zones　of　land　from　the　island　to　the　sea。　　The　zones　of　earth　were
  surrounded　by　walls　made　of　stone　of　divers　colours；　black　and　white　and
  red；　which　they　sometimes　intermingled　for　the　sake　of　ornament；　and　as
  they　quarried　they　hollowed　out　beneath　the　edges　of　the　zones　double　docks
  having　roofs　of　rock。　　The　outermost　of　the　walls　was　coated　with　brass；
  the　second　with　tin；　and　the　third；　which　was　the　wall　of　the　citadel；
  flashed　with　the　red　light　of　orichalcum。　　In　the　interior　of　the　citadel
  was　a　holy　temple；　dedicated　to　Cleito　and　Poseidon；　and　surrounded　by　an
  enclosure　of　gold；　and　there　was　Poseidon's　own　temple；　which　was　covered
  with　silver；　and　the　pinnacles　with　gold。　　The　roof　was　of　ivory；　adorned
  with　gold　and　silver　and　orichalcum；　and　the　rest　of　the　interior　was　lined
  with　orichalcum。　　Within　was　an　image　of　the　god　standing　in　a　chariot
  drawn　by　six　winged　horses；　and　touching　the　roof　with　his　head；　around　him
  were　a　hundred　Nereids；　riding　on　dolphins。　　Outside　the　temple　were　placed
  golden　statues　of　all　the　descendants　of　the　ten　kings　and　of　their　wives；
  there　was　an　altar　too；　and　there　were　palaces；　corresponding　to　the
  greatness　and　glory　both　of　the　kingdom　and　of　the　temple。
  Also　there　were　fountains　of　hot　and　cold　water；　and　suitable　buildings
  surrounding　them；　and　trees；　and　there　were　baths　both　of　the　kings　and　of
  private　individuals；　and　separate　baths　for　women；　and　also　for　cattle。
  The　water　from　the　baths　was　carried　to　the　grove　of　Poseidon；　and　by
  aqueducts　over　the　bridges　to　the　outer　circles。　　And　there　were　temples　in
  the　zones；　and　in　the　larger　of　the　two　there　was　a　racecourse　for　horses；
  which　ran　all　round　the　island。　　The　guards　were　distributed　in　the　zones
  according　to　the　trust　reposed　in　them；　the　most　trusted　of　them　were
  stationed　in　the　citadel。　　The　docks　were　full　of　triremes　and　stores。　The
  land　between　the　harbour　and　the　sea　was　surrounded　by　a　wall；　and　was
  crowded　with　dwellings；　and　the　harbour　and　canal　resounded　with　the　din　of
  human　voices。
  The　plain　around　the　city　was　highly　cultivated　and　sheltered　from　the
  north　by　mountains；　it　was　oblong；　and　where　falling　out　of　the　straight
  line　followed　the　circular　ditch；　which　was　of　an　incredible　depth。　　This
  depth　received　the　streams　which　came　down　from　the　mountains；　as　well　as
  the　canals　of　the　interior；　and　found　a　way　to　the　sea。　　The　entire　country
  was　divided　into　sixty　thousand　lots；　each　of　which　was　a　square　of　ten
  stadia；　and　the　owner　of　a　lot　was　bound　to　furnish　the　sixth　part　of　a
  war…chariot；　so　as　to　make　up　ten　thousand　chariots；　two　horses　and　riders
  upon　them；　a　pair　of　chariot…horses　without　a　seat；　and　an　attendant　and
  charioteer；　two　hoplites；　two　archers；　two　slingers；　three　stone…shooters；
  three　javelin…men；　and　four　sailors　to　make　up　the　complement　of　twelve
  hundred　ships。
  Each　of　the　ten　kings　was　absolute　in　his　own　city　and　kingdom。　　The
  relations　of　the　different　governments　to　one　another　were　determined　by
  the　injunctions　of　Poseidon；　which　had　been　inscribed　by　the　first　kings　on
  a　column　of　orichalcum　in　the　temple　of　Poseidon；　at　which　the　kings　and
  princes　gathered　together　and　held　a　festival　every　fifth　and　every　sixth
  year　alternately。　　Around　the　temple　ranged　the　bulls　of　Poseidon；　one　of
  which　the　ten　kings　caught　and　sacrificed；　shedding　the　blood　of　the　victim
  over　the　inscription；　and　vowing　not　to　transgress　the　laws　of　their　father
  Poseidon。　　When　night　came；　they　put　on　azure　robes　and　gave　judgment
  against　offenders。　　The　most　important　of　their　laws　related　to　their
  dealings　with　one　another。　　They　were　not　to　take　up　arms　against　one
  another；　and　were　to　come　to　the　rescue　if　any　of　their　brethren　were
  attacked。　　They　were　to　deliberate　in　common　about　war；　and　the　king　was
  not　to　have　the　power　of　life　and　death　over　his　kinsmen；　unless　he　had　the
  assent　of　the　majority。
  For　many　generations；　as　tradition　tells；　the　people　of　Atlantis　were
  obedient　to　the　laws　and　to　the　gods；　and　practised　gentleness　and　wisdom
  in　their　intercourse　with　one　another。　　They　knew　that　they　could　only　have
  the　true　use　of　riches　by　not　caring　about　them。　　But　gradually　the　divine
