The philosophy of ancient Greece was the heart and soul of the Roman Empire. The Romans, who were a somewhat crass people in spite of their energy and practical genius, eagerly embraced the philosophy and art of the Greeks, making it their own. In this way the best of what was Greek was merged with the best of what was Roman. Many centuries later, Europe rediscovered the wisdom of the ancient Greeks during the period known as the Renaissance. No nation was more in love with it than the English. Englishmen embraced Greek ideas with the same enthusiasm that the ancient Romans had used while building their empire. The result was the British Empire, which was built not only with ships and steam, but with the pure philosophical genius of the Greeks. No modern nation has loved Greek philosophy with the same passion as the English. It helped to make England the shining light of freedom and justice. That light, somewhat dimmed, was carried across the Atlantic to America and its 13 colonies. For a time it defined what was best and most noble in the new nation known as the United States. Today, I regret to report, the beauty and power of Greek thought is little valued, because it is incompatible with the lies and corruption of those who rule the modern world.