‘And if you had to describe in one sentence the civic life of an American could you do it better than by saying he spent his life shouting in chorus praise or blame about things he did not understand at the bidding of leaders?’ ‘It is true.’ ‘Then, can he begin too early to shout with the crowd?’ ‘He cannot.’ ‘For if he is by nature incapable of philosophy he must be led, and he must be brought up to expect to feel to order without asking what it is about which he is to be enthusiastic, and without expecting to understand the details of the struggles his leaders are conducting.’ ‘I agree.’ ‘And for that there is nothing better then these football games. For men who obey coaches and cheer leaders now will be ready to obey our guardians later on.’ ‘I think so.’ ‘And they enjoy this football of theirs a great deal more than they enjoy the lectures and other parts of college life, so that they will agree very happily to cheer football all the time.’ ‘But,’ said Agathon, ‘I hear the friends of peace are resolved to prohibit the football game, because it arouses admiration for martial qualities.’ ‘The friends of peace will fail, my friends,’ I said. ‘For freedom from foreign wars reigns among the Americans from their position rather than their disposition. The only people who have ever invaded them are the English. But now it is the other way about.’ ‘I believe,’ said Agathon, ‘that to-day the English and the Americans are very well disposed toward one another.’ ‘They are,’ I answered. ‘Their friendship is much the chief friendship among barbarian peoples. For the English regard the Americans as their country cousins, living in the backwater of the New World and out of touch with London life, but pleased to come and gape. And they consider them as country cousins with a very rich farm, from which they and their neighbours often receive eggs, and they are careful to keep as friendly as they can. For they imagine the Americans to be much like themselves, but without their advantages.’ ‘By advantages do they mean the nearness to Athens?’ said Phaelon. ‘Yes,’ I said slowly: ‘If you search the matter to the bottom it comes to that, for the English are the link between Athens and America.’ Then Phaelon said: ‘Is it true, Socrates, that the English and the Americans speak the same language?’ ‘No.’ ‘But,’ went on Phaelon, puzzled, ‘they understand each other after a fashion, do they not? Do they use their hands to speak with?’ ‘Only in New York.’ ‘Socrates speaks truly,’ said Agathon, ‘but New York is where the Englishmen go who visit America. They stay in or near New York. For they do not like to get far from the sea which is the source of their strength. They love the deep waters.’ ‘Yes,’ I said. ‘And the strong waters, too, Socrates,’ added Agathon, ‘and that is another reason why they like New York and are reluctant to go far inland. For they dread having to keep up long lines of communication.’