THE SUNKEN ISLAND OF ATLANTIS. 25 
tors passed to the other islands, and from them to the opposite conti- 
nent which surrounded that ocean. For the sea, situated inside that 
strait of which we speak, appears to be a sea with a narrow entrance, 
but the other would justly be termed an ocean, and the adjacent knd a 
continent. Oti this extensive Atlantic island there was a powerful and 
singular kingdom, whose domiuion extended not only over the whole 
island, but over many other islands and parts of the continent. It 
ruled also over Libya as far as Egypt, and over Europe as far as 
Tyrrhenia. This kingdom, with the whole of its forces united, tried 
to subjugate, in one campaign, your and our country, and all the dis- 
tricts inside the straits. At that time, O Solon, your nation shone 
out from all others by bravery and power. Taking the lead by courage 
and in the arts of M^ar, be it as leaders of the Hellenes, be it necessarily 
isolated by the withdrawal of allies, it was placed in great danger, but 
it defeated the attacking army, and erected triumphal monuments. It 
also prevented those who had as yet preserved their independence from 
becoming subjugated, and generously freed all the others living inside 
the Pillars of Hercules. But when at a later period severe earth- 
quakes and great floods took place, the whole of your united army was 
swallowed up during one evil day and one evil night, and at the same 
time the island of Atlantis sank into the ocean. That is the reason 
why, at present, that sea is difficult to pass and to explore, the deep mud 
which the island formed in sinking being an obstacle to navigation." 
Thus far the curious passage in 'Timseus,' a satisfactory explanation 
of which historians, philologists, and naturalists have hitherto at- 
tempted in vain. That this tradition is entirely imaginary would be 
boki to assume, since we have shown that its most important sub- 
stratum is sound, and that at one time a continent did exist in the At- 
lantic Ocean. It is not my province to make this tradition harmonize 
with geological facts and the conclusions derived from them, or to place 
Plato's mystification and the vauritings of an Egyptian priest in their 
proper light. But I may venture to predict that by the united eflForts of 
philologists and naturalists this, as well as many other problems in the 
history of primeval man at present regarded as iirgent scientific ques- 
tions, will be solved.* May this opinion of a modern man of science 
*'It may not be out of place to acid a fist of the whole Uterature referring to 
Aril ^\ F m ■ - 
Besides Plato's Dialogues, * Tunu^us,' vol. iii. pp. 20-25, and 'Critias,' pp. 109- 
