untry, and set sail after having obtained from the
Athenians leave of absence for ten years. In this time he thought they
would become used to his laws.

XXVI. He first went to Egypt, where he spent some time, as he himself
says,

"At Nilus' outlets, by Canopus' strand."

And he also discussed points of philosophy with Psenophis of Heliopolis,
and with Sonchis of Sais, the most distinguished of the Egyptian
priests. From them he heard the tale of the island Atlantis, as we are
told by Plato, and endeavoured to translate it into a poetical form for
the enjoyment of his countrymen. He next sailed to Cyprus, where he was
warmly received by Philocyprus, one of the local sovereigns, who ruled
over a small city founded by Demophon, the son of Theseus, near the
river Klarius, in a position which was easily defended, but
inconvenient.

As a fair plain lay below, Solon persuaded him to remove the city to a
pleasanter and less contracted site, and himself personally
superintended the building of the new city, which he arranged so well
both for convenience and safety, that many new settlers joined
Philocyprus, and he was envied by the neighbouring kings. For this
reason, in honour of Solon, he named the new city Soloi, the name of the
old one having been Aipeia. Solon himself mentions this event, in one of
his elegiac poems, in which he addresses Philocyprus, saying--

"Long may'st thou reign,
Ruling thy race from Soloi's throne with glory,
But me may Venus of the violet crown
Send safe away from Cyprus famed in story.
May Heaven to these new walls propitious prove,
And bear me safely to the land I love."

XXVII. Some writers argue, on chronological grounds, that Solon's
meeting with Croesus must have been an invention. But I cannot think
that so famous a story, which is confirmed by so many writers, and,
moreover, which so truly exhibits Solon's greatness of mind and wisdom,
ought to be given up because of the so-called rules of chronology, which
have been discussed by innumerable persons, up to the present day,
without their being ever able to make their dates agree. The story goes
that Solon at Croesus's desire came to Sardis, and there felt much like
a continental when he goes down to the seaside for the first time; for
he thinks each river he comes to must be the sea, and so Solon, as he
walked through the court and saw many of the courtiers richly attired
and each