Download Pericles Funeral Oration

c.490 BCE from Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War
The official funeral oration for the Athenian soldiers
who died at one of the opening battles of the
Peloponnesian War by the leader of democratic
Athens, Pericles. It is unlikely that these are his exact
words
We do not copy our neighbors, but try to be an example.
Our government favors the many instead of the few: this is
why it is called a democracy. The laws allow equal justice
to all alike in their private disputes.. When a citizen proves
himself, then he will be called to serve the state, in preference to others, not as a
matter of privilege, but as a reward of ability; and poverty is no bar.
The freedom we enjoy extends also to ordinary life; we are not suspicious of one
another, and we do not nag our neighbor if he chooses to go his own way. But
this freedom does not make us lawless. We are taught to respect the leaders and
the laws, and never to forget that we must protect the injured. And we are also
taught to observe those unwritten laws whose reward lies only in the universal
feeling of what is right.
We see wealth as something to be properly used, rather than as something to
boast about. As for poverty, no one need be ashamed to admit it: the real shame
is in not trying to escape from it. Here each individual in interested not only in his
own life but in the life of the society as well: even those who are mostly occupied
with their own business are extremely well-informed on general politics. This is
what makes us unique: we do not say that a man who takes no interest in politics
is a man who minds his own business; we say that he has no business here at
all.
Our form of government is unlike our enemy’s. Our government does not copy our
neighbors', but is an example to them. It is true that we are called a democracy, for the
administration is in the hands of the many and not of the few. But while there exists
equal justice to all and alike in their private disputes, the claim of excellence is also
recognized; and when a citizen is in any way distinguished, he is preferred to the public
service, not as a matter of privilege, but as the reward of merit. Neither is poverty an
obstacle, but a man may benefit his country whatever the obscurity of his condition.
There is no exclusiveness in our public life, and in our private business we are not
suspicious of one another, nor angry with our neighbor if he does what he likes; we do
not put on sour looks at him which, though harmless, are not pleasant. While we are
thus unconstrained in our private business, a spirit of reverence pervades our public
acts; we are prevented from doing wrong by respect for the authorities and for the laws,
having a particular regard to those which are ordained for the protection of the injured as
well as those unwritten laws which bring upon the transgressor of them the reprobation
of the general sentiment.
Questions:
1. What was Pericles hoping to achieve in this speech?
2. What was his overall message?
3. What “virtues” does Pericles see in Athens?
4. According to Pericles, how and why is Athens exceptional?