堪稱「世紀之謎」的亞特蘭提斯，覆蓋著神秘面紗，多少世紀來，流傳真假難辨的傳說，學者也紛紛投入考古行列，希望能找出蛛絲馬跡，證明柏拉圖所言非假，然而，這些說法是否真實，只能由讀者自行判斷了。

希臘哲學柏拉圖在著作《對話錄》中兩度提及遭上帝天譴而陸沉的亞特蘭提斯大陸，究竟只是一則醒世寓言，或是確有其地？千百年來已成為歷史和考古學者、探險家極欲揭開的一紙謎團。

有人拿著柏拉圖的《對話錄》，按書索驥，認為亞特蘭提斯大陸應是位於直不羅陀海峽以西的外海，因此目前隸屬於葡萄牙管轄的亞速爾群島，等幾個大西洋的群島，就被認為亞特蘭提斯陸沉後的遺跡。但有人認為，亞特蘭提斯大陸的面積不可能像柏拉圖書中所描述的有半個大西洋大，經過考證之後，他們認為亞特蘭提斯只是希臘克里特島延續到公元前 1400年的邁諾斯文明，因此，亞特蘭提斯大陸就是位於愛琴海上。當然，最常聽到的一種說法就是，亞特蘭提斯根本只是柏拉圖為了警世而寫的一則寓言。

就在各界爭論亞特蘭提斯究竟是位於大西洋還是地中海上，著有《亞特蘭提斯大發現》一書的美國地理學家羅伯．薩馬斯特，又提出了亞特提斯大陸的遺址的新說法，根據他的調查，亞特蘭提斯是位於地中海東部，從塞普勒斯島往東北延伸至敘利亞的一塊方形的陸沉地塊上，而塞普勒斯是這個文明的最高點。

羅伯．薩馬斯特利用深海照像術、海床模擬，及根據《對話錄》發現的 50幾條線索，發現這塊方形的陸沉地塊，與柏拉圖筆下的亞特蘭提斯大陸極為類似。羅伯．薩馬斯特表示，他希望再籌組一支探險隊做進一步的研究。不過，有人對羅伯．薩馬斯特的調查嗤之以鼻，認為亞特蘭提斯位於塞普勒斯的機率幾乎是零，此一說法只會促進塞普勒斯的觀光事業。

Some say it is in the Aegean, others in the Azores, off the Celtic Ridge of Britain or even as far as the South China Sea, but an American researcher says everyone has been looking in the wrong place.

Atlantis was in Cyprus and ancient philosopher Plato is about to be vindicated, according to Robert Sarmast.

"The island of Cyprus was, or is, part of Atlantis -- a mountaintop," Sarmast said from his home in Los Angeles. "This region is at the heart of the ancient world."

Drawn from accounts by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Solon, Plato's description of a powerful civilization destroyed by the wrath of God has fired the dreams of explorers for centuries.

Of late, it has inspired fantasies of webbed-limbed people living in glass bubbles（中空玻璃珠） on the sea bed; of old, it was thought by some to be the Garden of Eden, where mankind fell from God's grace.

Geologists say the land mass（地塊） of Cyprus's central mountain range once formed the ocean floor. Sarmast says the mountainous island was the tip of the civilization submerged in a devastating earthquake and flood thousands of years ago.

Using deep-sea imagery, simulations of the sea bed, and following some 50 clues found in Plato's Critias and Timaeus Dialogues（對話錄）, Sarmast said he has discovered a sunken rectangular land mass stretching northeast from Cyprus, toward Syria

"Everything matches the descriptions in the dialogues of Atlantis to an uncanny（驚人的） degree," said Sarmast.

Using scientific data collected a decade ago, Sarmast said he came up with detailed three-dimensional maps and simulated models of the eastern Mediterranean basin.

"We lowered the sea level by 1,600 meters (5,250 feet) and an island popped up," he said.

Having written a book about his discovery, Sarmast now hopes to organize an expedition to the region for further research.

His theory has been challenged by archeologists, who say the Atlantis story is a myth.

Sarmast, however, says the sheer volume of detail found in the dialogues is proof enough that something is lurking in the watery deep. The dialogues read like a treasure map," he said.

Although theories on where Atlantis was are many and varied, most believers agree the ancient city was probably destroyed in the biblical flood, which has its parallel in the history of the Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Egyptians and South Americans.

