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Atlantis: The Antedeluvian World — Page 1

English → Spanish CHAPTER II. Level 7/10

PLATO'S HISTORY OF ATLANTIS.

LA HISTORIA DE ATLANTIS DE PLATÓN.

Plato has preserved for us the history of Atlantis.

Platón nos ha conservado la historia de Atlantis.

If our views are correct, it is one of the most valuable records which have come down to us from antiquity.

Si nuestras opiniones son correctas, es uno de los registros más valiosos que nos han llegado de la antigüedad.

Plato lived 400 years before the birth of Christ.

Platón vivió 400 años antes del nacimiento de Cristo.

His ancestor, Solon, was the great law-giver of Athens 600 years before the Christian era.

Su antepasado, Solón, fue el gran legislador de Atenas 600 años antes de la era cristiana.

Solon visited Egypt.

Solón visitó Egipto.

Plutarch says, "Solon attempted in verse a large description, or rather fabulous account of the Atlantic Island, which he had learned from the wise men of Sais, and which particularly concerned the Athenians; but by reason of his age, not want of leisure (as Plato would have it), he was apprehensive the work would be too much for him, and therefore did not go through with it.

Plutarco dice: «Solón intentó en verso una extensa descripción, o más bien un relato fabuloso de la Isla Atlántica, que había aprendido de los sabios de Sais, y que concernía particularmente a los atenienses; pero debido a su edad, no a falta de tiempo libre (como Platón lo habría querido), temía que la obra fuera demasiado para él, y por lo tanto no la llevó a cabo.

These verses are a proof that business was not the hinderance:

Estos versos son una prueba de que los negocios no fueron el impedimento:

'I grow in learning as I grow in age.'

«Aprendo más a medida que envejezco.»

And again:

Y de nuevo:

'Wine, wit, and beauty still their charms bestow, Light all the shades of life, and cheer us as we go.'

«El vino, el ingenio y la belleza aún otorgan sus encantos, iluminan todos los matices de la vida y nos alegran mientras avanzamos.»

"Plato, ambitious to cultivate and adorn the subject of the Atlantic Island, as a delightful spot in some fair field unoccupied, to which also he had some claim by reason of his being related to Solon, laid out magnificent courts and enclosures, and erected a grand entrance to it, such as no other story, fable, or Poem ever had.

«Platón, ambicioso por cultivar y adornar el tema de la Isla Atlántica, como un delicioso lugar en algún hermoso campo desocupado, sobre el cual también tenía cierto derecho por su parentesco con Solón, trazó magníficos patios y recintos, y erigió una gran entrada a él, como ninguna otra historia, fábula o poema jamás tuvo.

