The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-03-12

oAt1oHs Doyo SAieioSs - Sobhs~n
war arose 5000 years ago between
the nations on this side of the PHI
lars Of Hercules and the nations
coming from beyond. On one side
II was Tthens; on the other the
Kings of Atlantis. We have al
ready said that this island was
larger than Asia and Africa, but
that It became submerged follow
ing an earthquake and that its
place Ii no longer met with ex-
cept al . sandbar which stops
navigation and renders the sea
impossible"
Plato's mistake as to the size Of
Africa and Asia Termier explains
a. . very natural one. because In
Plato's day % little was actually
known Of their exact contours.
Plato further describes ''the cradle
Of the Atlantic raoe; = plain To-
Gated near the sea and opening In
the central part of the island. and
the most fertile OF plains; about II
q circle Of mountains stretching
to the sea. q circle open at the
center and protecting the plain
from the Icy blasts of the north;
In these superb mountains, nu-
merous villages. rich and populous:
IN tho plain, q magnificent city.
the palaces and temples Of which
are constructed from stones OF
three oolors-white, black. and
red-drawn from the very bosom
Of the island; hero and there mines
yielding all the metals useful to
man; finally tho shores Of the
island cut perpendicularly and
commanding from above tho tu-
multuous sea-"
LAID NEAR AZORES.
Pierre Termier then observes
the scientific accuracy of Plato's
description. which. he says. "tal.
lies we'll with what We would I'm
agine today Of q great land sub
merged In tho region of the
Azores and enjoying the eternal
sprinstime. which Il the endow.
mont Of these islands: . Land
formed from . basement Of an
Client rocks bearing. with some
fragments Of whitish calcareous
terrains, extinct volcanic noun
tains and lava flows, black or
red. long since grown cold"
And this II not Plato's only
reference to Atlantis. for In an.
other dialogue entitled "Timaeus"
or Concerning Nature" Cr1tiaa
again speaks, saying: Tho rec
ords inform vs. Of tho destruction
by Athens Of q singularly power.
full army, which came from the
Atlantic Ocean and which had
the effrontery to invade Europe
and Asia; for this. sea was then
navisable. and beyond the strait
which you call the Pillars Of
Hercules there was an island
larger than Libya and even Asia.
From this island ono could easily
pass to other islands. and from
them to tho entire continent
which surrounds the interior
SEA- In the Island At
lantis reigned kings of amazing
power. They had under their
dominion the entire island. a.
we'll as several other islands
and some parts Of the continent"
They were even reigning over
Lfbya As far al Egypt and over
Europe a. far as the Tyrrhenian,
he continues, and at length they
united their power in order by a
single blow to subjugate the
Athenians and all the people liv-
ing on the higher side of the
strait referred to as the Pillars
Of Hercules. now the Strait Of
Gibraltar.
FOUGHT THE ATHENIANS.
Plato, who was writing. Of
course. almost two thousand years
before the discovery Of America
by Columbus. adds that later.
with great earthquakes and mum
dations. In a single day and one
fatal night. all who had been
warriors against the Athenians
were swallowed up. The Island
Of Atlantis disappeared beneath
the sea- Since that time the sea