Critias by Plato
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360 BC
CRITIAS
by Plato
translated by Benjamin Jowett
CRITIAS
PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: CRITIAS; HERMOCRATES; TIMAEUS; SOCRATES
Timaeus. How thankful I am, Socrates, that I have arrived at last,
and, like a weary traveller after a long journey, may be at rest!
And I pray the being who always was of old, and has now been by me
revealed, to grant that my words may endure in so far as they have
been spoken truly and acceptably to him; but if unintentionally I have
said anything wrong, I pray that he will impose upon me a just
retribution, and the just retribution of him who errs is that he
should be set right. Wishing, then, to speak truly in future
concerning the generation of the gods, I pray him to give me
knowledge, which of all medicines is the most perfect and best. And
now having offered my prayer I deliver up the argument to Critias, who
is to speak next according to our agreement.
Critias. And I, Timaeus, accept the trust, and as you at first
said that you were going to speak of high matters, and begged that
some forbearance might be shown to you, I too ask the same or
greater forbearance for what I am about to say. And although I very
well know that my request may appear to be somewhat and
discourteous, I must make it nevertheless. For will any man of sense
deny that you have spoken well? I can only attempt to show that I
ought to have more indulgence than you, because my theme is more
difficult; and I shall argue that to seem to speak well of the gods to
men is far easier than to speak well of men to men: for the
inexperience and utter ignorance of his hearers about any subject is a
great assistance to him who has to speak of it, and we know how
ignorant we are concerning the gods. But I should like to make my
meaning clearer, if Timaeus, you will follow me. All that is said by
any of us can only be imitation and representation. For if we consider
the likenesses which painters make of bodies divine and heavenly,
and the different degrees of gratification with which the eye of the
spectator receives them, we shall see that we are satisfied with the
artist who is able in any degree to imitate the earth and its
mountains, and the rivers, and the woods, and the universe, and the
things that are and move therein, and further, that knowing nothing
precise about such matters, we do not examine or analyze the painting;
all that is required is a sort of indistinct and deceptive mode of
shadowing them forth. But when a person endeavours to paint the
human form we are quick at finding out defects, and our familiar
knowledge makes us severe judges of any one who does not render
every point of similarity. And we may observe the same thing to happen
in discourse; we are satisfied with a picture of divine and heavenly
things which has very little likeness to them; but we are more precise
in our criticism of mortal and human things. Wherefore if at the
moment of speaking I cannot suitably express my meaning, you must
excuse me, considering that to form approved likenesses of human
things is the reverse of easy. This is what I want to suggest to
you, and at the same time to beg, Socrates, that I may have not
less, but more indulgence conceded to me in what I am about to say.
Which favour, if I am right in asking, I hope that you will be ready
to grant.
Socrates. Certainly, Critias, we will grant your request, and we
will grant the same by anticipation to Hermocrates, as well as to
you and Timaeus; for I have no doubt that when his turn comes a little
while hence, he will make the same request which you have made. In
order, then, that he may provide himself with a fresh beginning, and
not be compelled to say the same things over again, let him understand
that the indulgence is already extended by anticipation to him. And
now, friend Critias, I will announce to you the judgment of the
theatre. They are of opinion that the last performer was wonderfully
successful, and that you will need a great deal of indulgence before
you will be able to take his place.
Hermocrates. The warning, Socrates, which you have addressed to him,
I must also take to myself. But remember, Critias, that faint heart
never yet raised a trophy; and therefore you must go and attack the
argument like a man. First invoke Apollo and the Muses, and then let
us hear you sound the praises and show forth the virtues of your
ancient citizens.
Crit. Friend Hermocrates, you, who are stationed last and have
another in front of you, have not lost heart as yet; the gravity of
the situation will soon be revealed to you; meanwhile I accept your
exhortations and encouragements. But besides the gods and goddesses
whom you have mentioned, I would specially invoke Mnemosyne; for all
the important part of my discourse is dependent on her favour, and
if I can recollect and recite enough of what was said by the priests
and brought hither by Solon, I doubt not that I shall satisfy the
requirements of this theatre. And now, making no more excuses, I
will proceed.
Let me begin by observing first of all, that nine thousand was the
sum of years which had elapsed since the war which was said to have
taken place between those who dwelt outside the Pillars of Heracles
and all who dwelt within them; this war I am going to describe. Of the
combatants on the one side, the city of Athens was reported to have
been the leader and to have fought out the war; the combatants on
the other side were commanded by the kings of Atlantis, which, as
was saying, was an island greater in extent than Libya and Asia, and
when afterwards sunk by an earthquake, became an impassable barrier of
mud to voyagers sailing from hence to any part of the ocean. The
progress of the history will unfold the various nations of
barbarians and families of Hellenes which then existed, as they
successively appear on the scene; but I must describe first of all
Athenians of that day, and their enemies who fought with them, and
then the respective powers and governments of the two kingdoms. Let us
give the precedence to Athens.
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