Stephanus 21

21a and the memory of it, brought to mind now, would make it fitting for us to render thanks both to you and, at the same time, in this festival, to praise the goddess justly and in truth, as it were singing her in hymn.

Socrates: Well said. But what deed is this, Critias—not told, indeed, as a story, but as actually done of old by this city, as the account of Solon ran?

Critias: I will tell it: I heard the tale from a man who was not young. For Critias at that time, he said, was already near 21b ninety years of age, and I was in my tenth year; and it happened to be for us the Cureotis day of the Apaturia. The custom of the festival, kept each time, fell to us boys then as well: our fathers set contests of recitation for us. And since the poets were then many and their poems many, and the poems of Solon were new at that time, many of us boys sang them. Then one of our clansmen said—whether he truly thought so then, or meant it as a courtesy to Critias—that Solon seemed to have been 21c the wisest of men in all else, and in poetry the freest of all the poets. And the old man—I remember it very well—was delighted, and smiled gently, and said: "If only, Amynander, he had not used poetry as a side-work, but had labored at it as the others did, and had completed the tale he brought here from Egypt, and had not been forced by the factions and by the other evils he found here on his return 21d to let it lie neglected—then in my judgment neither Hesiod nor Homer nor any other poet would ever have won greater fame than he." "And what was the story, Critias?" said he. "Of the greatest deed," said he, "and the most renowned of all, and most justly so, that this city ever performed; but through time and the destruction of those who did it, the story did not live on to reach us." "Tell it from the beginning," said he, "what it was and how, and from whom Solon heard it as true." 21e

"There is in Egypt," said he, "at the place where the Nile's stream divides at the crest of the Delta, a district called the Saite; and the greatest city of this district is Sais, birthplace too of King Amasis. Its founder deity is a goddess whose name in Egyptian is Neith, and in Greek, as their own account goes, Athena; and they profess to be very great lovers of the Athenians and in a way their kin.

Critias: To these people, Solon said, he journeyed, and was received with great honor among them,

21a and now that we have remembered it, it would be right for us to return you a favor and at the same time, at the festival, to praise the goddess justly and truly, as if singing a hymn.

Socrates: Well said. But what is this deed that Critias spoke of—not as a story, but as something this city really did long ago, according to what he heard from Solon?

Critias: I will tell you, since I heard an old story from a man who was no youngster. For at that time Critias—so he said—was already close to 21b ninety years old, while I was about ten; and it happened to be the festival of the Apatouria in our tribe, the Cureotis. What usually happens at the festival happened then with us children too: our fathers set up prizes for reciting poetry. Many poems by many poets were performed, and since Solon's poems were new at that time, many of us boys sang them. Then one of our clan brothers—whether he really thought so at the time or wanted to do Critias a favor—said that he thought Solon 21c had been the wisest of men in everything else and also, in poetry, the most high-minded of all the poets. The old man—this I remember very well—was very pleased and said with a smile: "If only, Amynander, he had not used poetry as a side task but had worked at it seriously like other men, and had completed the account he brought back from Egypt, and had not been forced by the civil strife and the other troubles he found here when he came 21d to neglect it—then in my judgment neither Hesiod nor Homer nor any other poet would ever have won more fame than him." "And what was the account, Critias?" he said. "It was about the greatest and most famous of all deeds," he said, "and one that would most justly be called the finest: the deed that this city did perform, but of which the story has not survived to this day, because of time and the death of the people who performed it. Tell us from the beginning," he said, "what it was, and how, and from whom Solon heard it and reported it as true." 21e

"There is a district in Egypt," he said, "in the Delta, where at its top the stream of the Nile splits, a district called Saite. The greatest city in that district is Sais, the place King Amasis came from. The people of that city have a founding goddess: her name in Egyptian is Neith, and in Greek, by their account, Athena. And they say they are very fond of Athens and in some way related to the Athenians."

Critias: Solon said he went there and was held in very high honor among them,

21a for us now to relate both as a payment of our debt of thanks to you and also as a tribute of praise, chanted as it were duly and truly, in honor of the Goddess on this her day of Festival.

Socrates: Excellent! But come now, what was this exploit described by Critias, following Solons report, as a thing not verbally recorded, although actually performed by this city long ago?

Critias: I will tell you: it is an old tale, and I heard it from a man not young. For indeed at that time, as he said himself, 21b Critias was already close upon ninety years of age, while I was somewhere about ten; and it chanced to be that day of the Apaturia which is called Cureotis. The ceremony for boys which was always customary at the feast was held also on that occasion, our fathers arranging contests in recitation. So while many poems of many poets were declaimed, since the poems of Solon were at that time new, many of us children chanted them. And one of our fellow tribesmen—whether he really thought so at the time or whether he was paying a compliment 21c to Critias—declared that in his opinion Solon was not only the wisest of men in all else, but in poetry also he was of all poets the noblest. Whereat the old man (I remember the scene well) was highly pleased and said with a smile, If only, Amynander, he had not taken up poetry as a by-play but had worked hard at it like others, and if he had completed the story he brought here from Egypt, instead of being forced to lay it aside owing to the seditions and all the other evils he found here on his return,— 21d why then, I say, neither Hesiod nor Homer nor any other poet would ever have proved more famous than he. And what was the story, Critias? said the other. Its subject, replied Critias, was a very great exploit, worthy indeed to be accounted the most notable of all exploits, which was performed by this city, although the record of it has not endured until now owing to lapse of time and the destruction of those who wrought it. Tell us from the beginning, said Amynander, what Solon related and how, and who were the informants who vouched for its truth. 21e

In the Delta of Egypt, said Critias, where, at its head, the stream of the Nile parts in two, there is a certain district called the Saitic. The chief city in this district is Sais—the home of King Amasis,—the founder of which, they say, is a goddess whose Egyptian name is Neith, and in Greek, as they assert, Athena. These people profess to be great lovers of Athens and in a measure akin to our people here.

And Solon said that when he travelled there he was held in great esteem amongst them; moreover, when he was questioning such of their priests