PLUTARCH'S "LIFE OF SOLON" AND ATLANTIS

Atlantis, "The Island of Atlas", had never been mentioned anywhere in the whole of world literature until, in a fictional conversation in Plato’s dialogue Timaeus, the character Critias tells Socrates that their discussion has just reminded him about an odd tale that was attested by Solon, who was a friend and relative of Critias’ great-grandfather. Plutarch's Life of Solon, written approximately 450 years after Plato, tells us that Solon spent some time in Egypt studying with some highly erudite priests, and that this is where he first heard the Atlantis story. The link takes you to a translation of Plutarch's work.