This study guide for Pericles's Funeral Oration offers summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. Science Teacher and Lover of Essays. Pericles gave this speech to honor the Athenian dead c. 431 BCE. Pericles gave his oration, or ceremonial speech, about 431 BCE. Pericles's argument is that Athens's civic and democratic virtues are a source of strength and that the soldiers were fighting for their society's democratic ideals. Have study documents to share about Funeral Oration? Pericles emphasized the power of the Athenian people and in particular their ability to work together for the greater good of the city by putting aside what they might want in the moment as individuals. [2] The speech was supposed to have been delivered by Pericles, an eminent Athenian politician, at the end of the first year of the Peloponnesian War (431404BCE) as a part of the annual public funeral for the war dead. image/png. In his speech, Pericles states that he had been emphasising the greatness of Athens in order to convey that the citizens of Athens must continue to support the war, to show them that what they were fighting for was of the utmost importance. Details about the nature and name of this disease are unknown, but a recent best guess is Typhoid Fever. Course Hero. The burial rites that had just been observed for the fallen soldiers included a public funeral procession before the final burial. MIME type. Pericles and his crew arrive in Myteline, and Lysimachus goes out to meet the ships. However, Pericles argues, this does not in any way make Athens weak. 29, 2021, thoughtco.com/pericles-funeral-oration-thucydides-version-111998. However, it started as an ancient Greek art form. Wed love to have you back! Greek graves were relatively simple because the ancient Greeks believed that the legacy of the dead was secured in the memory of their deeds, as recorded in history. His words were recorded by the Athenian historian Thucydides (c. 460c. Finally, draw a line separating the complete subject from the complete predicate. Nevertheless, Thucydides was extremely meticulous in his documentation, and records the varied certainty of his sources each time. Introduction Democracy allows men to advance because of merit rather than wealth or inherited class. The Gettysburg Address and Pericles Funeral Oration Pages: 3 (726 words) Declaration of Independence vs. Gettysburg Address Pages: 3 (747 words) The Gettysburg Address Main Ideas Pages: 2 (485 words) Stylistic Analysis of Gettysburg Address Pages: 4 (979 words) The causes and effects of the gettysburg address Pages: 5 (1426 words) Pericles, Prince of Tyre, tries his hand at the riddle. The term Hellas refers to all of the ancient Greek civilizations, including multiple islands and colonies across the Mediterranean. Pericles is a play by William Shakespeare that was first performed in 1619. [21] He explained that fighting for one's country was a great honour, and that it was like wearing a cloak that concealed any negative implications because his imperfections would be outweighed by his merits as a citizen. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Luke Gunkel. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. On the other hand, those who did not know the fallen soldiers might accuse Pericles of exaggerating their deeds and bravery. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. He was a famous Athenian politician. Pericles's speech praising those who died for democracy influenced later speechwriters, including President Abraham Lincoln (18091865), whose Gettysburg Address (1863) contains many parallels to Pericles's text. At the time, Athenian democracy was an unusual system of government. Martha Taylor argues that Thucydides subtly critiques Pericles' vision of Athens as a city divorced from the territory of Attica and focused, instead, . creating and saving your own notes as you read. American Civil War scholars Louis Warren and Garry Wills have addressed the parallels of Pericles's funeral oration to Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address. Test your knowledge of Pericles with these quizzes. Gower, an offscene narrator, enters to tell about the kingdom of Antioch, where king Antiochus and Antiochus's daughter are engaging in incest. $24.99 ThoughtCo. The Athenian leader, Pericles, steps forward to deliver the funeral oration before the mourners. Eventually, Sparta destroyed Athens's navy, ultimately crushing it. Pericles is a play by William Shakespeare that was first performed in 1619 . Democratic Athens fought its militaristic neighbor, Sparta, in the Peloponnesian War (431404 BCE). Fewer still have read or heard of the Emancipation Proclamation or Pericles Funeral Oration, including many teachers and academics. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. 