Plato describes a series of worldwide floods culminating in the deluge（大洪水） of the Deucalion（聖經創世紀）, dated by Greek historians to the end of the last Ice Age, about 10,000 BC.

According to those ancient texts, Atlantis was a powerful nation whose residents became so corrupted by greed and power that Zeus, the king of the gods, destroyed it.

Cypriot scholars are skeptical of Sarmast's conclusions.

"The possibility of Cyprus being Atlantis is next to zero," said Plato scholar Sofronis Sofroniou.

"Cyprus is mentioned by Homer and other people and there is no mention of that. "If Cyprus was Atlantis, it would probably have been mentioned. There is absolutely no basis for this theory."

Sophocles Hadjisavvas, director of the Antiquities Department, agrees. "This is mere speculation and has nothing to do with reality," he said.

"Atlantis is mythology, but even mythology speaks of Atlantis being outside the Gates of Hercules in the Atlantic," he said, referring to the Straits of Gibraltar（直布羅陀海峽）.

"But it is good for Cyprus tourism," he added.

Sarmast won't be swayed. "Heinrich Schliemann discovered Troy by following clues in Homer's Iliad," he said, referring to the German explorer who found what he thought was the ancient city of Troy in 1873. "Before that archeologists said it was a myth. It wasn't, and nor is Atlantis."

（ http://www.ac/tivemind.com）

以下是柏拉圖於西元前 360年，在著作《對話錄》中所談及的有關亞特蘭提斯的故事之摘要。這是迄今世上唯一有關亞特蘭提斯的參考資料，過去兩千多年來，它卻引起極大的爭議和辯論。

Over 11,000 years ago there existed an island nation located in the middle of the Atlantic ocean populated by a noble and powerful race. The people of this land possessed great wealth thanks to the natural resources found throughout their island. The island was a center for trade and commerce. The rulers of this land held sway over（支配） the people and land of their own island and well into Europe and Africa.

This was the island of Atlantis.

Atlantis was the domain of Poseidon, god of the sea. When Poseidon fell in love with a mortal woman, Cleito, he created a dwelling at the top of a hill near the middle of the island and surrounded the dwelling with rings of water and land to protect her.

Cleito gave birth to five sets of twin boys who became the first rulers of Atlantis. The island was divided among the brothers with the eldest, Atlas, first King of Atlantis, being given control over the central hill and surrounding areas.

At the top of the central hill, a temple was built to honor Poseidon which housed a giant gold statue of Poseidon riding a chariot（二輪馬車） pulled by winged horses. It was here that the rulers of Atlantis would come to discuss laws, pass judgments, and pay tribute to Poseidon.

To facilitate travel and trade, a water canal was cut through of the rings of land and water running south for 5.5 miles (~9 km) to the sea.

The city of Atlantis sat just outside the outer ring of water and spread cross the plain covering a circle of 11 miles (1.7 km). This was a densely populated area where the majority of the population lived.

Beyond the city lay a fertile plain 330 miles (530 km) long and 110 miles (190 km) wide surrounded by another canal used to collect water from the rivers and streams of the mountains. The climate was such that two harvests were possible each year. One in the winter fed by the rains and one in the summer fed by irrigation from the canal.

Surrounding the plain to the north were mountains which soared to the skies. Villages, lakes, rivers, and meadows dotted the mountains.

Besides the harvests, the island provided all kinds of herbs, fruits, and nuts. An abundance of animals, including elephants, roamed the island.

For generations the Atlanteans lived simple, virtuous lives. But slowly they began to change. Greed and power began to corrupt them. When Zeus saw the immorality of the Atlanteans he gathered the other gods to determine a suitable punishment.

Soon, in one violent surge it was gone. The island of Atlantis, its people, and its memory were swallowed by the sea.

在 1970年代初期，科學人員發現，位於大西洋亞速爾群島海底的巖心，在一萬兩千年前，曾是一座陸地。與柏拉圖《對話錄》的說法，不謀而合，學者彷彿打了強心針，更加堅信亞特蘭提斯絕非虛構故事。

除了亞速爾群島，許多學者也曾在別處海域，發現疑似亞特蘭提斯的遺跡。1962年，美國動物學家范倫坦博士，在巴哈馬群島北比密尼群島附近海域，發現類似港口的地形，還有一道連綿好幾百碼的石牆。雖然無法證明與亞特蘭提斯有直接的關係，仍讓世人擁有無比的想像。

