“The Republic,” Megaphon replied. “Ah, I see you have one, Socrates. Is it not fine, and should we not rejoice? The demos will surely make great progress now, and our nation will become much greater than ever, for we shall have news every day, and nearly all will be rich enough to read, and nearly all will thus become intelligent.”
Chærephon gazed at me.
“But Socrates does not approve,” he said.
“No,” I said, “by Zeus, no!”[10]
Megaphon was greatly astonished.
“I do not understand,” he said. “Will not knowledge be spread among our people as never before, and will not our demos become well informed and thinking citizens, no longer a prey to their own ignorance or to the deceits of their enemies? For we shall now have the news at trifling cost, I think. Is it not so, O Socrates?”
“At trifling cost, most certainly,” I answered. “To speak truly, the cost is even too little. But shall we discuss the matter?”
“By all means,” he said.
“And will you listen to me with patience,” I said, “and answer what I ask, and not grow angry?”
“We will do as you say,” he said. “Will we not, Chærephon?”