Pericles' Funeral Oration

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…

Pericle's funeral oration was a speech made to honor the Athenian soldiers that died in the war against Sparta. It is one of the most important defenses of democracy of all time. The oration has resonated with people throughout the centuries. Serious scholars consider this speech to be so important because it provided a great insight into Athenian life, related the importance of democracy, and is timeless. Pericle's funeral oration praised Athens and its citizens. It outlined what made Athens…

In the Pericles’ Funeral Oration, he first explains the people before them. How they paved a path for the road that they are on now. “But what was the road by which we reached our position, what the form of government under which our greatness grew, what the national habits out of which it sprang...”. He is portraying the value of honor during this point of the speech. Pericles wants his people to believe they are fighting for the best city in the world. He does this by transitioning from…

The Pericles Funeral Oration influenced the United States Bill of Rights. Pericles delivered his famous speech during the Peloponnesian War. His purpose for the speech was to honor the fallen soldiers and to inspire the people of Athens to keep on fighting. The principles for the Funeral Oration that influenced the United States Bill of Rights are personal freedom, rule by majority, and the right to get ahead through ability rather than social class. The Pericles Funeral Oration influenced the…

the society. After the first year of the Peloponnesian war, Pericles was chosen to speak at the funeral oration for the men who had died in the first year of combat. He used this occasion to ornate on the different aspects of Athenian democracy and also talks about…

Thucydides recreates Pericles’ well-known funeral oration that was given at the end of the first year of the war. Funeral orations were traditionally delivered to honor the fallen in Athen’s many wars and campaigns against other countries. Thucydides remarks on this tradition, claiming that, “[the chosen orator] makes an appropriate speech in praise of the dead.” (2,34). Pericles’ oration differs from the typical arrangement of Athenian funeral speeches, and is instead designed to stir the…

Although Pericles’ exact words of the famous Funeral Oration are not well known. We can examine Thucydides interpretation of the speech, a good friend of Pericles. During the fall of 430 B.C.E famous speeches like Pericles’ were common in Athens after the many battles during their time of war. These speeches occurred annually during the bloody years of the Peloponnesian war. The fallen are commemorated in honor of their valor and commitment to the public. Pericles’ was the general for the city-…

The speech, “Funeral Oration”, was a eulogy written in the winter of 431-430 B.C.E. by Pericles who was the Athenian leader. Pericles delivered this speech to the survivors of the fallen who lost their lives fighting in the Peloponnesian War. Between 431 BC and 404 BC, the Peloponnesian War was fought between the Peloponnesian League, led by the Spartans, and Delian League, led by the Athenians. Sparta feared that Athens was becoming too powerful, leaving them no choice but to invade, defeating…

The Funeral Oration of Pericles is a document which contains a funeral speech made by Pericles, a prominent Athenian politician. This speech was dictated, edited and transcribed by Thucydides, an Athenian historian and soldier in his written work, History of the Peloponnesian War. The speech was given at the end of the first year of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) and Thucydides fought in the war and lived and therefore wrote his works during the time of Pericles. The speech was made to…

Funeral orations are usually consisting of praises and admirations to the people who passed away. However, there were two famous funeral orations that not only praised the people who sacrificed, also gave an important inspiration about democracy and equality. Both Pericles’ funeral oration and President Lincoln’s Gettysburg address were spoken for the soldiers who died in the battlefield. Moreover, many people claimed Lincoln imitates the ideas of Pericles’ funeral oration. Nevertheless, both…