| Translation by R. G. Bury, 1929
Harvard Loeb Library |
Translation by Benjamin Jowett, 1871
From Internet |
Translation by Sir Desmond Lee, 1965
Penguin Classics |
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For it is related in our records how once upon a time your State stayed the course of a mighty host,
which, starting from a distant point in the Atlantic ocean was insolently advancing to attack the whole
of Europe, and Asia to boot. For the ocean there at that time navigable; for in front of the mouth which
you Greeks call, as you say, the Pillars of Heracles, there lay an island which was larger than Libya
and Asia together; and it was possible for the travelers of that time to cross from it to the other islands,
and from the islands to the whole the whole of the continent over against them which encompasses that veritable ocean.
For all that we have here, lying within the mouth of which we speak, is evidently a haven having a narrow entrance; but that yonder is a real ocean, and the land surrounding it may most rightly be called, in the fullest and truest sense, a continent. Now in this island of Atlantis there existed a confederation of kings, of great and marvelous power, which held sway over all the island, and many other islands also and parts of the continent; and, moreover, of the lands here within the Straits they ruled over Libya as far as Egypt, and over Europe as far as Tuscany. So this host, being gathered all together, made an attempt one time to e nslave by one single onslaught both your country and ours and the whole of the territory within the Straits. And then it was, O Solon, that the manhood of your State showed itself conspicuous for valor and might in the sight of all the world. For it stood pre-eminent above all in gallantry and all warlike arts, and acting partly as the leader of the Greeks, and partly standing alone by itself when deserted by all others, after encountering the deadliest perils, it defeated the invaders and reared up a trophy; whereby it saved from slavery such as were not yet enslaved, and all the rest of us who dwelt within the bounds of Heracles it ungrudgingly set free. But at a later time there occurred portentous earthquakes and floods, and one grievous day and night befell them, when the whole body of your warriors were swallowed up by the earth, and the island of Atlantis in like manner was swallowed up by the sea and vanished; wherefore also the ocean at that spot has now become impassible and unsearchable, being blocked up by the shoal mud which the island created as it settled down.
You have now heard, Socrates, in brief outline, the account given by the elder Critias of what he heard from Solon; and when you were speaking yesterday about the State and the citizens you were describing, I marveled as I called to mind the facts I am now relating, reflecting what a strand piece of fortune it was that your description coincided so exactly for the most part with Solon's account. I was loath, however, to speak on the instant; for owing to the lapse of time my recollection of his account was not sufficiently clear. So I decided that I ought not to relate it until I had first gone over it all carefully in my own mind. Consequently, I readily consented to the theme you proposed yesterday, since I thought that we should be reasonably well provided for the task of furnishing a satisfactory discourse -- which in all such cases is the greatest task. So it was that, as Hermocrates has said [4], the moment I left your place yesterday, I began to relate to them the story as I recollected it, and after I parted from them I pondered over it during the night and recovered, as I may say, the whole story. Marvelous, indeed, is the way in which the lessons of one's childhood grip the mind, as the saying is. For I myself, I know not whether I could recall to mind all that I had heard yesterday; but as to the account I heard such a great time ago, I should be immensely surprised if a single detail of it has escaped me. I had then the greatest pleasure and amusement in hearing it, and the old man was eager to tell me, since I kept questioning him repeatedly, so that the story is stamped firmly on my mind like the encaustic designs of an indelible painting. Moreover, immediately after Daybreak I related this same story to our friends here, so that they might share in my rich provision of discourse. Now, therefore,--and this is the purpose of all that I have been saying,--I am ready to tell my tale, not in summary outline only but in full detail just as I heard it. |
For these histories tell of a mighty power which unprovoked made an expedition against the whole
of Europe and Asia, and to which your city put an end. This power came forth out of the Atlantic
Ocean, for in those days the Atlantic was navigable; and there was an island situated in front of the
straits which are by you called the Pillars of Heracles; the island was larger than Libya and
Asia put together, and was the way to other islands, and from these you might pass to the whole of
the opposite continent which surrounded the true ocean;
for this sea which is within the Straits of Heracles is only a harbor, having a narrow entrance, but that other is a real sea, and the surrounding land may be most truly called a boundless continent. Now in this island of Atlantis there was a great and wonderful empire which had rule over the whole island and several others, and over parts of the continent, and, furthermore, the men of Atlantis had subjected the parts of Libya within the columns of Heracles as far as Egypt, and of Europe as far as Tyrrhenia. This vast power, gathered into one, endeavored to subdue at a blow our country and yours and the whole of the region within the straits; and then, Solon, your country shone forth, in the excellence of her virtue and strength, among all mankind. She was pre-eminent in courage and military skill, and was the leader of the Hellenes. And when the rest fell off from her, being compelled to stand alone, after having undergone the very extremity of danger, she defeated and triumphed over the invaders, and preserved from slavery those who were not yet subjugated, and generously liberated all the rest of us who dwell within the pillars. But afterwards there occurred violent earthquakes and floods; and in a single day and night of misfortune all your warlike men in a body sank into the earth, and the island of Atlantis in like manner disappeared in the depths of the sea. For which reason the sea in those parts is impassable and impenetrable, because there is a shoal of mud in the way; and this was caused by the subsidence of the island.
