The ending of the first year in the Peloponnesian War sparked one of ancient Greece’s greatest works, Pericles’s funeral oration. It was written in tribute to the deceased soldiers as encouragement for their families; however, the underlying message is more politically-centered as well as praises for Athens. While he had decent military tactics, he was opinionated, which shows through in his famous speech. Based on Pericles’s opinions about use of wealth, class equality, and gender distinction in Athenian history, it can be proven that he was bending the truth in his famous funeral oration speech.
Following the Peloponnesian war, in Pericles’s funeral oration he was obviously lying about Athens’ use of wealth. “Wealth we employ more for use …show more content…
In his speech, there are only two examples of women and femininity mentioned, but even those simple comments can be read into and analyzed: “We cultivate refinement without extravagance and knowledge without effeminacy…” In other words, the men of Athens are extremely hardworking without overdoing it and intelligent without having “the traits of a female.” According to the laws of Plato as well as Homer’s Odyssey, women spent their days indoors raising children, directing the slaves, preparing meals, and holding the fort down. They had little to no education; therefore, Pericles’s remark does not make sense. If the men had an education but the women did not, the two cannot even be compared. This would be like comparing Homer to an uneducated housewife and saying that Homer’s intelligence was great without being like the woman’s, which, frankly, does not even make sense. Secondly, Pericles mentions: “On the other hand, if I must say anything on the subject of female excellence to those of you who will now be in widowhood, it will be all comprised in this brief exhortation. Great will be your glory in not falling short of your natural character; greatest will be hers who is least talked of among the men, whether for good or bad.” This, again, seems to be untrue according to Hesiod, who states that women are a “beautiful evil” to men,
Following the Peloponnesian war, in Pericles’s funeral oration he was obviously lying about Athens’ use of wealth. “Wealth we employ more for use …show more content…
In his speech, there are only two examples of women and femininity mentioned, but even those simple comments can be read into and analyzed: “We cultivate refinement without extravagance and knowledge without effeminacy…” In other words, the men of Athens are extremely hardworking without overdoing it and intelligent without having “the traits of a female.” According to the laws of Plato as well as Homer’s Odyssey, women spent their days indoors raising children, directing the slaves, preparing meals, and holding the fort down. They had little to no education; therefore, Pericles’s remark does not make sense. If the men had an education but the women did not, the two cannot even be compared. This would be like comparing Homer to an uneducated housewife and saying that Homer’s intelligence was great without being like the woman’s, which, frankly, does not even make sense. Secondly, Pericles mentions: “On the other hand, if I must say anything on the subject of female excellence to those of you who will now be in widowhood, it will be all comprised in this brief exhortation. Great will be your glory in not falling short of your natural character; greatest will be hers who is least talked of among the men, whether for good or bad.” This, again, seems to be untrue according to Hesiod, who states that women are a “beautiful evil” to men,