Plato says Solon visited Egypt and heard from a priest at Sais about a past Athenian war that became part of the Atlantis story. The priest points to sacred records in the temple of Neith, which were interpreted into Greek for Solon. Solon's Egyptian journey preceded his exile. Dropides was Solon's great-grandfather, not the possessor of the original writings. In Plato's account, Sais is the record's source setting.
Plato's account links Solon, Sais and the Atlantis story
EgyptGeneral
Site mentioned
Key facts
- Plato places Solon's visit to Sais in Egypt, but the journey is usually dated before Solon's exile.
- The priest's account says sacred records at Sais were interpreted into Greek for Solon, not that priests translated names into Egyptian.
- Plutarch identifies Dropides as Solon's great-grandfather; he does not say Dropides possessed the original writings.
- Plato locates the sacred record in the temple of Neith at Sais, making Sais the stated source setting of the Atlantis narrative.
Sources
Solonen.wikipedia.org
Solon was an archaic Athenian statesman, lawmaker, political philosopher and poet. He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece and is credited with laying the ...
Solon by Plutarchclassics.mit.edu
Solon made it appear to the judges, that Philaeus and Eurysaces, the sons of Ajax, being made citizens of Athens, gave them the island, in perpetual exile from ...
Plutarch • Life of Solonpenelope.uchicago.edu
charges of murder or homicide, or of seeking to establish a tyranny, and were in exile when this law was published."
Plato on Solon, the Egyptian priest, and Atlantis (mid-fourth ...philipharland.com
The founder of Sais, they say, is a goddess whose Egyptian name is Neith, and Athena in Greek, as they claim. These people profess to be great ...
The Seven Sages: III–Solon of Salamis - Figs in Winterfigsinwintertime.substack.com
Solon of Salamis, one of the seven semi-mythical sages of ancient Greece, made a last ditch attempt to save Athens, his adoptive city, from ...
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