Plato, Critias 121c · 121c
Zeus gathers the gods
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Critias — ἐπιθεῖναι βουληθείς, ἵνα γένοιντο ἐμμελέστεροι σωφρονισθέντες, συνήγειρεν θεοὺς πάντας εἰς τὴν τιμιωτάτην αὐτῶν οἴκησιν, ἣ δὴ κατὰ μέσον παντὸς τοῦ κόσμου βεβηκυῖα καθορᾷ πάντα ὅσα γενέσεως μετείληφεν, καὶ συναγείρας εἶπεν—
he wished to impose it, so that they might become more measured, being chastened, he gathered all the gods into their most honoured dwelling, which stands at the middle of the whole cosmos and looks down on everything that has a share in becoming. And when he had gathered them, he said:
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The setting
Zeus, wanting to punish the kings so that they might learn restraint, calls all the gods to his most honoured house at the centre of the cosmos. The dialogue breaks off as he begins to speak.
A note on this passage
The last sentence of the dialogue is built around three participles that all belong to Zeus. He is boulētheís, wishing, to epitheînai, lay on, the penalty, and the purpose clause, hína génointo emmelésteroi sōphronisthéntes, gives the aim: that they become emmelésteroi, more in tune or more measured, once they have been brought to their senses. Sōphronízō is the verb for teaching sōphrosýnē, good sense and self-control.
The house of the gods is tḕn timiōtátēn autôn oíkēsin, their most honoured dwelling, and it stands katà méson pantòs toû kósmou, at the middle of the whole cosmos. From there it kathorâi, looks down on, everything that has a share in génesis, becoming, the word for the world of things that come to be and pass away. Zeus gathers the gods, synageíras, and the verb eîpen, "he said," is the last word of the dialogue. Burnet prints a dash after it, and the Greek text stops there.
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