2023. He claims that "in magnifying the city I have magnified them." Pericles argues that Athens's greatness stems from its openness, freedom, democracy, military excellence, and the civic and moral strength of its citizenry. Recognizing the potential impact of his words, Pericles expresses a wish that the reputations of the dead would not rest on the oratorical skillsthe talent of crafting and giving speechesof a single individual. [21] He regards the soldiers who gave their lives as truly worth of merit. The key issue for Pericles is that power is "in the hands of the many, not of the few.". Franais : Oraison funbre de Pricls . You can view our. Women in Athens were expected to be dutiful wives and mothers. Pericles determines to enter the contest. Furthermore, Pericles says, Athens does not just exercise democratic principles in government, but also in everyday life. Then times passes; Pericles is king of Tyre, Thaisa becomes a priestess for Diana, and Marina grows up. Monoson, Sara (2002). He compares Athens to the heroes of legend by saying that they do not need Homer or "any other panegyrist" to praise them. Pericles' Funeral Oration (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, translated by Rex Warner, Penguin Books, 1972, pages 144-150.) This was in sharp contrast to Sparta's oligarchy, a form of government in which a small group of people holds power. Fewer people than you may think have read or even heard of the Gettysburg Address. Upon first reading, the funeral oration is a stirring and strikingly resonant description of Western democracy's core values. The war was named for the region of Greece called the Peloponnese, where Sparta was located. https://www.thoughtco.com/pericles-funeral-oration-thucydides-version-111998 (accessed March 4, 2023). [32], , ' . In any case, the funeral oration of Pericles perfectly characterizes the moment and the spirit of that Athens, which he identifies as the land of the free and the home of the brave (like the American home of the brave ) that, after his death at the the following year, it would never regain its splendor. Scholars are still working through the finer points of women's roles in ancient Athens, but Pericles's speech lays out the mainstream opinion . Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Pericles delivered the oration not only to bury the dead but to praise democracy. Pericles, Prince of Tyre, tries his hand at the riddle. [citation needed] The speech is full of rhetorical devices, such as antithesis, anacoluthon, asyndeton, anastrophe, hyperbaton, and others; most famously the rapid succession of proparoxytone words beginning with e (" , ' " [judging courage freedom and freedom happiness]) at the climax of the speech (43.4). Born around 460 in Athens, he had caught the Plague that beset the city in 430, served as one of its generals in 424, and, despite C. Pericles believes that Athenians play too hard and work too little. However, he himself feels that the heroic deeds of the dead were adequately honored by the funeral the crowd has just witnessed and that the Athenian state has paid for. Quote Analysis: The unexamined life is not worth living, Treaty of Versailles: How America, France & Britain Benefited, The Scarlet Letter: Analysis, Summary, Themes, The 1968 Tet Offensive: Summary & Analysis, The Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Refractive Indices of Water and Oil: Lab Explained, Hitlers Consolidation of Power: The Night of Long Knives. Then a funeral procession was held, with ten cypress coffins carrying the remains, one for each of the Athenian tribes, and another left symbolically empty for the missing or those whose remains were unable to be recovered. The Peloponnesian war would continue for several years. He adds that grieving parents who are young enough to do so should have more children, to replace those who have been lost. Sometimes it can end up there. Homer (c. 9th or 8th century BCE) was a celebrated Greek poet. Wills never claims that Lincoln drew on it as a source, though Edward Everett, who delivered a lengthy oration at the same ceremony at Gettysburg, began by describing the "Athenian example". Startled, Pericles asks her to continue, and to his surprise finds that everything Marina says matches the story of his own lost Marina. Meanwhile in Tyre, Helicanus reveals that Antiochus and his daughter have been burnt to death by fire from heaven, so Pericles can return. Thucydides documented a funeral oration delivered to the people of Athens by Pericles. Pericles describes an ideal view of Athens, rather than the much messier reality of its relationships with the city-states under its influence. He reflects on how giving too much praise might cause listeners to feel envious or upset, knowing that they could not live up to the example of the soldiers. Here, Pericles clearly reveals the patriarchal nature of Athenian society. Because as they are described by Pericles, Athenian citizens were distinct from the citizens of other nations they were open minded, tolerant, and ready to understand and follow orders. Subscribe now. Plato, in his Menexenus, ascribes authorship to Pericles's companion, Aspasia.