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I.THESTORYOFATLANTIS
TheGreeksageSocrates,whenhewasbutaboymindinghis
father'sgoats,usedtolieonthegrassunderthemyrtletrees;and,while
thegoatsgrazedaroundhim,helovedtoreadoverandoverthestory
whichSolon,thelaw-giverandpoet,wrotedownforthegreat-
grandfatherofSocrates,andwhichSolonhadalwaysmeanttomake
intoapoem,thoughhediedwithoutdoingit.Butthiswasbrieflywhat
hewroteinprose:–
˝I,Solon,wasneverinmylifesosurprisedaswhenIwenttoEgypt
forinstructioninmyyouth,andthere,inthetempleofSais,saw
anagedpriestwhotoldmeoftheislandofAtlantis,whichwassunk
intheseathousandsofyearsago.Hesaidthatinthedivisionofthe
earththegodsagreedthatthegodPoseidon,orNeptune,shouldhave,
ashisshare,thisgreatislandwhichthenlayintheoceanwestofthe
MediterraneanSea,andwaslargerthanallAsia.Therewasamortal
maidentherewhomPoseidonwishedtomarry,andtosecureher
hesurroundedthevalleywhereshedweltwiththreeringsofseaand
twooflandsothatnoonecouldenter;andhemadeunderground
springs,withwaterhotorcold,andsuppliedallthingsneedfultothe
lifeofman.Herehelivedwithherformanyyears,andtheyhadten
sons;andthesesonsdividedtheislandamongthemandhadmany
children,whodweltthereformorethanathousandyears.Theyhad
minesofgoldandsilver,andpasturesforelephants,andmanyfragrant
plants.Theyerectedpalacesanddugcanals;andtheybuilttheir
templesofwhite,red,andblackstone,andcoveredthemwithgoldand
silver.Inthesewerestatuesofgold,especiallyoneofthegodPoseidon
drivingsixwingedhorses.Hewassolargeastotouchtheroofwithhis
head,andhadahundredwater-nymphsaroundhim,ridingondolphins.
Theislandershadalsobathsandgardensandsea-walls,andtheyhad
twelvehundredshipsandtenthousandchariots.Allthiswasinthe
royalcityalone,andthepeoplewerefriendlyandgoodandwell-
affectionedtowardsall.Butastimewentontheygrewlessso,and
theydidnotobeythelaws,sothattheyoffendedheaven.Inasingle
dayandnighttheislanddisappearedandsankbeneaththesea;andthis
iswhytheseainthatregiongrewsoimpassableandimpenetrable,
becausethereisaquantityofshallowmudintheway,andthiswas
causedbythesinkingofasinglevastisland.˝
˝Thisisthetale,˝saidSolon,˝whichtheoldEgyptianpriesttold
tome.˝AndSolon'stalewasreadbySocrates,theboy,ashelayinthe
grass;andhetoldittohisfriendsafterhegrewup,asiswritteninhis
