How to Fool Sophisticated People

A Lesson from Classical Antiquity

When the early Christian writer Tertullian posed the rhetorical question, “What, after all, has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” everyone understood that “Athens” here stood in as a symbol for philosophy, rationalism, worldly wisdom, and cosmopolitan sophistication, whereas Jerusalem stood in as a symbol for faith, mysticism, and childlike innocence and simplicity. Athens had, by Tertullian’s time, long been synonymous with rationality and cleverness.

Indeed, the Greeks generally were thought of as being a clever people, and the Athenians were thought of as being among the most clever of the Greeks, and yet even these clever Greeks were fooled by a ruse that should not have taken in an intelligent child. How did this happen?

There was a man by the name of Pisastratus who had been episodically in power in Athens. During one of his periods out of power, in exile, he contrived to return to Athens with a show of divine favor. Here is how Herodotus described the episode:

There was in the Paeanian district a woman named Phya, whose height only fell short of four cubits by three fingers’ breadth, and who was altogether comely to look upon. This woman they clothed in complete armour, and, instructing her as to the carriage which she was to maintain in order to beseem her part, they placed her in a chariot and drove to the city. Heralds had been sent forward to precede her, and to make proclamation to this effect: “Citizens of Athens, receive again Pisistratus with friendly minds. Minerva, who of all men honours him the most, herself conducts him back to her own citadel.” This they proclaimed in all directions, and immediately the rumour spread throughout the country districts that Minerva was bringing back her favourite. They of the city also, fully persuaded that the woman was the veritable goddess, prostrated themselves before her, and received Pisistratus back.

Herodotus, too, commented on supposed Greek and Athenian cleverness, and

…considering that the Greeks have been from very ancient times distinguished from the barbarians by superior sagacity and freedom from foolish simpleness, and remembering that the persons on whom this trick was played were not only Greeks but Athenians, who have the credit of surpassing all other Greeks in cleverness…

As it turns out, it doesn’t take much to fool sophisticated people. The sophisticated Athenians were quite ready to make fools of themselves for a statuesque girl in armor, riding in a chariot.

So how do you fool sophisticated people? You appeal to what is best in them. You appeal to their idealism, and to their heart’s desire. The Athenians were willing to allow themselves to believe that the goddess of their city was escorting a personal favorite of hers in a return to power. The ploy had just enough boldness, just enough craziness, just enough showmanship, and just enough of a basis in tradition to make it work. Pisastratus put on a good show, and even those who didn’t believe in the show were willing to go along with it, at least for the moment.