timaeu-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


better　ones；　and　excelled　all　mankind　in　all　virtue；　as　became　the

children　and　disciples　of　the　gods。

　　Many　great　and　wonderful　deeds　are　recorded　of　your　state　in　our

histories。　But　one　of　them　exceeds　all　the　rest　in　greatness　and

valour。　For　these　histories　tell　of　a　mighty　power　which　unprovoked

made　an　expedition　against　the　whole　of　Europe　and　Asia；　and　to

which　your　city　put　an　end。　This　power　came　forth　out　of　the

Atlantic　Ocean；　for　in　those　days　the　Atlantic　was　navigable；　and

there　was　an　island　situated　in　front　of　the　straits　which　are　by

you　called　the　Pillars　of　Heracles；　the　island　was　larger　than　Libya

and　Asia　put　together；　and　was　the　way　to　other　islands；　and　from

these　you　might　pass　to　the　whole　of　the　opposite　continent　which

surrounded　the　true　ocean；　for　this　sea　which　is　within　the　Straits　of

Heracles　is　only　a　harbour；　having　a　narrow　entrance；　but　that　other

is　a　real　sea；　and　the　surrounding　land　may　be　most　truly　called　a

boundless　continent。　Now　in　this　island　of　Atlantis　there　was　a

great　and　wonderful　empire　which　had　rule　over　the　whole　island　and

several　others；　and　over　parts　of　the　continent；　and；　furthermore；　the

men　of　Atlantis　had　subjected　the　parts　of　Libya　within　the　columns　of

Heracles　as　far　as　Egypt；　and　of　Europe　as　far　as　Tyrrhenia。　This　vast

power；　gathered　into　one；　endeavoured　to　subdue　at　a　blow　our

country　and　yours　and　the　whole　of　the　region　within　the　straits；

and　then；　Solon；　your　country　shone　forth；　in　the　excellence　of　her

virtue　and　strength；　among　all　mankind。　She　was　pre…eminent　in　courage

and　military　skill；　and　was　the　leader　of　the　Hellenes。　And　when　the

rest　fell　off　from　her；　being　compelled　to　stand　alone；　after　having

undergone　the　very　extremity　of　danger；　she　defeated　and　triumphed

over　the　invaders；　and　preserved　from　slavery　those　who　were　not　yet

subjugated；　and　generously　liberated　all　the　rest　of　us　who　dwell

within　the　pillars。　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　the　sea。　For