Vocabulary

HISTORIA
Story or history of events over time
nos
First person plural object pronoun meaning 'us'
ha
Third person singular auxiliary verb 'has'
conservado
Preserved or kept something intact over time
historia
Story or history of events over time
Si
Conjunction meaning 'if,' introducing a condition
nuestras
Possessive adjective meaning 'our,' feminine plural
opiniones
Opinions or personal views on a topic
son
Third person plural form of 'ser,' meaning 'are'
correctos
Correct or accurate in judgment or fact
uno
Number or pronoun meaning 'one'
registros
Records or written accounts documenting information
más
Adverb meaning 'more' or 'most'
valiosos
Valuable or precious in worth or importance
han
Third person plural auxiliary verb 'have'
llegado
Arrived or reached a destination or state
antigüedad
Antiquity; the ancient past or ancient times
vivió
He/she lived; past tense of 'vivir'
años
Years; units of time equal to twelve months
antes
Adverb meaning 'before' in time or order
nacimiento
Birth; the act or moment of being born
Su
Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'their'
antepasado
Ancestor; a person from whom one descends
fue
Past tense of 'ser' or 'ir,' meaning 'was'
gran
Great or grand in importance, size, or stature
legislador
Lawmaker; a person who creates or enacts laws
era
Era or age; a distinct period of history
cristiana
Christian; relating to Christianity or its followers
visitó
He/she visited; past tense of 'visitar'
dice
He/she says; present tense of 'decir'
intentó
He/she attempted or tried to do something
verso
Verse; a line or stanza of poetry
extensa
Extensive or lengthy in scope or size
descripción
Description; a detailed account of something
bien
Well; adverb indicating quality or alternatively 'or rather'
relato
Story or narrative account of events
fabuloso
Fabulous or mythical; relating to legend or fable
Isla
Island; a landmass surrounded by water
había
Past tense of 'haber,' meaning 'had' as auxiliary
aprendido
Learned; past participle of 'aprender'
sabios
Wise men or sages possessing great knowledge
concernía
It concerned or pertained to a particular subject
particularmente
Particularly; especially or specifically in reference
atenienses
Athenians; inhabitants or citizens of ancient Athens
pero
Conjunction meaning 'but,' introducing contrast
debido
Due to; owing to a cause or reason
su
Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'their'
edad
Age; the number of years someone has lived
falta
Lack or shortage of something needed
tiempo
Time; the ongoing sequence of events or weather
libre
Free; unoccupied or without restriction
como
Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as' or 'like'
lo
Neuter or masculine object pronoun meaning 'it' or 'him'
habría
Conditional of 'haber,' meaning 'would have'
querido
Wanted or desired; past participle of 'querer'
temía
He/she feared; imperfect tense of 'temer'
obra
Work; a creative or literary piece of art
fuera
Subjunctive of 'ser/ir,' meaning 'were' or 'would be'
demasiado
Too much; excessive in amount or degree
por
Preposition meaning 'for,' 'by,' or 'through'
tanto
So much; to such a degree or extent
llevó
He/she carried or took; past tense of 'llevar'
cabo
Cape or end; used in 'llevar a cabo' meaning to carry out
Estos
Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'these,' masculine plural
versos
Verses; lines or stanzas written in poetry
prueba
Proof or test; evidence supporting a claim
negocios
Business or affairs; commercial or professional matters
fueron
Past tense of 'ser/ir,' meaning 'were' or 'went'
impedimento
Impediment or obstacle preventing progress or action
Aprendo
I learn; first person present tense of 'aprender'
medida
Measure; used in 'a medida que' meaning 'as'
envejezco
I grow old; first person present of 'envejecer'
nuevo
New; recently made or not previously existing
vino
Wine; alcoholic drink made from fermented grapes
ingenio
Wit or ingenuity; creative mental ability
belleza
Beauty; the quality of being pleasing or attractive
aún
Still or yet; continuing up to the present time
otorgan
They grant or bestow something upon someone
sus
Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'their'
encantos
Charms or enchantments; appealing and attractive qualities
iluminan
They illuminate or light up; shed light on something
todos
All or every; referring to the entirety of something
matices
Nuances or shades; subtle differences in meaning or color
vida
Life; the state of being alive
alegran
They gladden or cheer; make someone feel happy
mientras
While or as long as; during the same time
avanzamos
We advance or move forward in progress
ambicioso
Ambitious; having strong desire for achievement or success
cultivar
To cultivate or develop a skill, land, or relationship
adornar
To adorn or decorate; add beauty to something
tema
Theme or topic; subject under discussion or study
delicioso
Delicious or delightful; highly pleasing to senses
lugar
Place or location; a specific spot or area
algún
Some or any; indefinite reference to an unspecified thing
hermoso
Beautiful or lovely; pleasing in appearance
campo
Field or countryside; open rural land or area
desocupado
Unoccupied or vacant; not currently in use
sobre
Preposition meaning 'on,' 'over,' or 'about'
cual
Relative pronoun meaning 'which' or 'who'
también
Also or too; in addition to something else
tenía
He/she had; imperfect tense of 'tener'
cierto
Certain or sure; known with confidence
derecho
Right or law; legal entitlement or straight direction
parentesco
Kinship or family relationship between people
trazó
He/she traced or outlined; designed a plan or drawing
magníficos
Magnificent or splendid; impressively grand in scale
patios
Courtyards or patios; open outdoor areas in buildings
recintos
Enclosures or precincts; enclosed spaces or areas
erigió
He/she erected or built; constructed something upright
entrada
Entrance or entry; the way into a place
ninguna
None or no; negates feminine nouns entirely
otra
Other or another; a different or additional one
fábula
Fable; a short moral story often with animals
poema
Poem; a literary work written in verse
jamás
Never; at no time, stronger negation than 'nunca'
tuvo
He/she had; past tense of 'tener'
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