Story of Atlantis
Friday, December 12th, 2008The fact that Plato originated the story of Atlantis gave it a great amount of weight. Plato was essentially the father of Western philosophy and because what he had to say was so important, has remained so important it became much more acceptable, much more respectable, if you will, than if someone else had written it. Plato wrote his account of Atlantis towards the end of his life, but it was first told at a dinner party that took place when he was only a young boy.
An account that somehow he must have overheard. The gathering hosted by Plato’s uncle was traditional to the day, where wealthy and learned Greek men would eat, drink, tell stories and exchange ideas. Among the guests was Plato’s teacher the great philosopher Socrates and perhaps it was to be near his brilliant mentor that the young Plato sneaked in to listen to all that the men had to say. The legend of Atlantis, he learned, was already generations old, handed down by a famous Greek sage and law-giver called Solon who learned the tale in Egypt. Solon was one of the seven sages of Ancient Greece. He was a very, very important person historically because he was a law-giver and he established the basis from which Athenian democracy eventually developed.
