“We didn’t force anyone to worship God, but Matthias wanted to build a church and become a priest, and most of us had originally been Christian and many of those who hadn’t saw the light and wanted to be saved. I don’t think any of us had worshipped the Greek gods seriously back in the Just City, and if we had it was because of being taken in by Athene.”

“And your local recruits?” Erinna asked.

“They saw the sense in it, after the cruel things their gods had done to them. They understood the value of a god of forgiveness who understands us.”

Some of the locals around the table were nodding. “A god who accepts everyone, even slaves and women,” one of them said, shyly.

“So how did you go from one city to many cities?” Maia asked.

“We kept sending the ship out with a troop to rescue people, and eventually Lucia was running well and we had so many people that it seemed like a good idea to start a second city around the coast. Then we founded Marissa, here, when there was another war three years later, and we filled in the others. Usually the Goodness spends half the year sailing between the cities, trading, and the other half rescuing people and bringing them to whichever city needs people. We may found another city this year, on Ikaria. The Goodness tends to stay with a new city, and lots of experienced people stay to help things get going at first—people who know how to build and plant and everything like that. It takes quite a while for a city to get going properly. But Augustine is at that stage now, where it can grow naturally. We’re ready to found a new city.”

“And how many of you—the Goodness Group—stay in each city?” I asked.

Aristomache refilled her cup, considering. “It depends. There are lots in Lucia, of course, which is still our main base. Then there are lots wherever a city is new and needs help. Otherwise, well, the ideal is to have our cities working alone. Marissa doesn’t really need anyone from Goodness now. It could have local doctors and teachers.” There was a murmur from the locals at the table to the effect that they couldn’t manage without her. “Nonsense,” she said, but she looked pleased. “I stay because I’m getting old and my friends are here. Terentius stays because he’s married and his children are growing up here. But Marissa doesn’t need us. Hektor could do my job, he’s teaching most of the younger children as it is. And Ekate is as good a doctor as Terentius now, and she has an apprentice of her own. She may go to the new city on Ikaria if we do get it going this summer. Locals move around and share their expertise too.”