Madeira and Plato: A Surprising Tale.

A long time ago, before people really knew about Madeira's islands, the Greek philosopher Plato talked about a place far away called "Atlantis", which has been mentioned for the 1st time in his work 'Timaeus", written in 360 BC and which serves as a symbol of nations' excessive pride and arrogance.

Atlantis is a fictional island featured in Plato's dialogues 'Timaeus" and "Critias" inhabited by "really clever and strong people", but a cataclysm occurred and it went under the sea. In the story, Atlantis was a powerful empire that ruled the western part of the world. But when Atlantis tried to take over "Ancient Athens," the gods got mad and sank the island in the Atlantic Ocean.

Some people think Plato might have been talking about Madeira, but we can't be sure. He said that Atlantis was beyond the "Pillars of Hercules", which could be near the Straits of Gibraltar, where Madeira is.

However, it is essential to acknowledge that Plato's writings are mythical narratives rather than verifiable historical facts and the only original sources about Atlantis come from Plato's writings and all other references to this island rely on Plato's work.

Nonetheless, the mere possibility that a philosopher of Plato's stature might have referred Madeira in his work adds a layer of fascination to the island's historical narrative.