PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: Socrates who is the narrator Charmides Chaerephon Critias. SCENE: The Palaestra of Taureas which is near the Porch of the King Archon. Yesterday evening I returned from the army at Potidaea and having been a good while away I thought that I should like to go and look at my old haunts. So I went into the palaestra of Taureas which is over against the temple adjoining the porch of the King Archon and there I found a number of persons most of whom I knew but not all. My visit was unexpected and no sooner did they see me entering than they saluted me from afar on all sides; and Chaerephon who is a kind of madman started up and ran to me seizing my hand and saying How did you escape Socrates?--(I should explain that an engagement had taken place at Potidaea not long before we came away of which the news had only just reached Athens.) You see I replied that here I am.