Book 3
678
Ath. And because there were so few of them round about in those days, were they not delighted to see one another, but for the fact that means of transport, whereby they might visit one another by sea or land, had practically all perished along with the arts? Hence intercourse, I imagine, was not very easy. For iron and bronze and all the metals in the mines had been flooded and had disappeared; so that it was extremely difficult to extract fresh metal; and there was a dearth, in consequence, of felled timber. For even if there happened to be some few tools still left somewhere on the mountains, these were soon worn out, and they could not be replaced by others until men had rediscovered the art of metal-working.
678
Clin. They could not.
678
Ath. Now, how many generations, do we suppose, had passed before this took place?
678
Clin. A great many, evidently.
678
Ath. And during all this period, or even longer, all the arts that require iron and bronze and all such metals must have remained in abeyance?
678
Clin. Of course.
678
Ath. Moreover, civil strife and war also disappeared during that time, and that for many reasons.
678
Clin. How so?
