The English word Atlantic derived from the Greek word for the mythical sky-bearing Giant Atlas. In Latin, the Atlantic Ocean should be called mare atlanticum, while its Latinized Greek form was atlantis—the sunken continent of Atlantis recorded by Plato.
According to ancient Mexican manuscripts preserved by Alexander von Humboldt at the Vatican, as well as records kept in Mexican archives in South America, there were similar accounts: "Four generations of people once appeared upon the earth. The first generation of Giants died of hunger; the second humanity was destroyed by a great fire; the third humanity consisted of ape-men, who could speak and slaughter one another; then came the fourth generation, humanity in the age of the Sun and water, who perished in a great flood."
The fourth generation, the Atlanteans, was said to have perished when their continent sank.
"What kind of wine is this? Why is it so bitter?" Polina asked after tasting the wine Georgiana had brought back.
Caroline was pregnant and did not drink. It was said that her belly was about as large as Marshal Ney's wife's.
"This is an aperitif popular in Italian literary salons. If you want to go and have fun, you'll have to get used to it," Georgiana said as she drank the bittersweet vermouth. Compared with Italian espresso, it was not that bitter.
"I'm not going to any literary salon." Polina set the glass aside. "I don't even keep a diary. What literature would I discuss?"
"Are you planning to go to that Patriot Cafe?" Caroline asked with some difficulty from her reclining chair.
In truth, Georgiana had no intention of going. The subject had merely come up while she was chatting at Cicognara's home.
Napoleon liked the Iliad, while Bernardo Zamagna treated the Odyssey as a Greek literature textbook.