‘It will be simple enough,’ I said. ‘They must announce a new way to national and individual prosperity. For prosperous peoples are forever looking for ways to prosperity. And the adjective new recommends anything.’ ‘And then, Socrates?’ ‘And then they must proclaim that Philosophy is the key to Bigger and Better Business, and must tell the story of Thales, who was a philosopher and easily outwitted the men of commerce of his day, amassing a fortune in olive presses.’ ‘But Thales lived long ago.’ ‘That must be kept dark,’ I said; ‘but the story will throw a new light on philosophy and if the propaganda is well done every progressive business house will add to its staff a philosopher from Greece. And our guardians must go about persuading the women that there will be no real progress till Congressmen are philosophers or philosophers Congressmen.’ ‘Why yes, Socrates,’ said Agathon, ‘you shall yourself question the aspirants for Congress and say which are truly philosophers and the guardians will persuade the populace not to vote for any of the others. And you shall select trusty Greeks who will hand over power to the guardians.’ ‘It will take the fortunes of many husbands,’ I said, ‘but in the end the guardians will control the central government, and then they can do what they like with the country, and make brave changes and substitute a noble rule for an ignoble one.’ ‘It is important to lose no time,’ said Agathon, ‘in bringing the maidens to Athens. For the sake of saving the Americans,’ he added. BOOK VI ‘And are you resolved, Socrates,’ said Lysis, ‘not to give any sort of education to the American men?’ I thought for a moment and then said: ‘They are not comely like our Greek youths and they would not be an ornament to Athens. I do not think they want any education.’ ‘But, Socrates,’ said Lysis, ‘how are they to spend their time when they are young?’ ‘Why,’ I said, ‘I would let them go on watching that football game of theirs.’ ‘What is that?’ ‘It is a mimic battle dear to all their hearts, and I would let them watch it all the day, and I would not trouble their minds at all. For to watch it will be the right education for them.’ ‘Watch it, Socrates?’ demanded Lysis. ‘Yes, for it is played between coaches or chief men, using young men as pieces.’ ‘Explain it to us,’ they said. ‘I will give you a fine lecture upon it,’ I said; ‘and you will marvel that I know so much, until I first confess that I went much among the young Americans in the colleges from a desire to see into their minds, and what I saw made it clear to me that America was rightly called the land of “great open spaces.” For they spoke of nothing else at all but this football, and cars, and to a lesser extent, of another form of contest called baseball.’ ‘Would you let them play baseball also?’ asked Lysis.