It’s magic all right. Did you see that audience? How many people? Ten thousand? All sitting absolutely silent and spellbound. Why should they? Why do they stay there? Theatre is a kind of miracle, it’s an influence. Magic can be very useful.

CALLISTOS

You want everything to be useful. Why don’t you just enjoy it?

DEXIMENES

He’s a politician!

Callistos starts eating some fruit.

MANTIAS

That isn’t just for you. Can’t you wait? Don’t play with it!

CALLISTOS

Oh, you’re so socially minded! I think politics should know its place.

MANTIAS

In our society its place is everywhere.

CALLISTOS

Sometimes I think a tyranny would be so relaxing, you wouldn’t have to think about politics at all.

ACASTOS

We’ll never have tyranny here, after all we invented democracy – Yes, I did enjoy the play, and it moved me – but I don’t know why.

MANTIAS

Precisely.

ACASTOS

But all sorts of things move us and we don’t know why.

MANTIAS

I think we should find out why people are moved.

DEXIMENES

You mean some of us should, so as to control the others!

CALLISTOS

All beauty is like that – it’s mysterious –

ACASTOS

Yes – And aren’t we forgetting that the plays are a religious festival?

DEXIMENES

Of course we are!

ACASTOS

I don’t like seeing the gods portrayed on the stage – after all, how do we know what the gods are like? It’s irreverent–

CALLISTOS

You are so old–fashioned. We know what we think about the gods.

ACASTOS

Do we? I don’t.

MANTIAS

Religion is important. We shouldn’t become too familiar with our gods.

CALLISTOS

There’s nothing wrong with irreverence, look at Aristophanes.

DEXIMENES

Well, look at him! [ gesture of disgust ]

MANTIAS

Satire can be influential, it matters what people laugh at.

ACASTOS

I don’t think people should laugh at religion, but I think it’s good if they can laugh at politicians!

MANTIAS

He who laughs at religion one day will despise his rulers the next. Democracies can perish because in the end people don’t believe in anything and don’t revere anything.

Enter Socrates. They all rise.

SOCRATES

Well, my dears, did you enjoy the play?

ACASTOS

We were just arguing about it, sir.

CALLISTOS

Bags I sit next to Socrates!

SOCRATES

It’s my lucky day!

DEXIMENES

Yes, I saw who you were sitting next to in the theatre.

SOCRATES

I have always worshipped beauty. Who’s over there?

CALLISTOS

Plato, he’s got one of his moods!

SOCRATES

What was your argument about?

DEXIMENES

Here we go!

CALLISTOS

Deximenes thinks the theatre is magic so it’s not important, and Mantias thinks the theatre is magic so it is important, and Acastos thinks we shouldn’t portray the gods, and Mantias thinks it’s bad to laugh at people and –

SOCRATES

And what do you think?

CALLISTOS

I think it’s fun!

MANTIAS