Cutting-up Atlantis (Four)

the fairest and noblest race of men nothing of what happened in ancient times, either a boundless continent. Now in this island of those genealogies of yours which you just now empire which had rule over the whole island and than the tales of children. In the first place you and, furthermore, the men of Atlantis had were many previous ones; in the next place you of Heracles as far as Egypt, and of Europe your land the fairest and noblest race of men into one endeavoured to subdue at a blow whole cities are descended from a small seed or region within the straits; and then, Solon, you was unknown to you, because for many her virtue and strength, among all mankind. She died, leaving no written word. For there was skill, and was the leader of the Hellenes. And when the city which now is Athens was first to stand alone, after having undergone the of all cities, is said to have performed the noblest triumphed over the invaders, and preserved from of any of which tradition tells, under the faced, and generously liberated all the rest of us who the order in which we have arranged our occurred violent earthquakes and floods; and who is the most of astronomer amongst us requested the priests to inform him exactly and special study, should speak first, beginning are welcome to hear about them, Solon, said the creation of man; next, I am to receive of your city, and above all , for the sake of the will have profited by the excellent education parent and educator of both our cities. She founded and make them citizens, as if they were those receiving the Earth and Hephaestus the seed of record recovered from oblivion, and of which constitution is recorded in our and fellow citizens. perfect and splendid feast of reason. And now disappeared in the depths of the sea. For which and impenetrable, because there is a shoal of mud of the island. aged Critias heard from Solon and related to us about your city and citizens, the tale which I have and I remarked with astonishment how, by almost every particular with the narrative. For a long time had elapsed, and I had of all run over the narrative in my own mind, to your request yesterday, considering find a tale suitable to your purpose, and that on my way home yesterday I at once I remembered it; and after I left them, during As touching your citizens of nine thousand laws and of their most famous action; the exact through the leisure in the sacred registers with ours you will find that many of ours are olden time. In the first place, there is the caste; next, there are the artificers, who ply their mix; and there is the class of shepherds; and you will observe, too, that the warriors and are commanded by the law to devote the weapons which they carry are shields the steeds in his father’s chariot, because he burnt up all that was upon the earth, and this has the form of a myth, but really the heavens around the earth, and a great after long intervals; at such times those places are more liable to destruction than. And from this calamity the Nile, who is our. When, on the other hand, the gods purge in your country are herdsmen and shepherds you, live in cities are carried by the rivers nor at any other time, does the water come ____________________________________ 

Cut-up of an original text, Timaeus, by Plato