La difficile scelta di Carmide. Αἰδώς e azione politica in Platone e Senofonte

Abstract

The essay analyzes some peculiarities of the dialogue between Socrates and Charmides (Xenophon, Memorabilia, III 7), proposing to see the intertext of Mem. III 7 in Plato’s Protagoras. It also aims to show that the strongly anti-democratic attitude usually attributed to Socrates is in fact more typical, in this text, of Char- mides’ character. Particular attention is paid to the reference to αἰδώς (and other virtues or passions associated with it) in this and other Greek texts relating to political action.