歷史上也有許多相關傳說，1962年，一艘蘇聯探測船，居然在古巴外海捕獲一個全身長滿鱗片的「人魚寶寶」！根據隨行的科學家維諾葛雷德博士的回憶錄指出，當時被捕獲的人魚寶寶竟突然開口說話：「我來自亞特蘭提斯，請放了我！」這個事件，也為這個難解的謎，添加了一份神秘色彩。

此外，儘管有許多人認為，亞特蘭提斯只是由柏拉圖創造出來的虛構故事，但在1985年，兩位挪威水手堅稱，在百慕達三角洲「魔鬼三角」的海域中，發現了亞特蘭提斯，在他們拍回的照片中，清楚呈現出縱橫的街道、圓頂房屋、寺院等，儼然一座古城，他們說，「這和柏拉圖描繪的一模一樣！」

Atlantis: Insights from a Lost Civilization

出版： Llewellyn Publications

內容簡介：本書結集了超過 100位亞特蘭提斯研究學者、科學家、心理學家，所提出關於亞特蘭提斯的資訊與其居民，作者Shirley Andrews將失落的亞特蘭提斯，由傳奇變成了事實。

《尋找亞特蘭提斯》

When the Sky Fell: In Search of Atlantis　

出版：台灣先智

內容簡介：許多證據在在顯示，在 1萬年前，人類還處於蒙時無知之時，在地球的某一處早已存在著一個令人歎為觀止的高度文明。

他們用精密的儀器繪出精確的世界地圖，用無法想像的技術輕易移動重達2百噸的巨石，建蓋了現今科技也難以完成的金字塔，細密的語言可與1萬年後的電腦產物進行溝通...這個文明的所在，被眾多研究者指為文獻傳說中的「亞特蘭提斯島」。

這個島，後來何以銷聲匿跡？這個島，究竟沉落在何處？ 很有可能，它將會在某一日從大海中浮現，改寫人類的文明史觀...........

《亞特蘭提斯的毀滅》

The Destruction of Atlantis: Compelling Evidence of the Sudden Fall of the Legendary Civilization

出版： Inner Traditions Intl Ltd

內容簡介：這本書對於遠古傳奇文明－亞特蘭提斯的歷史與命運，最具有理解力的重建。本書結合了地質學、天文學、神話與古老的文本來證明亞特蘭提斯的存在，與其災難性的結束。而作者將生硬科學證據轉換為事實的驚人想像力，讓這些栩栩如生的描述，就像是在亞特蘭提斯的最後一天時走在大街上的所見所聞。此外，本書並描寫此強大的帝國是如何的被財富與權力的慾望腐蝕，並希望藉此為我們處於生態危機邊緣的物質文明提供借鏡。

電影：失落的帝國

Atlantis - The Lost Empire

出品：迪士尼公司

劇情簡介：希臘哲學家柏拉圖曾經在西元前 360年兩度在他的著作─〔對話錄〕提及亞特蘭提斯這個文明：「在一個分不清楚晝夜 的晚上，亞特蘭提斯沉入了深海。」

1914年華盛頓的市立博物館裡，邁羅是一位語言學家，對於亞特蘭提斯的傳說深信不已。他希望自己能像祖父一樣成為偉大的探險家。在得不到博物館的資金贊助下，突然出現一位祖父生前怪怪的好友願意提供邁羅資金，讓他去探索亞特蘭提斯存在的真假。

邁羅領著專家組成最頂尖的探險隊，出發前往深海尋找亞特蘭提斯城。萬萬沒想到，亞特蘭提斯人居然仍然生活在地底的世界裡。在亞特蘭提斯的國度裡，邁羅與探險隊見到了亞特蘭提斯2萬歲高齡的國王以及8千5百釭漁V妲公主，他們對亞特蘭提斯文明的未來感到憂慮，公主希望探險隊可以幫助她的王國重新找回動力。

不料整支探險隊伍除了邁羅之外全都心懷不軌，他們全是為了金錢財富而來。探險隊準備將公主綁架走，而姬妲公主是亞特蘭提斯城生命的源頭。此時邁羅必須靠一己之力以及亞特蘭提斯人民的幫助將公主救回。

電腦遊戲

Dark Age of Camelot: Trials of Atlantis Expansion Pack

製作公司： Mythic Entertainment

遊戲簡介：玩家可以藉由本遊戲，來探索這個海底城市──亞特蘭提斯，在預見此社會的滅亡後，帶領亞特蘭提斯走向不會滅亡的未來。