*The whole story is basically paraphrased from the original source*
Critias- When I as at the age of ten, my grandfather (who was ninety at the time) told me a story. I remember that day, because it was then that the Registration of Youth began. It was a general custom that the parents would give prizes to the boys who recited poems, and many of us sang poems that Solon had written.
It was at this time that one of our fellow Athenians said that Solon was not only the wisest, but also the noblest. My grandfather smiled and replied, "That is true. If only Solon had kept at being a poet and finished the story he brought back from Egypt instead of paying attention to other business matters, he would have been just as famous as any other poet."
"And what story may that be?" asked the fellow.
"It was the story of the greatest deed that the Athenians did, that would have become a very famous story but the story never did get passed down to us. It got worn down by time along with the actors that got forgotten," my grandfather replied.
"In the Egyptian delta where the Nile River divides, there is a district known as the district of Sais where King Amasis came from. This is where the great Neith lives, in fact the citizens say that she is equal to who the Hellenes (Greeks) call Athene. ( The citizens admire Athenians greatly, and even say that they are somehow related to us).
Solon journeyed here, and asked the priests about the ancient past. He soon discovered that he nor any other Grecian knew as much as the priests did.
He talked to the priests about the past he knew to get them to speak more about antiquity, but an old priest replied, "Dear Solon, You Hellenes are nothing but children. You hold no ancient traditions or understanding of any science. The greatest power of destruction was fire and water. The myth of Paethon shows the mingling of the heavens with earth, when he scorches the earth with the chariot that held the sun. The destructive power from water come from the skies and flood you and your cities, while here the water comes from below. Every time your cities are flooded, you must start over. Simply, your stories are nothing but tales for children. There is more history beyond what you know for there was a time when Athens fought the first war, it was known for its noblest and most remarkable deeds."
Solon was happy to hear this and requested to hear the story of the old citizens, this the priest agreed to.It was then that the Athena created you at placed you on your lands, because she saw that your lands would create the greatest of men. It was there that you have resided and lived. Many of your amazing deeds are recorded in our history, for there was a great power that your city alone stopped. That great power was Atlantis, who ruled over a vast land. It was then that your city shined and showed its greatest strength. After your victory, all your brave warriors got swept away by floods and earthquakes and along with your warriors went the great island of Atlantis. For this reason, the sea that the island floated on is impenetrable for a mound of mud from the island blocks the way.
* There is more but this is where the mentioning of Atlantis ends.*