The New Student's Reference Work/Atlantis

Atlan'tis, in ancient tradition the name of a vast island in the Atlantic Ocean. Plato relates, in his dialogue Timarus, how an Egyptian priest told Solon of its existence, lying off the Pillars of Hercules in the ocean and larger than Libya and Asia Minor together. Plato also gives a description of the island and adds a fabulous history. His history is that 9,000 years before his own time Atlantis was a powerful and populous island, and conquered the western part of Europe and Africa. At one time its whole power was arrayed against the nations bordering on the Mediterranean, and every nation gave way before it except the Athenians, who were finally victorious. The gods at last came to the rescue of the earth and an earthquake caused the island to sink in the ocean. Many efforts have been made to find the seat of this island, but it doubtless was only an imaginary land, like the Land of the Dead among the Celtic race.