Stephanus 26

26a to say it at once; for after the interval I did not remember it well enough. I saw then that I must first take it all up sufficiently against myself, and so speak. That is why I quickly agreed yesterday to the task you laid on me, thinking that the greatest work in all such undertakings is to have some account fit for the purposes laid down as a base, and that this would furnish us to a moderate degree. So then, 26b as this man said, I left here yesterday and at once told them to these men as I recalled them; and going away I went over almost everything in the night and recovered it. How true, then, is what is said, that children's lessons hold a marvelous memorial. What I heard yesterday I could not say I could hold in memory again; but what I have heard over a very long time, I should greatly wonder if any of it had slipped away from me. They were heard then, 26c amid much delight and play, the old man teaching me eagerly and questioning me again in my turn so often that they became fixed in me like the burnt-in colors of an unwashable painting; and indeed I told these same things to these men here at daybreak, so that they might have matter for speech along with me. Now, then—for the sake of which all this has been said—I am ready to speak, Socrates, not in summaries only, but as I heard it, point by point; and the citizens and the city you yesterday set before us as in a tale, these we will now, carrying them over 26d into truth, set here, holding that this city is that one, and saying that the citizens you meant are those true ancestors of ours whom the priest told of. They will fit in every way, and we shall not stray from the mark in saying they were the men of that time. And all of us together, taking the task in common, will try to render, to the best of our power, what you appointed. So it must now be considered, Socrates, whether this account of ours 26e is to your mind, or some other must be sought in its place.

Socrates: And what better could we take in its place, Critias, when it would befit the moment best of all, both through the sacrifice now at hand to the goddess, being so near of kin to her, and because it is of the greatest moment that the tale be not a fable but a true account? For how, and from whom else, should we discover others if we let these go? It cannot be; so it is for you to speak with good fortune attending, and for me, in place of yesterday's speeches, now

26a want to tell it right away; for after so long a time I did not remember it well enough. So I saw that I first had to go over everything for myself with care, and only then speak. That is why I quickly agreed yesterday to what you asked. I thought that in all work of this kind the greatest task is to lay down a speech that fits the plan, and that there we would find enough help. So, as this man said, yesterday I left here at once 26b and told them the story as I recalled it. Then I went away, and during the night I went over almost all of it and took it back into memory. How true is the saying that what is learned in childhood has a marvelous way of staying fixed in the mind! What I heard yesterday, I do not know whether I could take all of it back into memory. But these things, which I have known through a very long time, I would be utterly amazed if any of them had slipped away from me. I heard them then with much pleasure 26c and play. The old man taught me eagerly, and he often asked me questions. So they stuck in my mind like marks burned into a picture that cannot be washed off. And so at daybreak I told these very things to these men at once, so that they would have plenty of speech to share with me. Now, then, for the very purpose for which all this has been said, I am ready to speak, Socrates, not only in summary, but in detail, just as I heard each part. And the citizens and the city that you described to us yesterday as in a story, we will now carry 26d over into truth and set here. We will say that this city is that one. We will say that the citizens you had in mind are those real ancestors of ours whom the priest spoke of. They will fit in every way. We will not miss the mark when we say that they are the men who lived at that time. And all of us, taking the work in common, will try to give, as well as we can, what is fitting, as you ordered. So, Socrates, we must now consider whether this plan of ours is to your mind, 26e or whether we must look for some other plan in its place.

Socrates: And what could we take up in its place, Critias, better than this one? It suits the sacrifice to the goddess that we are now holding better than any other, because of its kinship with her. And it is a very great thing that this is not a story made up, but a true account. For how, and from where, could we find others if we give these up? There is no way. So it is by good luck that you must speak, and that I must now, instead of yesterday's speeches,

26a to speak on the instant; for owing to 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, the moment I left your place yesterday I began to relate to them the story as I recollected it, 26b and after I parted from them I pondered it over during the night and recovered, as I may say, the whole story. Marvellous, indeed, is the way in which the lessons of one’s childhood grip the mind, as the saying is. For myself, I know not whether I could recall to mind all that I 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, 26c 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. And the city with its citizens which you described to us yesterday, as it were in a fable, 26d we will now transport hither into the realm of fact; for we will assume that the city is that ancient city of ours, and declare that the citizens you conceived are in truth those actual progenitors of ours, of whom the priest told. In all ways they will correspond, nor shall we be out of tune if we affirm that those citizens of yours are the very men who lived in that age. Thus, with united effort, each taking his part, we will endeavor to the best of our powers to do justice to the theme you have prescribed. Wherefore, Socrates, we must consider whether this story is to our mind, or 26e we have still to look for some other to take its place.

Socrates: What story should we adopt, Critias, in preference to this? For this story will be admirably suited to the festival of the Goddess which is now being held, because of its connection with her; and the fact that it is no invented fable but genuine history is all-important. How, indeed, and where shall we discover other stories if we let these slip? Nay, it is impossible. You, therefore, must now deliver your discourse (and may Good Fortune attend you!), while I, in requital for my speech of yesterday, must now