invitation and the vulnerability of its speaker. Charmides’ quietness definition includes talking in an orderly manner, making conversational conduct itself one of the behaviours under examination. Much later the hypothetical examiner of a doctor faces a difficulty about what he can discuss: under the proposed separation of kinds of knowledge, medical subject matter is not supplied by knowledge of knowledge alone. Conversation requires an object and appropriate competence; the mere ability to question someone does not yet establish the authority to assess every answer.

Places to read

1. 154e–155aConversation is offered as inspection of the soul and permitted in the guardian’s presence.
2. 155cSocrates loses his anticipated ease of conversation.
3. 159bTalking quietly is part of Charmides’ proposed account.
4. 170e–171b2The doctor example tests what subject an examiner can competently discuss.

Translation in this edition

The translation’s ordinary “talk” and “have a conversation” fit the social passages. Automatically replacing them with “practise dialectic” would make the text more technical than its wording demands.

διαλέγομαι

Attested: διαλέγεσθαι / διαλεξόμενος / διαλέξεται (dialegesthai / dialexomenos / dialexetai). To converse or discuss; used of meeting Charmides, of the orderly speech in his proposed virtue, and of the subject on which one must question a doctor to assess his expertise. References: 154e, 155a, 155c, 159b, 170e. Lexical identification: lemma: διαλέγομαι. See Conversation.

ἑλληνίζω

Attested: ἑλληνίζειν (hellēnizein). Speak Greek; Socrates says shared command of the language should enable Charmides to state his view. References: 159a. Lexical identification: lemma: ἑλληνίζω. See Conversation.

λέγω

Attested: λεγομένοις / λεγόμενα / λέγεται (legomenois / legomena / legetai). To say or state; at 171b the examination of a doctor tests whether the things said are true, alongside whether the things done are correct. References: 171b. Lexical identification: lemma: λέγω. See Conversation.

λέξις

Attested: λέξει (lexei). Speaking or verbal expression; quietness has no privileged claim to temperance in speech any more than in walking or other activities. References: 160c. Lexical identification: lemma: λέξις. See Conversation.

παρρησιάζομαι

Attested: παρρησιάσομαι (parrēsiasomai). I shall speak more frankly or openly; Charmides’ prior familiarity with Socrates allows the latter to explain the charm’s nature more freely. References: 156a. Lexical identification: lemma: παρρησιάζομαι. See Conversation.

περιέλκω

Attested: περιέλκεις (perielkeis). You drag around; Socrates teases Critias for leading him in a circle while concealing that the knowledge needed for happiness is specifically knowledge of good and bad. References: 174b. Lexical identification: lemma: περιέλκω. See Conversation.

ῥῆμα

Attested: ῥήματα (rhēmata). Spoken words or expressions; Socrates asks whether the definition’s author uttered them as a riddle. References: 161d. Lexical identification: lemma: ῥῆμα. See Conversation.

φθέγγομαι

Attested: ἐφθέγξατο (ephthenxato). Utter or pronounce; Socrates asks whether the author of the definition spoke it as a riddle. References: 161d. Lexical identification: lemma: φθέγγομαι. See Conversation.

ἀρχομένου (archomenou)

Beginning; distinct from the governing sense of the same verb, here Critias starts his explanation. References: 163d. Lemma: ἄρχω (begin). See Conversation.

ἦ δʼ ὅς (ē dʼ hos)

He said; the parenthetic speech formula uses a form of the old verb ‘say’, distinct from the interrogative or emphatic particle ἦ. References: 153b. Lemma: ἠμί. See Conversation.

ἥδιον (hēdion)

More gladly or with greater pleasure; Socrates would prefer to examine the definition with Critias as its responsible defender. References: 162e. Lemma: ἡδύς. See Conversation.

ἦν δʼ ἐγώ (ēn dʼ egō)

I said; the conventional parenthetic formula uses the speech verb ἠμί, not the homographic imperfect ‘I/he was’ of εἰμί. References: 153c. Lemma: ἠμί. See Conversation.

παρρησιάσομαι (parrēsiasomai)

I shall speak more frankly; Socrates now explains the charm's conditions openly to Charmides. References: 156a. Lemma: παρρησιάζομαι. See Conversation.

φάναι (phanai)

Say or assert; the common speech verb can report agreement, a claim, or a retraction without itself certifying truth. References: 164d. Lemma: φημί. See Conversation.

Use in the book

At 206c Hippothales asks how one should converse with a beloved, and Socrates proposes demonstrating it. The verb then describes conversation among the seated group (207a) and Socrates’ exchange with Lysis and Menexenus (210e–211c).

The natural philosophers at 214b are described as people who discuss and write about nature and the whole. The pairing with γράφοντες distinguishes spoken discussion from written treatment while joining both as sources of claims to be examined.

The word need not be translated as a name for a formal technical method. Here it identifies discussion of a subject; Socrates still asks whether those who discuss it have spoken well. Their activity and reputation do not settle the truth of their statement.

Places to read

1. 214bοἱ περὶ φύσεώς τε καὶ τοῦ ὅλου διαλεγόμενοι — Those who discuss nature and the whole.
2. 206c
3. 207a
4. 210e–211c2

Use in the book

The comparison between conversing with men and women uses musical relations and different effects on the listener, while retaining a puzzling “mission.” The practical vocabulary rule excludes words that need visible presentation in a book and strenuous thought to be understood. Finally Parisian conversation is said to boil and skim the mind, spending mediocre ideas so that exquisite ones can be written. The culinary image expresses a selecting process rather than a general claim that all spoken ideas are inferior.

Places to read

1. I, p. 108, entry 6, ¶1A gendered comparison figures conversation musically.
2. II, p. 570, entry 1, ¶1Some written words exceed conversation’s conditions of comprehension.
3. II, p. 720, entry 2, ¶1Parisian talk boils and skims the mind.

Translation in this edition

The English translation keeps the printed mission rather than silently conjecturing unisson. “Mental exertion” translates contention d’esprit, not an interpersonal dispute. Boiling and skimming remain repeated actions; replacing them with mere improvement would lose Joubert’s mechanism.

Intimacy

French: intimité.

Intimité changes the depth of conversation: society speaks of what it touches upon, intimacy of what it explores deeply. The English translation keeps scarcely anything but, avoiding an absolute claim that every intimate exchange is profound. The distinction concerns manner and range of speech rather than a specified domestic relationship.

Places to read: I, p. 161, entry 5, ¶1.

Use in the book

The philosopher who orders his conversation orders his conduct by reason. Christians whose conversation is in Heaven live in relation to heavenly goods now rather than waiting for another life. Elsewhere conversation is the delight of giving and receiving among persons. It is important precisely because those persons are the greatest treasures, yet vulnerable because friendship can change. The principles of communication must therefore be joined to the firm foundation of communion with God. The account of David's conversation with invisible things carries the older sense still further: spiritual objects can be familiar companions. In each use, conversation names a sustained relation rather than an isolated exchange of sentences.

Places to read

1. III.95David’s spirit holds conversation with invisible and immaterial companions.
2. IV.8The philosopher orders his conversation as a reasoned manner of life.
3. IV.9Conversation in Heaven is urged as a present Christian condition.
4. IV.18Conversation realizes the happiness of giving and receiving.
5. IV.19Its delight is qualified by the instability of human friendship.

In this edition

Translate mentally according to context: conduct in IV.8, heavenly citizenship or life in IV.9, social fellowship in IV.18–192. Modern dialogue is too narrow as a uniform gloss.