[9]. on 50-99 accounts. Antiochus has kept suitors from marrying her by requiring that they answer a riddle correctly or die. 3 Mar. Want 100 or more? Study Guides, Literary Context: How Pericles Compares with Other Shakespeare Plays, William Shakespeare Biography & Background on Pericles. Pericles describes the Athenian form of government as an example to its neighbors, noting that Athens does not copy what others do. 14. He is successful, but discovers that its answer reveals the incestuous relationship between father and daughter. ABSTRACT. , ' The general purport of Pericles' Funeral Oration and last speech ', Hermes 123 (1995) 404 -25,Google Scholar viewing the speech as a general answer by Pericles to critics of the war, who might deride the nugatory gains of the first year of the war. Pericles, a great supporter of democracy, was a Greek leader and statesman during the Peloponnesian War. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. Pericles explains that his detailed discussion of Athens's merit serves not only to praise Athens but also to honor the war dead. Question 8. He praises the double advantage of the Athenian system, which is that it prevents hardships in peacetime but produces a citizenry equally as capable of facing hardship in war as the Spartans. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Funerals after such battles were public rituals and Pericles used the occasion to make a classic statement of the value of democracy. Then underline and label the simple or compound subject and the simple or compound predicate. [12] Pericles argues that the speaker of the oration has the impossible task of satisfying the associates of the dead, who would wish that their deeds be magnified, while everyone else might feel jealous and suspect exaggeration.[13]. Copy each sentence. He was the son of the politician Xanthippus, who, though ostracized in 485-484 BC, returned to Athens to command the Athenian contingent in the Greek victory at Mycale just five years later. (This argument is a response to Spartan criticisms of Athens.) 4.2 (5) $1.99. Pericles ends with a short epilogue, reminding the audience of the difficulty of the task of speaking over the dead. [1] The speech was delivered by Periclesat the end of the first year of the Peloponnesian War(431 - 404 BCE). N.S. "Pericles's Funeral Oration" by Philipp Foltz in 1877 The word "eulogy" comes down to us from the Greek word eulogia meaning to offer praise, or even high praise. [14] This amounts to a focus on present-day Athens; Thucydides' Pericles thus decides to praise the war dead by glorifying the city for which they died. Accessed March 3, 2023. https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Funeral-Oration/. Have study documents to share about Funeral Oration? on 50-99 accounts. At any rate, Pericles eventually succumbed to and died from this plague. Pericles celebrates the fact that Athenians have access to imported goods and are thus able to "enjoy the fruits of the whole world." The audience is then dismissed. Other citizens want to crown Helicanus as king, but Helicanus insists they wait to see if Pericles returns. Pericles was chosen to give the "Funeral Oration" by the city of Athens as he was a leading citizen of Athens, as he was an orator and general during the Golden Age. Athens was a proud democracy (ruled by its citizens), while Sparta was an oligarchy (ruled by a small number of people). Available He points out that Spartans bring their allies to a fight, while Athens does not. John Gardener's Grendel: Summary & Analysis, Pericles Funeral Oration Analysis: Athenian. (one code per order). Sparta would destroy the Athenian navy and blockade the city, starving the Athenians, who eventually surrendered.). Course Hero. When he wakes, he promises Marina to Lysimachus, and they set off for Ephesus. Pericles delivered the oration not only to bury the dead but to praise democracy. Addressing those who lost loved ones in the battle, Pericles says that he is offering them comfort rather than pity. The speech begins by praising the custom of the public funeral for the dead, but criticises the inclusion of the speech, arguing that the "reputations of many brave men" should "not be imperilled in the mouth of a single individual". Web. But soon a letter from Helicanus calls Pericles back to Tyre, so he sets off. He is suggesting that the neighbors and rivals of Athens usually fall short of their boasts when they are tested, while his praise of Athens is accurate. He gave a speech in Athens, a public speech, honoring the many warriors who were killed in battle after the first year of the Peloponnesian War. Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. Further discussing the difficulty faced by a speaker whose task is to honor the dead, Pericles states that no matter what he says in his speech, someone will be unhappy. Those who knew the dead and know how they died might think he has left out important details. The "pericles' funeral oration summary" is a speech that was given by Pericles at the funeral of his friend, Euripides. In other words, he doesn't think that education and refinement make them weak. Retrieved March 3, 2023, from https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Funeral-Oration/. He hopes that love of Athens will motivate Athenians to perform acts of courage in future battles and struggles. The historian Thucydides wrote about the speech of Pericles in his History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides wrote that the speech was reproduced from his memory and was a loose account only. 2023. Rex Warner (London: Penguin, 1972), . Athens's position was cemented when it moved the treasury of the Delian League to Athens in 454 BCE. by Pericles who was the Athenian leader. Pericles describes Athenian democracy as a system of government where men advance on merit rather than on class or wealth. Around 431 B.C. [5] We can be reasonably sure that Pericles delivered a speech at the end of the first year of the war, but there is no consensus as to what degree Thucydides's record resembles Pericles's actual speech. Pericles' funeral oration was a speech written by Thucydides and delivered by Pericles for his history of the Peloponnesian War. Pericles praises the Athenians who helped build the Athenian empire in the aftermath of the Persian Wars (492449 BCE). [13] Praise of the dead in war (2.36-2.42) [ edit] Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Pericles praises Athens's government, values, and way of life. Where citizens boast a freedom that differs from their enemies' the Lacedaemonians. $24.99 To help make his point he stated that the soldiers whom he was speaking of gave their lives to a cause to protect the city of Athens, and its freedom. Espaol : Discurso fnebra de Pericles. Pericles and his family have endured the vagaries of fortune, and through it all remained virtuous, so in the end they were rewarded with the joy of being reunited. You can view our. In a democracy, there is equal justice for all in private disputes. chronicled nearly 30 years of war and tension between Athens and Sparta. This is another major purpose of his speech. For a recent discussion of the passage with reference to earlier treat- The starting point of his narrative is a statement from Pericles' Funeral Oration, which shows the Athenians' distinctive understanding of courage: "for we differ in this: that we ourselves, the same men, both dare [] the most and calculate about what we undertake; whereas for others ignorance brings boldness [], and calculation Per the writing of Thucydides, Pericles' funeral oration implied that democracy makes it so people can better themselves through merit rather than class or money. Discount, Discount Code Pericles's funeral oration was recorded by the Athenian historian Thucydides (c. 460c. 2)the Dead. Pericles died of disease in 429 BCE, just two years after his great speech. Again, this is in sharp contrast to Sparta, where hardship and discipline were paramount. It is important to note that citizens had to be male and over 18 years old. Pericles celebrates the free, comfortable, enjoyable lives led by Athenian citizens. Pericles here is putting a positive spin on the reality of the Athenian empire. There are six reading questions attached to the document, that direct students to . In Tyre, Pericles worries that Antiochus will take some form of revenge, whether a military attack or an underhanded assassination attempt. Like "A man who has the knowledge but lacks the power to express it is no better off than if he never had any ideas at all." Pericles 4 likes. Learn more about Periclesby reading these mini-essays and suggested essay topics. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. In Pericles' Funeral Oration, Pericles' praises the dead, describes how great Athens is, explains why Athens must continue to support the war, and tells why Athens must live up to the fallen soldiers of the Peloponnesian war. 560 BCE), which made all citizens equal before the law. One of the most famous of these speeches is Pericles' Funeral Oration. for a customized plan. You'll also receive an email with the link. 3 Mar. In Course Hero. Pericles extolls several of the virtues of Athens, most of them centered on the then-unique form of democracy. Pericles' Funeral Oration is a speech written to honor the fallen Athenian heroes who sacrificed their lives for their nation in the first year of the Peloponnesian War. D. Pericles thinks Athens is powerful because of its intellectual freedom and motivation. Many scholars see echoes of Pericles's text in President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The shipmaster insists the body be thrown overboard, or the storm won't stop, and Pericles complies. He goes on to commend the actions of the war dead and says that the way they died shows their worth. Pericles is arguing that deliberation and discussion is actually a strength of Athens and not a defect, as others often claim. The Athenians also make friends by giving favors, not by requesting favors from others. (2019, July 18). It is likely also meant to encourage parents to engage in consideration of political issues, rather than simply think in terms of their own families. Filled with melancholy, he takes the advice of Helicanus, his councilor, to travel for a while until Antiochus is no longer after him. Pericles Funeral Oration was developed in order to promote Athens and its war heroes. vehicles for conveying his analysis, as we see in Pericles' Funeral Oration, in which ucydides had Pericles compare Athens and Sparta. