well as the warriors who are his
sole concern in the Republic; and that though he speaks of the common
pursuits of men and women, he says nothing of the community of wives and
children.

It is singular that Plato should have prefixed the most detested of
Athenian names to this dialogue, and even more singular that he should
have put into the mouth of Socrates a panegyric on him (Tim.). Yet we
know that his character was accounted infamous by Xenophon, and that
the mere acquaintance with him was made a subject of accusation against
Socrates. We can only infer that in this, and perhaps in some other
cases, Plato's characters have no reference to the actual facts. The
desire to do honour to his own family, and the connection with Solon,
may have suggested the introduction of his name. Why the Critias was
never completed, whether from accident, or from advancing age, or from a
sense of the artistic difficulty of the design, cannot be determined.

CRITIAS.

PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: Critias, Hermocrates, Timaeus, Socrates.

TIMAEUS: How thankful I am, Socrates, that I have arrived at last, and,
like a weary traveller after a long journey, may be at rest! And I pray
the being who always was of old, and has now been by me revealed, to
grant that my words may endure in so far as they have been spoken truly
and acceptably to him; but if unintentionally I have said anything
wrong, I pray that he will impose upon me a just retribution, and
the just retribution of him who errs is that he should be set right.
Wishing, then, to speak truly in future concerning the generation of
the gods, I pray him to give me knowledge, which of all medicines is the
most perfect and best. And now having offered my prayer I deliver up the
argument to Critias, who is to speak next according to our agreement.
(Tim.)

CRITIAS: And I, Timaeus, accept the trust, and as you at first said
that you were going to speak of high matters, and begged that some
forbearance might be shown to you, I too ask the same or greater
forbearance for what I am about to say. And although I very well know
that my request may appear to be somewhat ambitious and discourteous, I
must make it nevertheless. For will any man of sense deny that you
have spoken well? I can only attempt to show that I ought to have more
indulgence than you, because my theme is more difficult; and I shall
argue that to seem to speak well of the gods to men is far easier than
to speak w