The Atlantis Dialogue by Plato

The Atlantis Dialogue by Plato

The legend of Atlantis -- you've heard about it, read about it, seen it in videos, shows, and movies. Now go straight to the source!

Atlantis was first introduced by the Greek philosopher Plato in two "dialogues" he wrote in the fourth century B.C. His tale of a great empire that sank beneath the waves has generated countless books, dramatic adaptations, archeological expeditions, and more.

It has also sparked thousands of years of debate and speculation. Did Plato mean his tale as ancient history, or just as a parable to help illustrate his philosophy? Why did he break it off in the middle, never completing our sole primary account of this "lost" civilization? And why did Aristotle, Plato's student, once say of Atlantis, "He who invented it also destroyed it."

In "The Atlantis Dialogue," you'll find everything Plato wrote about Atlantis, in the context he intended. Now you can read it and judge for yourself!

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"The perfect reference for that lost civilization . . . Accurate, concise, and understandable. Anyone who is a fan or student of Atlantis should, no, must have this book in their library." -- Sharon D. Anderson, author, "Atlantis: The Final Days"

"An easy read . . . Provides a good starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about the Atlantis myth." -- Judy Justice, Midwest Book Review, Mar. 2002 (Reviewer's Choice)

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SAMPLE

CRITIAS: Consider then, Socrates, if this narrative is suited to the purpose, or whether we should seek for some other instead.

SOCRATES: And what other, Critias, can we find that will be better than this, which is natural and suitable to the festival of the goddess, and has the very great advantage of being a fact and not a fiction? How or where shall we find another if we abandon this? We cannot, and therefore you must tell the tale, and good luck to you; and I in return for my yesterday's discourse will now rest and be a listener.

CRITIAS: 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 I 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.

Born to a politically connected and aristocratic family between 428 and 423 B.C., Plato received a good standard of education at an early age, and was able to immerse himself in the intellectual community of Ancient Athens. His most notable contemporary and mentor was Socrates, an eccentric but highly capable philosopher who was to feature as a principle character in most of Plato's scholarly writings. Owing to his high standard of education in art, mathematics, rhetoric and philosophy, Plato was able to assemble a comprehensive philosophy of his own via his favoured form of writing which was the dialogue. In total, over thirty of these Platonic dialogues have survived the passage of time - and together they form the backbone of Ancient Greek philosophy. After enjoying success as a writer and academic, Plato in 385 B.C. founded The Academy. This school was to unite the most capable thinkers of Greece, and would help to advance learning throughout Greek society's Golden Age. It was in the Academy that Plato would instruct and apprentice Aristotle, who was to go on to gain renown as a philosopher and scholar. Owing to his reputation Plato was hired by Dion, whose nephew Dionysus II was the rightful ruler of Sicily - Dion wished his nephew to receive a good education in the art of sound and wise governance. However Dionysus II became suspicious and accused both Plato and Dion of conspiracy - after some time spent under arrest, Plato returned to his homeland. In his late period, Plato continued to tutor and mentor the best young minds of Athens, and he would perish around 348 B.C. having lived beyond the age of eighty. Today Plato's legacy remains lauded: the philosopher ably used logic and reason to imbue insight on democratic governance, while developing a cohesive philosophy on topics such as art, metaphysics, justice and the 'Theory of Forms' - his iconic take on how ideas related to reality.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781620359006
ISBN 10	1620359006
Title	The Atlantis Dialogue
Author	Plato
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Shepard Publications
Year published	2024-07-01
Number of pages	66
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.