Western Civ. 1-30:

What points is Pericles trying to make about Athens in his Funeral Oration?

    The history of the west is laced with stories of great heroes and great men, and all these are a credit to the historian, the writer, and the playwright who made them famous. Of ancient Athens, a so-called great hero is found in Pericles, the leader of his nation. His deeds are recorded by Thucydides, the great historian of the Peloponnesian war. His histories absolutely exclude supernatural explanations and unreliable testimony, but with one exception. The overarching narrative is driven by idealized or fictional speeches. These are stylized attempts to give an elegant window for understanding motivation and emotion. A classic example is the funeral oration of Pericles. The speech was delivered after the first year of the war, at a time when many were beginning to doubt their resolve toward conflict. The speech is considered a rousing attempt to revive the morale of the Athenian people for their city. 

    In what is considered one of the great speeches of history, Pericles makes the case for the great struggle of the day. As only a true Apollonian could, he praises the sacrifices of the dead worthy of imitation. He praises their great ancestors and the honorable legacy they are defending. Finally, he praises the present virtues of the Athenian people and their 'great state'. The ultimate goal is to seize up the torch of their legacy, to carry it down through history, and to carry on their current war as a duty to future generations.

    The great statesman begins by saying that it is very difficult to give true honor to the dead, but that he must try. The vastness of the deed and the honor of their sacrifice has made it so. Nevertheless, according to the custom of the day, he must attempt it. In transition, he continues by praising the ancestors, elaborating on the glory of the city they have built, the city-state of Athens. The great institutions of this state were a credit to their wisdom. Their struggles had won glory, power, and freedom for posterity. He says in essence that the state of Athens is a shining example to all other states. Their state is the fairest in all the land, and everyone is represented in the democracy. He says this as if to Imply that a democracy is more accountable and desirable. Praise was given to the wonderful bureaucracy, the most equitable of all the institutions. They were sure that the peace and fraternity of their city flowed from the greatness of democracy. 

    Above all security and prosperity are said to come from the state. After all, the state provides bread and circuses. The city has much trade because of the greatness of the state. The military of Athens is pictured as the sole defender of liberty. According to the general, his soldiers do not need to train hard, and yet are the best soldiers of all. He believes that the Virtues of Athenians are unparalleled. The people of their state are a grade above the rest of Greece. Athenians can and will do everything better, in peace and in war. The enemies and subjects of Athens attest to her glory, and history attests to the valor of the Athenian city-state and its people

    As a general, perecles is in touch with the motivations of his men, and h wants them to know that the struggle is worthy. He says that the deeds performed in the service of the state magnify their virtue, and unlike most, the deeds of those who die for the state are worthy sacrifices. As a statesman, he did not want soldiers to think about the cost of their sacrifices. He only needed them to believe fighting for the state would be worth it. In any case, these men would fight for for proper glory without trembling, it was an honorable cause. 

    Men will fight for anything if thy are made to believe their sacrifices are important. Thus it is important to give soldiers the impression that their deeds are noble beyond words. By not elaborting on exactly why it is so glorious to die for the state, sacrifices become justified by the beauty of what is allegedly protected.  In so doing, the sacrifice becomes the reward and the motivation for acting, and this glory increases with the magnitude of the thing being sacrificed for

    To the families of the dead, he gives the impression that they should be thankful. After all, they had many happy years with their sons, and now those sons died for a noble cause. He wants them to believe that the world has not come to an end, and life goes on. Many of them may have children again, than they should take solace in this. But if not, they should at least take comfort in the idea of honor and the sense of safety won by their lives. As citizens he encourages them to get on with their lives, honor the dead, and let their memory live in peace. He sys that women shouldn't cry too much, as it would make them weaker than they need to be. Now, he says, the state has paid its way in customary thoroughfare and in welfare for the children of the dead. Everyone will share in the expense of paying for the misery inflicted by rulers. He asks the people to enjoy the bread and circuses of the festival, and to depart in peace. 

    The tone of this speech is a tone of self-declared love for the state. It is designed to compel obedience from his people.  It does this by expounding on the glory and virtues of life within the state. He acts as if any sacrifice is worth it for the splendorous opportunity to participate in cosmopolitain life. He calls for soldiers to imitate the same virtue for the further glory and security of the state. The central point is really this: "The state benefits you, but you exist to serve the state. Take comfort from your collective pride in the polity, since that is the most worthy thing of all." The entire speech shows that the people of this time had no authentic spiritual life, because in reality, they worshipped the state. There is a real danger that Americans could become like this, and many already have. Young men are willing to die for their corrupt government, but deney christ before their brothers. I pray we will never decent to the level of the reeks during this war, but I fear we are already on th fast-track to do so again.