Period 6
Thoughts and Reflections on: Funeral Oration
Thucydides
In a time of war, it was traditional for the Athenians to select one speaker renowned for their intellectual prowess and contribution to the state. In this speech, the orator would do his best to honor the fallen warriors. During the Peloponnesian War, it was decided that Pericles would deliver this speech. However, instead of opting for the standard honoring of the departed, Pericles decided to inspire patriotism by reminding his fellow citizens of the greatness of Athens. These praises fell into three main categories: the government of Athens, the spirit of Athens, and the military of Athens. Concerning the government of Athens, Pericles stated that Athens was strong because it was not based on any other government, but rather a role model for other city-states. He claimed that what made Athens so great was that each citizen was equal under the eyes of the law, and that poor socioeconomic status didn't make someone any less important. Of course, what Pericles glossed over was that women were not considered to be full citizens of Athens, so his argument of equality under the eyes of the law kind of falls flat. When he spoke of the spirit of Athens, Pericles reminded citizens that though many of them live in luxury, they are not extravagant. He also told the audience (with some degree of truth) that Athens was far more cultured than any other city-state. In terms of military, Pericles claimed superiority over their rival Sparta. He said that even though the Spartans trained from a very young age, the Athenians were better because they had free will. He stated that the people of Athens rose to defend her because they loved their home, rather than because they were forced into combat. And finally, Pericles claimed that Athens was much better than their opponents because they were open to anyone, and had no deportation. But again, this argument is questionable because those who were not citizens were not considered open.
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