  portion　of　their　souls　became　diluted　with　too　much　of　the　mortal
  admixture；　and　they　began　to　degenerate；　though　to　the　outward　eye　they
  appeared　glorious　as　ever　at　the　very　time　when　they　were　filled　with　all
  iniquity。　　The　all…seeing　Zeus；　wanting　to　punish　them；　held　a　council　of
  the　gods；　and　when　he　had　called　them　together；　he　spoke　as　follows：
  No　one　knew　better　than　Plato　how　to　invent　'a　noble　lie。'　　Observe　（1）　the
  innocent　declaration　of　Socrates；　that　the　truth　of　the　story　is　a　great
  advantage：　　（2）　the　manner　in　which　traditional　names　and　indications　of
  geography　are　intermingled　（'Why；　here　be　truths！'）：　　（3）　the　extreme
  minuteness　with　which　the　numbers　are　given；　as　in　the　Old　Epic　poetry：
  （4）　the　ingenious　reason　assigned　for　the　Greek　names　occurring　in　the
  Egyptian　tale：　　（5）　the　remark　that　the　armed　statue　of　Athena　indicated
  the　common　warrior　life　of　men　and　women：　　（6）　the　particularity　with　which
  the　third　deluge　before　that　of　Deucalion　is　affirmed　to　have　been　the
  great　destruction：　　（7）　the　happy　guess　that　great　geological　changes　have
  been　effected　by　water：　　（8）　the　indulgence　of　the　prejudice　against
  sailing　beyond　the　Columns；　and　the　popular　belief　of　the　shallowness　of
  the　ocean　in　that　part：　　（9）　the　confession　that　the　depth　of　the　ditch　in
  the　Island　of　Atlantis　was　not　to　be　believed；　and　'yet　he　could　only
  repeat　what　he　had　heard'；　compared　with　the　statement　made　in　an　earlier
  passage　that　Poseidon；　being　a　God；　found　no　difficulty　in　contriving　the
  water…supply　of　the　centre　island：　　（10）　the　mention　of　the　old　rivalry　of
  Poseidon　and　Athene；　and　the　creation　of　the　first　inhabitants　out　of　the
  soil。　　Plato　here；　as　elsewhere；　ingeniously　gives　the　impression　that　he
  is　telling　the　truth　which　mythology　had　corrupted。
  The　world；　like　a　child；　has　readily；　and　for　the　most　part　unhesitatingly；
  accepted　the　tale　of　the　Island　of　Atlantis。　　In　modern　times　we　hardly
  seek　for　traces　of　the　submerged　continent；　but　even　Mr。　Grote　is　inclined
  to　believe　in　the　Egyptian　poem　of　Solon　of　which　there　is　no　evidence　in
  antiquity；　while　others；　like　Martin；　discuss　the　Egyptian　origin　of　the
  legend；　or　like　M。　de　Humboldt；　whom　he　quotes；　are　disposed　to　find　in　it
  a　vestige　of　a　widely…spread　tradition。　　Others；　adopting　a　different　vein
  of　reflection；　regard　the　Island　of　Atlantis　as　the　anticipation　of　a　still
  greater　islandthe　Continent　of　America。　　'The　tale；'　says　M。　Martin；
  'rests　upon　the　authority　of　the　Egyptian　priests；　and　the　Egyptian　priests
  took　a　pleasure　in　deceiving　the　Greeks。'　　He　never　appears　to　suspect　that
  there　is　a　greater　deceiver　or　magician　than　the　Egyptian　priests；　that　is
  to　say；　Plato　himself；　from　the　dominion　of　whose　genius　the　critic　and
  natural　philosopher　of　modern　times　are　not　wholly　emancipated。　　Although
  worthless　in　respect　of　any　result　which　can　be　attained　by　them；
  discussions　like　those　of　M。　Martin　（Timee）　have　an　interest　of　their　own；
  and　may　be　compared　to　the　similar　discussions　regarding　the　Lost　Tribes　（2
  Esdras）；　as　showing　how　the　chance　word　of　some　poet　or　philosopher　has
  given　birth　to　endless　religious　or　historical　enquiries。　　（See
  Introduction　to　the　Timaeus。）
  In　contrasting　the　small　Greek　city　numbering　about　twenty　thousand
  inhabitants　with　the　barbaric　greatness　of　the　island　of　Atlantis；　Plato
  probably　intended　to　show　that　a　state；　such　as　the　ideal　Athens；　was
  invincible；　though　matched　against　any　number　of　opponents　（cp。　Rep。）。
  Even　in　a　great　empire　there　might　be　a　degree　of　virtue　and　justice；　such
  as　the　Greeks　believed　to　have　existed　under　the　sway　of　the　first　Persian
  kings。　　But　all　such　empires　were　liable　to　degenerate；　and　soon　incurred
  the　anger　of　the　gods。　　Their　Oriental　wealth；　and　splendour　of　gold　and
  silver；　and　variety　of　colours；　seemed　also　to　be　at　variance　with　the
  simplicity　of　Greek　notions。　　In　the　island　of　Atlantis；　Plato　is
  describing　a　sort　of　Babylonian　or　Egyptian　city；　to　which　he　opposes　the
  frugal　life　of　the　true　Hellenic　citizen。　　It　is　remarkable　that　in　his
  brief　sketch　of　them；　he　idealizes　the　husbandmen　'who　are　lovers　of　honour
  and　true　husbandmen；'　as　well　as　the　warriors　who　are　his　sole　con