I have told you briefly, Socrates, what the aged Critias heard from Solon and related to us. And when you were speaking yesterday about your city and citizens, the tale which I have just been repeating to you came into my mind, and I remarked with astonishment how, by some mysterious coincidence, you agreed in almost every particular with the narrative of Solon; but I did not like to speak at the moment. For a long time had elapsed, and I had forgotten too much; I thought that I must first of all run over the narrative in my own mind, and then I would speak. And so I readily assented to your request yesterday, considering that in all such cases the chief difficulty is to find a tale suitable to our purpose, and that with such a tale we should be fairly well provided. And therefore, as Hermocrates has told you, on my way home yesterday I at once communicated the tale to my companions as I remembered it; and after I left them, during the night by thinking I recovered nearly the whole it. Truly, as is often said, the lessons of our childhood make wonderful impression on our memories; for I am not sure that I could remember all the discourse of yesterday, but I should be much surprised if I forgot any of these things which I have heard very long ago. I listened at the time with childlike interest to the old man's narrative; he was very ready to teach me, and I asked him again and again to repeat his words, so that like an indelible picture they were branded into my mind. As soon as the day broke, I rehearsed them as he spoke them to my companions, that they, as well as myself, might have something to say. And now, Socrates, to make an end my preface, I am ready to tell you the whole tale. I will give you not only the general heads, but the particulars, as they were told to me. |
'Our records show how your city checked a great power which arrogantly advanced from its base in
the Atlantic Ocean to attack the cities of Europe and Asia. For in those days the Atlantic was navigable.
There was an island opposite the strait which you call the Pillars of Hercules (Straits of Gibraltar),
an island larger than Libya (Africa) and Asia combined; from it travelers could in those days reach the
other islands, and from them the whole opposite continent which surrounds what can truly be called the ocean.
For the sea within the strait we were talking about is like a lake with a narrow entrance (the Mediterranean sea); the outer ocean is the real ocean and the land which entirely surrounds it is properly termed continent. On this island of Atlantis had arisen a powerful and remarkable dynasty of kings, who ruled the whole island, and many other islands as well and parts of the continent; in addition it controlled, within the strait, Libya up to the borders of Egypt and Europe as far as Tyrrhenia (Italy). This dynasty, gathering its whole power together, attempted to enslave, at a single stroke, your country and ours and all the territory within the strait. It was then, Solon, that the power and courage and strength of your city became clear for all men to see. Her bravery and military skill were outstanding; she led an alliance of the Greeks, and then when they deserted her and she was forced to fight alone, after running into direst peril, she overcame the invaders and celebrated a victory; she rescued those not yet enslaved from the slavery threatening them, and she generously freed all others living within the Pillars of Hercules. At a later time there were earthquakes and floods of extraordinary violence, and in a single dreadful day and night all your fighting men were swallowed up by the earth, and the island of Atlantis was similarly swallowed up by the sea and vanished; this is why the sea in that area is to this day impassable to navigation, which is hindered by mud just below the surface, the emains of the sunken island'
That is in brief, Socrates, the story which Critias told when he was an old man, and which he had heard from Solon. When you were describing your society and its inhabitants yesterday, I was reminded of this story and noticed with astonishment how closely, by some miraculous chance, your account coincided with Solon's. I was not willing to say so at once, for after so long a time my memory was imperfect; I decided therefore that I must first rehearse the whole story to myself before telling it. That was why I was so quick to agree to your conditions yesterday, thinking that I was pretty well placed to deal with what is always the most serious difficulty in such matters, how to find a suitable story on which to base what one wants to say. And so, as Hermocrates said, as soon as we left here yesterday I started telling the story to the others as I remembered it, and when I got back I managed to recall pretty well all of it by thinking it over during the night. It is amazing , as is often said, how what we learn as children sticks in the memory. I'm not at all sure whether I could remember again all I heard yesterday; yet I should be surprised if any detail of this story I heard so long ago has escaped me. I listened to it then with a child's intense delight, and the old man was glad to answer my innumerable questions, so that the details have been indelibly branded on my memory. What is more, I have told the whole story to the others early this morning, so that they might be as well placed as I am for the day's discussion. And now, to come to my point, I am ready to tell the story, Socrates, not only in outline but in detail as I heard it. |