“Then when the envoys of Psyche suggested dividing up our art, it seemed at first to be the same thing. It was an easy mistake to make. But it wasn’t at all the same. Art can be divided in a way that technology cannot. We can travel to look at art. Nobody’s life was being endangered if the art left the City, nor was the art itself endangered. We wanted to keep it because we loved it, but that was the same reason why our brothers and sisters in other cities wanted to own it. We fought over it. Nothing could have been more foolish than war over art. And we’re all tired of it. All the cities have brought back what was taken, and we’ve been enjoying seeing it again. I propose that we distribute art to all the cities according to population, and bring it back here to redistribute it again every five years, at a great festival of art, where new art can also be seen and enjoyed. Simmea,” he choked as he said her name, took a deep breath and said it again, louder. “Simmea always said that we should be making more art instead of squabbling over the art we have. She loved the Botticellis in Florentia with all her soul. But there are nine of them. If four of them had gone, one to each of the other cities, she’d still be here to love the five that were left.”

He sat down. Among the forest of hands, only one was raised among the Lucians: Auge. Curious, I called on her.

“We didn’t take any art on the Goodness. We made our own art in the Lucian cities. We haven’t talked about it, but we’re not here to demand our share of original art for our cities, and it might be at risk going by sea, and we wouldn’t want that. I’m horrified at the art raids you’ve been describing. I can’t believe Simmea died in one—actually died! Simmea, whose own original work was so wonderful. The kiton I wore when I lived here has long since worn out, but I cut off the piece of embroidery Simmea did along the hem and I still have it framed on the wall above my daughter’s bed. But what I stood up to say is that I’m a sculptor. If you agree to share your art as Pytheas suggested, I’ll do an original piece of stonework for each of your cities, on any subject you like. The people of Sokratea have already commissioned me to do a statue of Sokrates as he appeared in the Last Debate. I’ll do that for free, and whatever else equivalently for the other four cities—statues or bas reliefs, whatever you want.”