《critias》

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zones of land from the island to the sea。  The zones of earth were



surrounded by walls made of stone of divers colours; black and white and



red; which they sometimes intermingled for the sake of ornament; and as



they quarried they hollowed out beneath the edges of the zones double docks



having roofs of rock。  The outermost of the walls was coated with brass;



the second with tin; and the third; which was the wall of the citadel;



flashed with the red light of orichalcum。  In the interior of the citadel



was a holy temple; dedicated to Cleito and Poseidon; and surrounded by an



enclosure of gold; and there was Poseidon's own temple; which was covered



with silver; and the pinnacles with gold。  The roof was of ivory; adorned



with gold and silver and orichalcum; and the rest of the interior was lined



with orichalcum。  Within was an image of the god standing in a chariot



drawn by six winged horses; and touching the roof with his head; around him



were a hundred Nereids; riding on dolphins。  Outside the temple were placed



golden statues of all the descendants of the ten kings and of their wives;



there was an altar too; and there were palaces; corresponding to the



greatness and glory both of the kingdom and of the temple。







Also there were fountains of hot and cold water; and suitable buildings



surrounding them; and trees; and there were baths both of the kings and of



private individuals; and separate baths for women; and also for cattle。 



The water from the baths was carried to the grove of Poseidon; and by



aqueducts over the bridges to the outer circles。  And there were temples in



the zones; and in the larger of the two there was a racecourse for horses;



which ran all round the island。  The guards were distributed in the zones



according to the trust reposed in them; the most trusted of them were



stationed in the citadel。  The docks were full of triremes and stores。 The



land between the harbour and the sea was surrounded by a wall; and was



crowded with dwellings; and the harbour and canal resounded with the din of



human voices。







The plain around the city was highly cultivated and sheltered from the



north by mountains; it was oblong; and where falling out of the straight



line followed the circular ditch; which was of an incredible depth。  This



depth received the streams which came down from the mountains; as well as



the canals of the interior; and found a way to the sea。  The entire country



was divided into sixty thousand lots; each of which was a square of ten



stadia; and the owner of a lot was bound to furnish the sixth part of a



war…chariot; so as to make up ten thousand chariots; two horses and riders



upon them; a pair of chariot…horses without a seat; and an attendant and



charioteer; two hoplites; two archers; two slingers; three stone…shooters;



three javelin…men; and four sailors to make up the complement of twelve



hundred ships。







Each of the ten kings was absolute in his own city and kingdom。  The



relations of the different governments to one another were determined by



the injunctions of Poseidon; which had been inscribed by the first kings on



a column of orichalcum in the temple of Poseidon; at which the kings and



princes gathered together and held a festival every fifth and every sixth



year alternately。  Around the temple ranged the bulls of Poseidon; one of



which the ten kings caught and sacrificed; shedding the blood of the victim



over the inscription; and vowing not to transgress the laws of their father



Poseidon。  When night came; they put on azure robes and gave judgment



against offenders。  The most important of their laws related to their



dealings with one another。  They were not to take up arms against one



another; and were to come to the rescue if any of their brethren were



attacked。  They were to deliberate in common about war; and the king was



not to have the power of life and death over his kinsmen; unless he had the



assent of the majority。







For many generations; as tradition tells; the people of Atlantis were



obedient to the laws and to the gods; and practised gentleness and wisdom



in their intercourse with one another。  They knew that they could only have



the true use of riches by not caring about them。  But gradually the divine



portion of their souls became diluted with too much of the mortal



admixture; and they began to degenerate; though to the outward eye they



appeared glorious as ever at the very time when they were filled with all



iniquity。  The all…seeing Zeus; wanting to punish them; held a council of



the gods; and when he had called them together; he spoke as follows:







No one knew better than Plato how to invent 'a noble lie。'  Observe (1) the



innocent declaration of Socrates; that the truth of the story is a great



advantage:  (2) the manner in which traditional names and indications of



geography are intermingled ('Why; here be truths!'):  (3) the extreme



minuteness with which the numbers are given; as in the Old Epic poetry: 



(4) the ingenious reason assigned for the Greek names occurring in the



Egyptian tale:  (5) the remark that the armed statue of Athena indicated



the common warrior life of men and women:  (6) the particularity with which



the third deluge before that of Deucalion is affirmed to have been the



great destruction:  (7) the happy guess that great geological changes have



been effected by water:  (8) the indulgence of the prejudice against



sailing beyond the Columns; and the popular belief of the shallowness of



the ocean in that part:  (9) the confession that the depth of the ditch in



the Island of Atlantis was not to be believed; and 'yet he could only



repeat what he had heard'; compared with the statement made in an earlier



passage that Poseidon; being a God; found no difficulty in contriving the



water…supply of the centre island:  (10) the mention of the old rivalry of



Poseidon and Athene; and the creation of the first inhabitants out of the



soil。  Plato here; as elsewhere; ingeniously gives the impression that he



is telling the truth which mythology had corrupted。







The world; like a child; has readily; and for the most part unhesitatingly;



accepted the tale of the Island of Atlantis。  In modern times we hardly



seek for traces of the submerged continent; but even Mr。 Grote is inclined



to believe in the Egyptian poem of Solon of which there is no evidence in



antiquity; while others; like Martin; discuss the Egyptian origin of the



legend; or like M。 de Humboldt; whom he quotes; are disposed to find in it



a vestige of a widely…spread tradition。  Others; adopting a different vein



of reflection; regard the Island of Atlantis as the anticipation of a still



greater islandthe Continent of America。  'The tale;' says M。 Martin;



'rests upon the authority of the Egyptian priests; and the Egyptian priests



took a pleasure in deceiving the Greeks。'  He never appears to suspect that



there is a greater deceiver or magician than the Egyptian priests; that is



to say; Plato himself; from the dominion of whose genius the critic and



natural philosopher of modern times are not wholly emancipated。  Although



worthless in respect of any result which can be attained by them;



discussions like those of M。 Martin (Timee) have an interest of their own;



and may be compared to the similar discussions regarding the Lost Tribes (2



Esdras); as showing how the chance word of some poet or philosopher has



given birth to endless religious or historical enquiries。  (See



Introduction to the Timaeus。)







In contrasting the small Greek city numbering about twenty thousand



inhabitants with the barbaric greatness of the island of Atlantis; Plato



probably intended to show that a state; such as the ideal Athens; was



invincible; though matched against any number of opponents (cp。 Rep。)。 



Even in a great empire there might be a degree of virtue and justice; such



as the Greeks believed to have existed under the sway of the first Persian



kings。  But all such empires were liable to degenerate; and soon incurred



the anger of the gods。  Their Oriental wealth; and splendour of gold and



silver; and variety of colours; seemed also to be at variance with the



simplicity of Greek notions。  In the island of Atlantis; Plato is



describing a sort of Babylonian or Egyptian city; to which he opposes the



frugal life of the true Hellenic citizen。  It is remarkable that in his



brief sketch of them; he idealizes the husbandmen 'who are lovers of honour



and true husbandmen;' as well as the warriors who are his sole con
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