Download The Funeral Oration of Pericles

EHMcLogan
HistoryLab
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TheFuneralOrationofPericles
BackgroundContext:
Atthebeginningofthe5thCenturyBCE,conflictbetweentheGreekcity‐statesandthePersianEmpireto
theeastledtothePersianWars(490‐479BCE).TheunitedGreekcity‐statesdefeatedthemightyPersian
Empire,leadingtheGreekstobelieveinthesuperiorityoftheirwayoflifeandformofgovernment.
AthensemergedasthemostpowerfulGreekcity‐state,andorganizedamilitaryalliancewithothercity‐
statestocontinuetoprotectGreeceagainstanyongoingPersianthreat.
Athens’dominationoftheDelianLeague(andtheiruseofforcetokeepotherGreekcity‐statesinthe
alliance)createdresentmentoutsideAthens.TocounterthepowerofAthens,Spartaformedanother
alliance,thePeloponnesianLeague.
WarfarebrokeoutbetweenAthensandSpartaandtheiralliesin431BCE.ThePeloponnesianWars,as
theybecomeknown,engulfedallofGreeceandlasted27years.
TheFuneralOrationofPericlesisprobablythemostfamousdescriptionofclassicalAthens.Itwasaspeech
deliveredbytheAthenianleaderPericlesinhonorofthoseAthenianswhodiedfightingSpartainthefirst
yearofthewar.
Instructions:
1. Listentothewholespeechoncethrough.
2. Inyourgroups,closelyanalyzeonepassageofthespeech.
 Underlineanynewvocabularyandlookuptheirdefinitions.
 Examinesentencestructureandidentifyrelationshipsbetweenwordsandideasinthe
sentence.
 Identifyanyjuxtapositionsandcomparisonswithinthepassage.
3. HowisPericlesdescribingAthensandAtheniansinthispassage?WhatuniquelyAthenianqualities
ishepraising?
A. Ourconstitutiondoesnotcopythelawsofneighboringstates;weareratherapatterntoothersthan
imitatorsourselves.Itsadministrationfavorsthemanyinsteadofthefew;thisiswhyitiscalledademocracy.
Ifwelooktothelaws,theyaffordequaljusticetoallintheirprivatedifferences;ifnosocialstanding,
advancementinpubliclifefallstoreputationforcapacity,classconsiderationsnotbeingallowedtointerfere
withmerit;noragaindoespovertybartheway,ifamanisabletoservethestate,heisnothinderedbythe
obscurityofhiscondition.
B. Thefreedomwhichweenjoyinourgovernmentextendsalsotoourordinarylife.There,farfromexercisinga
jealoussurveillanceovereachother,wedonotfeelcalledupontobeangrywithourneighborfordoingwhat
helikes,oreventoindulgeinthoseinjuriouslookswhichcannotfailtobeoffensive,althoughtheyinflictno
positivepenalty.Butallthiseaseinourprivaterelationsdoesnotmakeuslawlessascitizens.Againstthis
fearisourchiefsafeguard,teachingustoobeythemagistratesandthelaws,particularlysuchasregardthe
protectionoftheinjured,whethertheyareactuallyonthestatutebook,orbelongtothatcodewhich,
althoughunwritten,yetcannotbebrokenwithoutacknowledgeddisgrace.
C.
Ifweturntoourmilitarypolicy,therealsowedifferfromourantagonists.Wethrowopenourcitytothe
world,andneverbyalienactsexcludeforeignersfromanyopportunityoflearningorobserving,althoughthe
eyesofanenemymayoccasionallyprofitbyourliberality;trustinglessinsystemandpolicythantothe
nativespiritofourcitizens;whileineducation,whereourrivalsfromtheirverycradlesbyapainful
disciplineseekaftermanliness,atAthensweliveexactlyasweplease,andyetarejustasreadytoencounter
everylegitimatedanger.
D. Norarethesetheonlypointsinwhichourcityisworthyofadmiration.Wecultivaterefinementwithout
extravaganceandwisdomwithoutunmanliness;wealthweemploymoreforusethanforshow,andplacethe
realdisgraceofpovertynotinowningtothefactbutindecliningthestruggleagainstit.
E.
Ourcitizensattendbothtopublicandprivatedutiesandtonotallowabsorptionintheirownaffairsto
diminishtheirknowledgeoftheCity’sbusiness.Wedifferfromotherstatesinregardingthemanwhokeeps
alooffrompubliclifenotas“private”butasuseless,wedecideordebate,carefullyandinperson,allmatters
ofpolicy,andwehold,notthatwordsanddeedsgoilltogether,butthatactsareforedoomedtofailurewhen
undertakenundiscussed.
F.
Forwearenotedforbeingatonceadventurousinactionandmostreflectivebeforehand.Othermenarebold
inignorance,whilereflectionwillstoptheironset.Butthebravestaresurelythosewhohavetheclearest
visionofwhatisbeforethem,gloryanddangeralike,andyetneverthelessgoouttomeetit.
G. Ingenerosityweareequallysingular,acquiringourfriendsbyconferring,notbyreceiving,favors…Anditis
onlytheAthenians,who,fearlessofconsequences,confertheirbenefitsnotfromcalculationsofexpediency,
butintheconfidenceofliberality.
H. InawordIclaimthatourcityasawholeisaneducationtoGreece,andthathermembersyieldtonone,man
byman,forindependenceofspirit,many‐sidednessofattainment,andcompleteself‐relianceinlimbsand
brain.