524 
before that ‘mouth which is called by you 
the Pillars of Hercules. But this iflvad 
was greater than, beth Lybia and ail Afia 
together, and afforded -an ecaly.paflage 
to other neighbouring ifands'; as.it was 
hikewile eafy. to pais: from. thofe iflands 
0-all the continens, which borders on tps 
Atlantic Sea, For the waters which are 
beheld within the mouth we jut sow 
mentioned, havethe form of a bay with 
ad narrow entrance; burt the mouch ittelt 
isa true fea. And, laty, tue earth which 
farrourds it is in every e{pect truly de- 
no ninated the continent. 
“Tn this Atlaftic iland a combination 
of kings was formed, who with mighty 
——— eee C—O 
Indeed, it is notat all wonderful that fo large 
an ifiand fhould once have exiit.d, nor improba- 
ble that masy more fuch exiir at p-efent, though 
to us unknown,If we admitthe Platonic hypothe- 
fis, that the true furface or fummit of the earth 
is etherial ; tat thisfummit is every where per- 
forated with holes: and that we refide at the 
bottam of four of thofe holes, which we deno- 
minate-the fJur quarters of ihe globe. This 
hypothelis is of Ezypdan origin, is largely un- 
folded by Plato towards the end of the Phedo; 
and is rendered highly probable by the following 
extraordinary paflage frony Proclus (2} 3 ‘* Piato 
dozs not meafure the magnitude of the earth 
after the manner of mathematicians ; but thinks 
' thar its interval is much greater, as Socrates ai- 
ferts in the Phedo. For, indeed, if the earch be 
naturally {pheiical, it is Seceflary that it fhould 
be.fuch according to its greateft part. But the 
parts which we tchabir, both internally and ex- 
ternally exhibit great inequality. In fome yarts 
ef the earth,therefore, there muft be an expanded 
plain, and an interval exiended on high. 2) For 
according to the faying of Heraclitus, he who 
paffes through a very profound region will ar- 
sive at the Atlantic mountain, whofe magnitude 
is Yuch, according tothe relation of the Aithio- 
ian hitto:ians, chat it touches the ether, and 
atts a thadow of five thoufand ftadia (025 miles) 
in extent; for from the ninth, hour of the day 
the fun is concealed by it, evento his perfect de~ 
snerfion under the earth Nor 1s this wonderful’: 
for Athos, a Macedonian mountain, cafts a fha- 
dow as far as to Lemnos, which is diftant from 
jt feven hundred thadia (upwards of $7 miles), 
Nor are fuch particulars as theie, which Mar- 
cellus,the Aith opic hiftorian. mentions, related 
only concersing the -Atlantic mountain, but 
Ptolemy alfo fays that the Lunar mountains are 
of an immenfe height; and Ariftotle, that Cau- 
cafus is enliyhtened by the rays of the tuna third 
art of the nivht after fun-fet, and a third part 
before the sifing of the fua. And if any one 
confiders’ the whole ‘magnitude of the’ earth, 
bounded by its elevated parts, he will conclude 
thut it is truly of a prodigious: magnitude, ac- 
cording to the affertion of Plato.” 
(2) In Tim. p. 56. 
Tranflation from Plato by My Taylor. 
[Sur. 
and wonderful power fubdued the whole 
ifland, together with many other iflands 
and parts of the continent; and befides 
this, fubjeéted to- their dominion ail 
Lybia, as far as to Egypt; and Europe as 
far as tothe Tyrrhene Sea. And when 
they were colletied in a powerful ieegue, 
they endeavoured to enflave all our re- 
gion and your’s,and befides this all thofe 
places ficaeted within the mouth of the 
Atlantic Sea. Then it was, G Solor, that 
the power of your city was confpicuays 
to all men: for its virtue and ftrength, 
For as its armies f{urpafied all others, 
both im magnanimity and military fill, 
fo with refpects to 1s contefts, whether 
was afified by tne refi of the Greeks, 
over whom it prefided in warlike-affairs, 
or vhether it was deferted by them 
through thé incurfions of the enemies, 
and became fituated in extreme danger, 
yet fill ic remained triumphant. In the 
mean time, thofe who were not yet en- - 
flaved, it liberated from danger, and pro- 
cured the moft ample liberty for all thote 
of us who dwell within, the Pillars’ of 
Fercules. But, in facceeding time, pro- 
digious earthquakes and deluges take 
ing place, and bringing with them de- 
folation, in the fpace of one day and might, 
all that warlike race of Athenians was 
at once merged under tre earth 5 and 
the Atlantic Ifland itfelf, being abforbed 
in the fea, entirely difappeared, dnd 
bence that fea 1s at prefent innavigaole, arifm 
ing from the'g radualy impeding mud which 
the fubjiding ifland priduced.” And ths, 
Socrates, is the fum of what the elder 
Critias repeated from the narration of So- 
Jon. 
= ———= 
FROM THE CRITIAS OF PLATO. 
Critas. lp then we can fufficient- 
ly remember end relate the narration 
which was once given by the Egyp- 
tian priefts, and brought hither by Solon, 
you know that we fhall appear to this 
theatre, to have fufficiently accomplifhed 
our part. This, therefore, muft mow be 
done, and without any farthtr delay. _ 
But fir of all, we muft recolleét, that 
the period of time from which a war is 
{aid to have fubfifted between all thofe 
that dwelt beyond and within the Pillars 
of -Hercules, amounts tu NINE THOU- 
SAND YEARS: and this war it is now 
requifite for us to difcufs, Of thofe, 
therefore, that dwelt within the Pullars 
of Lercules, this city was the leader, and 
is faid te have fought in every battles 
but of thofe beyond the Pillars, the king 
of the Atlantic ifland were the leadeis: 
But 

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