I was born to be an anchor, and that is still my function, keeping the craft that is our pod steady and secure where it is supposed to be. Like all Saeli on Plato, I belong to the city to which I have chosen to give my oath, and to the pod I chose, and am otherwise free. I was part of earning this freedom for my people, and I was part of Athene’s project of discovering what was before and after time. And I live in the Republic, which was part of Apollo’s project to understand that everyone’s choices matter. I am small, but sometimes I am a small part of great things.

I took the citizenship course, which was full-time, so Jason had to find somebody else to work on the boat over the winter. Then I took my oath and was classified Silver, as I had hoped and expected.

We live in Thessaly. Camilla and Alkippe came to live with us, but little Dion opted to stay where he was in the sleeping house. He comes to visit us quite often though, and so does big Dion. Big Dion declined the rejuvenation treatments. He said he was used to being old and didn’t want to change. Marsilia says a surprising number of people made this choice, but it will be self-correcting over time, and also she thinks some people will change their minds as it gets closer to their last minute. Sokrates took the treatment almost at once.

I brought an egg out of the sea and woke it up. Marsilia and Thetis had babies too, so our pod has another generation. Jason and Marsilia and I go out fishing. Thetis brings up little children. Sokrates wanders about the City asking everyone questions and encouraging everyone else to do the same thing. Sometimes he wanders further, to other cities, or to space, but he always comes home to the pod and we are all delighted to see him when he does. We all try to learn and understand the universe and ourselves, and to help the gods. It is a good life.

V. Alkippe

I don’t have a metal yet because I’m only nine years old, but I’ll be Gold most likely, though Jason says I shouldn’t count on it and coast; philosophy takes hard work with mind and body as well as what’s in your soul. I do work hard in school, mostly, although I hate Pindar.