Narration … In the distant past, about 9,000 years before Plato’s own time, a mighty island nation called Atlantis rose from the sea beyond the Pillars of Hercules (the modern Strait of Gibraltar). Its people were half‑god, half‑human, descendants of Poseidon, who built a spectacular capital of concentric rings of water and land, glittering with gold, silver, and a mysterious metal called orichalcum. The rise - The Atlanteans grew powerful, mastering shipbuilding and trade, and they expanded their empire across Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia. Their navy of 1,200 ships ruled the waves, and their armies boasted 5,000 chariots. - For a while they lived in a kind of utopia—wise laws, abundant harvests, and grand temples dedicated to Poseidon. The hubris - Over generations, greed and ambition crept in. The Atlanteans began conquering neighboring lands, eventually threatening ancient Athens, which stood as a model of virtue and democracy in Plato’s story. - The gods, angered by the...