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Nicki Alpern
9-25-03
Per. 9
History Essay
Pericles expresses many features of Athenian society in this funeral oration.
According to Pericles, “everyone was equal under the law.” He tried to make this true by
making lower class citizens eligible for public offices and allowing them to participate in
public affairs. Pericles also states that “what counts is no membership in a particular
class, but the actual ability which the man possesses.” This means that the class a person
is in had nothing to do with their political ability or ideas. He tried to maintain equality
between the classes and gave them the same jobs and privileges. This helped more people
in Athens attend his assemblies and more Athenians partook to their democracy.
Pericles also declared that “the political life was free and open” meaning that
everyone had a say in the government and it was related to the Athenian daily life which
he also states as “free and open.” Besides beginning free and tolerant he states that “we
are free and tolerant in out private lives but in public affairs we keep to the law.” I think
in this he was declaring that there was a difference between a person’s private life and a
person’s political life. Even thought both were considered to be “free” they were free in
different ways. The democracy was free because everyone was had a say and anyone
could be a part of the political system, but they still followed the laws.
Because of the way Pericles ran the government, he states that they system made
people more interested in the affairs of the state. This means that the people of Athens
were not preoccupied with their lives and business because they were kept informed on
the political issues. According to Pericles, his way of government was an “education to
Greece.” He thought that his state was so ran so well that the other countries should learn
from them. Pericles system of government was an overall success because of his features
for Athenian society.