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第8章

critias-第8章

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descendants; at the same time drinking and dedicating the cup out of which



he drank in the temple of the god; and after they had supped and satisfied



their needs; when darkness came on; and the fire about the sacrifice was



cool; all of them put on most beautiful azure robes; and; sitting on the



ground; at night; over the embers of the sacrifices by which they had



sworn; and extinguishing all the fire about the temple; they received and



gave judgment; if any of them had an accusation to bring against any one;



and when they had given judgment; at daybreak they wrote down their



sentences on a golden tablet; and dedicated it together with their robes to



be a memorial。







There were many special laws affecting the several kings inscribed about



the temples; but the most important was the following:  They were not to



take up arms against one another; and they were all to come to the rescue



if any one in any of their cities attempted to overthrow the royal house;



like their ancestors; they were to deliberate in common about war and other



matters; giving the supremacy to the descendants of Atlas。  And the king



was not to have the power of life and death over any of his kinsmen unless



he had the assent of the majority of the ten。







Such was the vast power which the god settled in the lost island of



Atlantis; and this he afterwards directed against our land for the



following reasons; as tradition tells:  For many generations; as long as



the divine nature lasted in them; they were obedient to the laws; and



well…affectioned towards the god; whose seed they were; for they possessed



true and in every way great spirits; uniting gentleness with wisdom in the



various chances of life; and in their intercourse with one another。  They



despised everything but virtue; caring little for their present state of



life; and thinking lightly of the possession of gold and other property;



which seemed only a burden to them; neither were they intoxicated by



luxury; nor did wealth deprive them of their self…control; but they were



sober; and saw clearly that all these goods are increased by virtue and



friendship with one another; whereas by too great regard and respect for



them; they are lost and friendship with them。  By such reflections and by



the continuance in them of a divine nature; the qualities which we have



described grew and increased among them; but when the divine portion began



to fade away; and became diluted too often and too much with the mortal



admixture; and the human nature got the upper hand; they then; being unable



to bear their fortune; behaved unseemly; and to him who had an eye to see



grew visibly debased; for they were losing the fairest of their precious



gifts; but to those who had no eye to see the true happiness; they appeared



glorious and blessed at the very time when they were full of avarice and



unrighteous power。  Zeus; the god of gods; who rules according to law; and



is able to see into such things; perceiving that an honourable race was in



a woeful plight; and wanting to inflict punishment on them; that they might



be chastened and improve; collected all the gods into their most holy



habitation; which; being placed in the centre of the world; beholds all



created things。  And when he had called them together; he spake as



follows…







* The rest of the Dialogue of Critias has been lost。























End 

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