Charmides next declares Temperance to be a variety of the feeling of shame or modesty. But this (observes Sokrates) will not hold more than the former explanation: since Homer has pronounced shame not to be good, for certain persons and under certain circumstances.[8] [Footnote 8: Plato, Charm. 161 A.] [Side-note: Third answer. Temperance consists in doing one's own business. Defended by Kritias. Sokrates pronounces it a riddle, and refutes it. Distinction between making and doing.] "Temperance consists in doing one's own business." Here we have a third explanation, proposed by Charmides and presently espoused by Kritias. Sokrates professes not to understand it, and pronounces it to be like a riddle.[9] Every tradesman or artisan does the business of others as well as his own. Are we to say for that reason that he is not temperate? I distinguish (says Kritias) between _making_ and _doing_: the artisan _makes_ for others, but he does not _do_ for others, and often cannot be said to _do_ at all. _To do_, implies honourable, profitable, good, occupation: this alone is a man's own business, and this I call temperance. When a man acts so as to harm himself, he does not do his own business.[10] The doing of good things, is temperance.[11] [Footnote 9: Plato, Charm. 161 C--162 B. [Greek: sôphrosu/nê--to\ ta\ au(tou= pra/ttein . . . ai)ni/gmati/ tini e)/oiken.] There is here a good deal of playful vivacity in the dialogue: Charmidês gives this last answer, which he has heard from Kritias, who is at first not forward to defend it, until Charmides forces him to come forward, by hints and side-insinuations. This is the dramatic art and variety of Plato, charming to read, but not bearing upon him as a philosopher.] [Footnote 10: Plato, Charm. 163 C-D. [Greek: ta\ kalô=s kai\ ô)pheli/môs poiou/mena . . . oi)kei=a mo/na ta\ toiau=ta ê(gei=sthai, ta\ de\ blabera\ pa/nta a)llo/tria . . . o(/ti ta\ oi)kei=a te kai\ ta\ au(tou= a)gatha\ kaloi/ês, kai\ ta\s tô=n a)gathô=n poiê/seis pra/xeis.]] [Footnote 11: Plato, Charm. 163 E. [Greek: tê\n tô=n a)gathô=n pra=xin sôphrosu/nên ei)=nai saphô=s soi diori/zomai.]] [Side-note: Fourth answer, by Kritias. Temperance consists in self-knowledge.] _Sokr._--Perhaps it is. But does the well-doer always and certainly know that he is doing well? Does the temperate man know his own temperance? _Krit._--He certainly must. Indeed I think that the essence of temperance is, _Self-knowledge_. _Know thyself_ is the precept of the Delphian God, who means thereby the same as if he had said--Be temperate. I now put aside all that I have said before, and take up this new position, That temperance consists in a man's knowing himself. If you do not admit it, I challenge your cross-examination.[12] [Footnote 12: Plato, Charm. 164-165.]