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Click the card to flip Definition 1 / 74 Pericles Click the card to flip PERICLES' FUNERAL ORATION 71 PERICLES' FUNERAL ORATION THUCYDIDES (c. 470-c. 400 BC) 71 _____ ucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, trans. B. Pericles fears that the dead have been sacrificed in vain. Soon she gets work in a reputable house, educating girls. Thucydides fervently supported Periclesbut was less enthusiastic about the institution of democracy. Pericles's funeral oration was recorded by the Athenian historian Thucydides (c. 460-c. 404 BCE) in his . Where their system of democracy allowed them to have a voice amongst those who made important decisions that would affect them. The first theme, fitting in that the speech was given at a funeral for war heroes, is that the most valiant way a man can live and die is in service of freedom and his city in this case, Athens. He is believed to be the author of The Iliad and The Odyssey, epic poems that recount the tales of Greek gods and mythic heroes in a time before the rise of Athens. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. They will then answer a creative question and complete a creative task. Pericles views Athens as so superior that he feels that people who are defeated by Athens in combat will actually not complain, because Athenians are so obviously worthy of mastering others. . For example, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, which many compare to Pericles' oration, was merely the warm-up act for Edward Everett's two-hour speech on Pericles and the current political moment. Pericles used his speech to try to argue for Athens's values and form of government and to persuade Athenians to stay strong and continue fighting. Pericles' Funeral Oration was a significant timestamp in 5th century Greece, Athens and to the Classical World. (2019, July 18). Leading up to this oration, the people of Athens, including those from the countryside whose land was being pillaged by their enemies, were kept in crowded conditions within the walls of Athens. Pericles' Funeral Oration, delivered at a mass funeral for a number of Athenian soldiers who had died during an attack against their rival Sparta's allies, is an example of a form of rhetoric, epideictic, that functioned as a means of developing a sense of community. He praises their willingness to fight, saying they were not weakened by wealth and that they did not hesitate to give up the pleasures of life. Pericles wraps up his praise of Athens by calling the city "the school of Hellas." Want 100 or more? Pericles says that Athenians benefit from having to take care of both their public duties as citizens and their private affairs in business. Despite Thucydides' divided attitude towards democracy, the speech he put in Pericles' mouth supports the democratic form of government. It has been described as "a eulogy of Athens itself." The speech is a glorification of Athens' achievements, designed to stir the spirits of a state still at war. 5 likes. According to Thucydides, Pericles' funeral oration said that democracy makes it so people can better themselves through merit rather than class or money. Pericles's speech is an argument for the greatness and superiority of Athens. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% "Pericles' Funeral Oration - Thucydides' Version." Funeral Oration Pericles was a famous Greek general. It is like the "garland" with which Athens honors success among both the living and the dead. As was common in ancient Greece, Athens also had a population of slaves, who were also excluded from citizenship. People also obey the unwritten laws of polite conduct and tradition and are judged by their fellow citizens. Wed love to have you back! Gill, N.S. While a funeral oration would normally focus primarily upon the deceased, Pericles acts as a fervent advocate of democracy by examining not only the sacrifices of his fellow Athenians, but the particular qualities that have facilitated Athenian greatness. It's an excerpt from the funeral oration of Pericles, as written by Thucydides. In the Greek-speaking cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, effective and artful speech was highly valued: practiced and reflected upon from the time of Homer (ca.