Pericles Motivation In Nicias Second Speech

Having established Nicias’ motivation as being that of self-interest, one can begin to investigate how this selfish nature affects his ability to be persuasive. This becomes self-evident when one compares the ethos of Pericles in his second speech and that of Nicias in his first speech regarding the Sicilian Expedition. Both orators draw a connection between the success of the state and the success of the individual. The contrast, however, lies in the directionality in which they argue this point. Pericles states that “when the whole state is on the right course it is a better thing for each separate individual,” because “however well off a man may be […] he will still be involved in the general ruin if his country is destroyed; whereas, so long as the state itself is secure, individuals have a much greater chance …show more content…
Whereas Pericles argues from the city to the individual, putting the well-being of the city first, Nicias argues from the individual to the city, placing the well-being of the individual above that of the city. This impression is amplified when one considers that “Nicias had not wanted to be chosen for the command” (Thucydides 6.8). In this situation, Nicias is more concerned with his own success than that of Athens, whereas Pericles, in his speech, was trying to motivate the citizens of Athens. As a result, even though the point Nicias is making is outwardly essentially the same as Pericles’ and his logos regarding the Expedition is sound, his speech rings hollow, because while he is indeed advocating what is best for the state, he is doing so only because it is a prerequisite to his own success. This slight nuance calls Nicias’ character into question, and thereby makes him