Timaeus and CritiasTaking the form of dialogues between Socrates, Timaeus, Critias and Hermocrates, these two works are among Plato's final writings. In Timaeus, he gives a thorough account of the world in which we live, describing a cosmos composed of four elements - earth, air, fire and water - which combine to give existence to all things. An exploration of the origins of the universe, life and humanity, which outlines not just physical laws but also metaphysical and religious principles, it remained a paradigm of science for two thousand years. The mysterious preamble to Timaeus contains the first account in literature of Atlantis, while the fragmentary Critias, unfinished by its author, provides a spellbinding description of the lost continent's ideal society, which Critias asserts was created by the god-like children of Poseidon himself. |
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 7 |
TIMAEUS | 27 |
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS OF TIMAEUS BY NUMBERED SECTIONS | 125 |
CRITIAS | 127 |
APPENDIX ON ATLANTIS | 146 |
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Common terms and phrases
angles Aristotle armillary sphere Athens Atlantis basic triangles become blood bone called cause centre Chalcidius circles Cleito colour combination composed compressed constituents contain Cornford Crete Critias described dialogue disease dissolve divine earth eternal existence fibrine figure fire fish-trap flesh follows four elements give gods Greek heaven heavenly bodies Hermocrates ideal society intelligence island judgement kind Krakatoa land living creature marrow mathematical ment mind Minoan mixture moisture mortal creature motion move movement myth of Er nature necessity orbits orichalc origin outer pain particles Penguin Books philosophers phlegm physical Pillars of Heracles planetary rings planets Plato Poseidon principle produce qualities reason receptacle Republic rings round sensation sense sinews Socrates solid solid angle Solon sphere stades stars story substance Thera things thought Timaeus tion uniform universe variety visible whole world soul write to Penguin