The Peloponnesian War

Look at Perikles' funeral oration. Identify and discuss the main ideas in it.

In, Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War, a description of the Athenians burial rites is significantly described. Perikles, the son of Xanthippos has been chosen to speak to the crowd at the mass funeral. He addresses the people on a political stand point, identifying specific topics of the city. Such as, the form of government being democratic, warfare that is not imitated and psychological teachings of education. He intertwines these topics into his oration to demonstrate to the Athenians the death of the men at war meant more than just sacrifice; but held virtuous value.

Perikles oration was geared towards a political point-of-view; he wanted to break down the cities origin to those within the crowd so they could fully understand the true praise of the dead. Before he began to acknowledge the deceased he identifies the city as a whole by informing the citizens of the traits that leads them to the profound importance of the salutations of the dead. He begins with, "But I will turn to praise of the dead after I have first set forth the principles by which we came into this position and the form of government from which its greatness resulted, since I believe that these are not inappropriate to mention in the present circumstances and are advantageous for the whole gathering, both citizens and foreigners, to hear about" (Book II, 92). He simply wants to give background of the warrior's thoughts and beliefs before praising them. Perikles wants the warriors to have meaning and purpose within a political society.

The Athenians has a democratic government, their beliefs consist of favoring social equality. Perikles gives an example of the cities belief, "We have a form of government that does not emulate the practices of our neighbors, setting an example to some rather than imitating others. This defines a democratic belief in the essences of the city taking into account what is best for the public. In the city where the Athenians abide, they do not practice the political examples of others they set there own beliefs of freedom and originality. He goes on to say, "In public life we conduct ourselves with freedom and also, regarding that suspicion of others because of their everyday habits, without getting angry at a neighbor if he does something so as to suit himself, and without wearing expressions of vexation, that inflict no punishment yet cause distress" (Book II, 92). Their practice of democratic government forms a way of life rather than a way of stern rules that most cities follow.

He addresses their different approach to warfare within his speech at the funeral as a common dictation of a democratic government. Athenians conduct an open city letting anyone that desires to come through and observe. In other practices of government this is thought to leave them vulnerable, but in actuality it gives them an advantage. Perikles briefs his accusations in his speech by implementing, "We leave our city accessible to all and do not, by xenelasia, prevent anyone from either listening or observing, although some enemy might benefit by seeing what we do not hide, because we do not put more trust in contrivance and deception than in the courageous readiness for action that comes from within" (Book II, 93). Democracies require that their governments be limited, not that they be weak. Indeed a democratic government appears fragile and few but, have by no means been immune to the tides of history; they have collapsed from political failure, succumbed to internal division, or been destroyed by foreign invasion. But democracies have also demonstrated remarkable resiliency over time and have shown that, with the commitment and informed dedication of their citizens, they can overcome severe economic hardship, reconcile social and ethnic division, and,