Stephanus 25

25a to the whole of the opposite continent that encircles that true sea. For all that we call a sea here, this whole region within the mouth we speak of, seems but a harbor having a narrow entrance; that other is the open deep in truth, and the land that surrounds it may most rightly be called, in the full sense, a continent. In this island of Atlantis, then, there had arisen a great and marvelous power of kings, ruling the whole island and many other islands and parts of the mainland; and besides these, of the lands within the straits 25b they ruled Libya as far as Egypt, and Europe as far as Tyrrhenia. This power, then, all gathered into one, undertook with a single onrush to enslave your country and ours and every place within the mouth. Then it was, Solon, that the power of your city stood manifest before all mankind in virtue and in strength; for, placed at the head of all in courage of soul and in every art of war, 25c she led the Greeks at first, then, left alone of necessity when the others fell away, came to the uttermost of peril: prevailing over the invaders she set up her trophy, kept those not yet enslaved from being enslaved, and freed with unstinting hand all the rest of us who dwell within the bounds of Heracles. But in after times there came earthquakes of unexampled violence and floods, and one terrible day and night 25d descended: the whole warrior host of your city sank at once into the earth, and the island Atlantis in like manner sank beneath the sea and vanished; which is why even now that sea is hard to sail and hard to search, a very shallow mud lying in the way—the settling the island left behind as it went down.

So much, then, Socrates, is what you have heard in brief—told from the old 25e Critias, as the tale of Solon ran. And yesterday, as you were speaking of the constitution and of the men you described, I marveled as the things I now tell came back to me, seeing how, through some providential stroke of chance and not without design, your account met with most of what Solon said.

Critias: Still I was not minded

25a toward the whole mainland opposite, around that true sea. For this region here, everything inside the mouth we speak of, has the look of only a harbor with a narrow way in. But that open sea out there, and the land that surrounds it, could most rightly be called, in the full truth, a continent. In this island of Atlantis there had grown up a great and marvelous power of kings. It ruled the whole island, and many other islands too, and parts of the continent. And beyond this, it ruled the lands inside here as well: 25b all of Libya as far as Egypt, and all of Europe as far as Tyrrhenia. This whole power gathered itself into one. It then made a single rush to enslave your land and our land and every place inside the mouth, all of them at once. Then, Solon, the power of your city showed itself to all mankind in its courage and in its strength. Taking the lead of all men in bravery and in the skills of war, 25c it led the Greeks at first, and then, when the others had fallen away, it was left alone by necessity. It came to the very last dangers. It defeated the attackers and set up a trophy. It kept those who were not yet slaves from being enslaved. And it set free, without stint, all the rest of us who live inside the Pillars of Heracles. But at a later time there came extraordinary earthquakes and floods. One 25d terrible day and night fell. All your fighting men sank into the earth at once. And the island of Atlantis likewise sank into the sea and vanished. That is why even now the sea out there is hard to pass and impossible to explore. A very thin layer of mud lies in the way. The island left it as it settled down into the deep.

That, Socrates, is what old 25e Critias told you in brief, as he had it by hearing from Solon. Yesterday, while you were speaking about the city and about the men you described, I marveled as I called to mind the things I am telling now. I saw how, by some divine stroke of luck and not at random, most of what you said fell in with what Solon said.

Critias: But I did not

25a 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 marvellous power, which held sway over all the island, and over many other islands also and parts of the continent; and, moreover, 25b 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 all gathered together, made an attempt one time to enslave by one single onslaught both your country and ours and the whole of the territory within the Straits. And then it was, 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 25c in gallantry and all warlike arts, and acting partly as 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 a trophy; whereby it saved from slavery such as were not as yet enslaved, and all the rest of us who dwell within the bounds of Heracles it ungrudgingly set free. But at a later time there occurred portentous earthquakes and floods, 25d and one grievous day and night befell them, when the whole body of your warriors was 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 impassable 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; 25e and when you were speaking yesterday about the State and the citizens you were describing, I marvelled as I called to mind the facts I am now relating, reflecting what a strange piece of fortune it was that your description coincided so exactly for the most part with Solon’s account.

Critias: I was loth, however,