Book I

THERON: _A citizen of the Doric town of Selinous in Sicily. The father of Charmides._

HERAIA: _The wife of Theron, and mother of Charmides._

PHALARIS: _An athlete; the elder brother of Charmides._

CHARMIDES: _A young Greek rhapsode, who, hearing a story of the living goddess, Istar of Babylon, becomes inspired with the desire to see and worship her, and sets out from Selinous to journey to Babylon._

KABIR: _A Phoenician trader, shipwrecked off the harbor of Selinous, with whom Charmides travels as far as Tyre._

ABDOSIR: _The brother of Kabir, a citizen of Tyre._

HODO: _A Babylonian trader, head of a caravan travelling between Babylon and Tyre, with whom Charmides goes from Tyre to the Great City._

ALLARAINE: _The archetype of song; once a companion spirit of Istar of Babylon._