Atlantis Intrigues a Teen

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Plato much believed that the civilization of Atlantis existed (Writer873). The origins of Atlantis are written in Plato’s “Critias” and “Timaeus” (Plato). Written around 350s B.C., the main character Solon, travels to Egypt and learns of Atlantis by priests (Writer873). He claimed his dialogues to be true records (Atlantis Subplots). Timaeus explains Atlantis was the “island situated in front of the straits, which are by you called Pillars of Herakles; the island was larger than Libya and Asia put together” (Plato). It goes on further “Atlantis was a great wonderful empire which had rule over the whole island” (Plato). Through short explanations Timaeus ends Atlantis “defeated and triumphed over the invaders,” “but afterwards there occurred violent earthquakes and floods; and in a single day and night of misfortune all your warlike men in a body sank into the earth, and the island of Atlantis in like manner disappeared in the depths of sea” (Plato).

Plato isn’t one for depth in Timaeus, but he vaguely states there was a battle against invaders and after Atlantis’ triumph the city falls in twenty-four hours from natural disasters (Plato). He doesn’t explain who the invaders were or if there were any possibilities for natural disasters to demolish an empire that stood for 9000 years prior of Timaeus being written. Fortunately, Plato wrote a second piece, Critias, to fill in most of the holes. Unfortunately, Plato never completed Critias.

Critias starts with a vivid description of Atlantis, similarly describing that of “volcanic island” (The Island). The war is stated to be against Athens and describes the “allotments” each ruler “received each one his own” (Plato). Then Poseidon is put in the picture and is said to “begat” five...

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...an numerals on Plato’s part, or mistake in translation on Plato’s work” (Writer873) is the cause of one extra zero.

Works Cited

"Atlantean Culture." Seachild: Culture of Atlantis. N.p., 2009. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.

"Atlantis Subplots: A Brief History of the Lost Continent." N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.

Gerber, Judie, Dr. "Who Was Egerton Sykes?" Seachild: Egerton Sykes: British Intelligence Officer, Diplomat, Scholar. N.p., 2009. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.

"The Island." Atlantis. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.

Plato. "PLATO'S ISLAND OF ATLANTIS." ATLANTIS : The Lost Island | Greek Mythology. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.

"Sinking Atlantis The Fall of the Minoans." PBS. PBS, 9 May 2011. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.

Writer873. "Atlantis and Thera: The Theory That Thera Was the Lost City of Atlantis." Ancient Histroy Encyclopedia. N.p., 18 Jan. 2012. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.

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