which　reason　the　sea　in　those　parts　is　impassable　and　impenetrable；

because　there　is　a　shoal　of　mud　in　the　way；　and　this　was　caused　by　the

subsidence　of　the　island。

　　I　have　told　you　briefly；　Socrates；　what　the　aged　Critias　heard

from　Solon　and　related　to　us。　And　when　you　were　speaking　yesterday

about　your　city　and　citizens；　the　tale　which　I　have　just　been

repeating　to　you　came　into　my　mind；　and　I　remarked　with　astonishment

how；　by　some　mysterious　coincidence；　you　agreed　in　almost　every

particular　with　the　narrative　of　Solon；　but　I　did　not　like　to　speak　at

the　moment。　For　a　long　time　had　elapsed；　and　I　had　forgotten　too　much；

I　thought　that　I　must　first　of　all　run　over　the　narrative　in　my　own

mind；　and　then　I　would　speak。　And　so　I　readily　assented　to　your

request　yesterday；　considering　that　in　all　such　cases　the　chief

difficulty　is　to　find　a　tale　suitable　to　our　purpose；　and　that　with

such　a　tale　we　should　be　fairly　well　provided。

　　And　therefore；　as　Hermocrates　has　told　you；　on　my　way　home　yesterday

I　at　once　communicated　the　tale　to　my　companions　as　I　remembered　it；

and　after　I　left　them；　during　the　night　by　thinking　I　recovered　nearly

the　whole　it。　Truly；　as　is　often　said；　the　lessons　of　our　childhood

make　wonderful　impression　on　our　memories；　for　I　am　not　sure　that　I

could　remember　all　the　discourse　of　yesterday；　but　I　should　be　much

surprised　if　I　forgot　any　of　these　things　which　I　have　heard　very　long

ago。　I　listened　at　the　time　with　childlike　interest　to　the　old　man's

narrative；　he　was　very　ready　to　teach　me；　and　I　asked　him　again　and

again　to　repeat　his　words；　so　that　like　an　indelible　picture　they　were

branded　into　my　mind。　As　soon　as　the　day　broke；　I　rehearsed　them　as　he

spoke　them　to　my　companions；　that　they；　as　well　as　myself；　might

have　something　to　say。　And　now；　Socrates；　to　make　an　end　my　preface；　I

am　ready　to　tell　you　the　whole　tale。　I　will　give　you　not　only　the

general　heads；　but　the　particulars；　as　they　were　told　to　me。　The

city　and　citizens；　which　you　yesterday　described　to　us　in　fiction；

we　will　now　transfer　to　the　world　of　reality。　It　shall　be　the

ancient　city　of　Athens；　and　we　will　suppose　that　the　citizens　whom　you

imagined；　were　our　veritable　ancestors；　of　whom　the　priest　spoke；　they

will　perfectly　harmonise；　and　there　will　be　no　inconsistency　in　saying

that　the　citizens　of　your　republic　are　these　ancient　Athenians。　Let　us

divide　the　subject　among　us；　and　all　endeavour　according　to　our

ability　gracefully　to　execute　the　task　which　you　have　imposed　upon　us。

Consider　then；　Socrates；　if　this　narrative　is　suited　to　the　purpose；

or　whether　we　should　seek　for　some　other　instead。

　　Soc。　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。

　　Crit。　Let　me　proceed　to　explain　to　you；　Socrates；　the　order　in　which

we　have　arranged　our　entertainment。　Our　intention　is；　that　Timaeus；

who　is　the　most　of　an　astronomer　amongst　us；　and　has　made　the　nature

of　the　universe　his　special　study；　should　speak　first；　beginning

with　the　generation　of　the　world　and　going　down　to　the　creation　of

man；　next；　I　am　to　receive　the　men　whom　he　has　created　of　whom　some

will　have　profited　by　the　excellent　education　which　you　have　given

them；　and　then；　in　accordance　with　the　tale　of　Solon；　and　equally　with

his　law；　we　will　bring　them　into　court　and　make　them　citizens；　as　if

they　were　those　very　Athenians　whom　the　sacred　Egyptian　record　has

recovered　from　oblivion；　and　thenceforward　we　will　speak　of　them　as

Athenians　and　fellow…citizens。

　　Soc。　I　see　that　I　shall　receive　in　my　turn　a　perfect　and　splendid

feast　of　reason。　And　now；　Timaeus；　you；　I　suppose；　should　speak

next；　after　duly　calling　upon　the　Gods。

　　Tim。　All　men；　Socrates；　who　have　any　degree　of　right　feeling；　at　the

beginning　of　every　enterprise；　whether　small　or　great；　always　call

upon　God。　And　we；　too；　who　are　going　to　discourse　of　the　nature　of　the

universe；　how　created　or　how　existing　without　creation；　if　we　be　not

altogether　out　of　our　wits；　must　invoke　the　aid　of　Gods　and

Goddesses　and　pray　that　our　words　may　be　acceptable　to　them　and

consistent　with　themselves。　Let　this；　then；　be　our　invocation　of　the

Gods；　to　which　I　add　an　exhortation　of　myself　to　speak　in　such

manner　as　will　be　most　intelligible　to　you；　and　will　most　accord

with　my　own　intent。

　　First　then；　in　my　judgment；　we　must　make　a　distinction　and　ask；　What

is　that　which　always　is　and　has　no　becoming；　and　what　is　that　which　is

always　becoming　and　never　is？　That　which　is　apprehended　by

intelligence　and　reason　is　always　in　the　same　state；　but　that　which　is

conceived　by　opinion　with　the　help　of　sensation　and　without　reason；　is

always　in　a　process　of　becoming　and　perishing　and　never　really　is。　Now

everything　that　becomes　or　is　created　must　of　necessity　be　created

by　some　cause；　for　without　a　cause　nothing　can　be　created。　The　work　of

the　creator；　whenever　he　looks　to　the　unchangeable　and　fashions　the

form　and　nature　of　his　work　after　an　unchangeable　pattern；　must

necessarily　be　made　fair　and　perfect；　but　when　he　looks　to　the　created

only；　and　uses　a　created　pattern；　it　is　not　fair　or　perfect。　Was　the

heaven　then　or　the　world；　whether　called　by　this　or　by　any　other

more　appropriate　name…assuming　the　name；　I　am　asking　a　question

which　has　to　be　asked　at　the　beginning　of　an　enquiry　about

anything…was　the　world；　I　say；　always　in　existence　and　without

beginning？　or　created；　and　had　it　a　beginning？　Created；　I　reply；　being

visible　and　tangible　and　having　a　body；　and　therefore　sensible；　and

all　sensible　things　are　apprehended　by　opinion　and　sense　and　are　in

a　process　of　creation　and　created。　Now　that　which　is　created　must；

as　we　affirm；　of　necessity　be　created　by　a　cause。　But　the　father　and

maker　of　all　this　universe　is　past　finding　out；　and　even　if　we　found

him；　to　tell　of　him　to　all　men　would　be　impossible。　And　there　is　still

a　question　to　be　asked　about　him：　Which　of　the　patterns　had　the

artificer　in　view　when　he　made　the　world…the　pattern　of　the

unchangeable；　or　of　that　which　is　created？　If　the　world　be　indeed　fair

and　the　artificer　good；　it　is　manifest　that　he　must　have　looked　to

that　which　is　eternal；　but　if　what　cannot　be　said　without　blasphemy　is

true；　then　to　the　created　pattern。　Every　one　will　see　that　he　must

have　looked　to；　the　eternal；　for　the　world　is　the　fairest　of　creations

and　he　is　the　best　of　causes。　And　having　been　created　in　this　way；　the

world　has　been　framed　in　the　likeness　of　that　which　is　apprehended

by　reason　and　mind　and　is　unchangeable；　and　must　therefore　of

necess