Atlantis Pyramids Floods by Dennis Brooks Read Free Book Online Page B

the opposite continent
which surrounded the true ocean; for this sea which is within the
Straits of Heracles is only a harbour, 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,
endeavoured 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 preeminent 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.
    The city and citizens, which you
yesterday described to us in fiction, we will now transfer to the
world of reality. It shall be the ancient city of Athens, and we
will suppose that the citizens whom you imagined, were our
veritable ancestors, of whom the priest spoke; they will perfectly
harmonize, and there will be no inconsistency in saying that the
citizens of your republic are these ancient Athenians.
    Let us divide the subject among us,
and all endeavor according to our ability gracefully to execute the
task which you have imposed upon us. Consider then,