Pericles's Funeral Oration

Pericles' Funeral Oration is a famous speech from Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War. The speech was delivered by Pericles, an eminent Athenian politician, at the end of the first year of the Peloponnesian War (431/0 BCE) as a part of the annual public funeral for the war dead.

Context of Funeral Orations

Main article: Funeral Oration (ancient Greece)

It was established Athenian practice by the late fifth century to hold a public funeral in honour of all those who had died in war. The remains of the dead were left out for three days in a tent, where offerings could be made for the dead. Then a funeral procession was held, with ten cypress coffins carrying the remains, one for each of the Athenian tribes. The procession led to a public grave (the Kerameikos), where they were buried. The last part of the ceremony was a speech delivered by a prominent Athenian citizen.

We have several funeral orations from classical Athens, which seem to corroborate Thucydides' evidence that this was a regular feature of Athenian funerary custom in wartime.

Authorship

Pericles' Funeral Oration is recorded by Thucydides. Although Thucydides records the speech in the first person as if it were a word for word record of what Pericles said, there can be little doubt that Thucydides has edited the speech at the very least. Thucydides says early in his History that the speeches presented are not verbatim records, but are intended to represent the main ideas of what was said and what was, according to Thucydides, "called for in the situation". We can be reasonably sure that Pericles delivered a speech at the end of the first year of the war, but there is no consensus as to what degree Thucydides' record resembles Pericles' actual speech. Another confusing factor is that Pericles is known to have delivered another funeral oration in 439 BCE during the Samian War. It is possible that elements of both speeches are represented in Thucydides' version.

Content of the Speech

Pericles Funeral Oration is significant because the speech departs from the typical formula of Athenian funeral speeches. David Cartwright describes it as "a eulogy of Athens itself...". The speech is a glorification of Athens' achievements, designed to stir the spirits of a state still at war.

Prooemium (2.35)

The speech begins by praising the custom of the public funeral for the war dead, but criticizes the inclusion of the speech, arguing that the "reputations of many brave men" should "not be imperiled in the mouth of a single individual". Pericles argues that the speaker of the oration has the impossible task of satisfying the associates of the dead, who would wish that their deeds be magnified, and everyone else, who would feel jealous and suspect exaggeration.

Praise of the Dead (2.36-2.42)

Pericles begins his praise of the war dead, as the other Athenian funeral orations do, by praising the ancestors of present day Athenians (2.36.1-2.36.3), touching briefly on the acquistion of the empire.

At this point, however, Pericles departs most dramatically from the example of other Athenian funeral orations and skips over the great martial achievements of Athens' past: "That part of our history which tells of the military achievements which gave us our several possessions, or of the ready valor with which either we or our fathers stemmed the tide of Hellenic or foreign aggression, is a theme too familiar to my hearers for me to dwell upon, and I shall therefore pass it by." Instead, Pericles proposes to focus on "the road by which we reached our position, the form of government under which our greatness grew, and the national habits out of which it sprang". This amounts to a focus on present day Athens; Thucydides' Pericles thus decides to praise the war dead by glorifying the city for which they died.

The Greatness of Athens

Pericles praises Athens' democracy for its values of equality and openness, "[It] favors the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy. If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences...if a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition. The freedom we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life. There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance over each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbor for doing what he likes..." This liberality extends to Athens' foreign policy, according to Pericles, "We throw open our city to the world, and never by alien acts exclude foreigners from any opportunity of learning or observing, althought the eyes of an enemy may occasionally profit by our liberality..." Yet Athens' values of equality and openness do not, according to Pericles, hinder Athens' greatness, indeed, they enhance it, "...advancement in public life falls to reputations for capacity, class considerations not being allowed to interfere with merit...our ordinary citizens, though occupied with the pursuits of industry, are still fair judges of public matters...at Athens we live exactly as we please, and yet are just as ready to encounter every legitimate danger."

Pericles rises to crescendo in his praise of Athens, "In short, I say that as a city we are the school of Greece; while I doubt if the world can produce a man, who where he has only himself to depend upon, is equal to so many emergencies, and graced by so happy a versatility as the Athenian." Finally, Pericles links his praise of the city to the dead Athenians for whom he is speaking, "...for the Athens that I have celebrated is only what the heroism of these and their like have made her...none of these men allowed either wealth with its prospect of future enjoyment to unnerve his spirit, or poverty with its hope of a day of freedom and riches to tempt him to shrink from danger. No, holding that venegence upon their enemies was more to be desired than any personal blessings, and reckoning this to be the most glorious of hazards, they joyfuly determined to accept the risk...Thus, choosing to die resisting, rather than to live submitting, they fled only from dishonor..." With the linkage of Athens' greatness complete, Pericles moves to addressing his audience.

Exhortation to the living

Pericles then turns to the audience and exhorts them to live up to the standards set by the deceased, "So died these men as becomes Athenians. You, their survivors, must determine to have as unaltering a resolution in the field, though you may pray that it may have a happier outcome."

Epilogue

Pericles ends with a short epilogue, reminding the audience of he difficulty of the task of speaking over the dead.

Language

Thucydides' Greek is notoriously difficult, but the language of Pericles Funeral Oration is considered by many to be the most difficult and virtuosic passage in the History.

Modern Influence of the Funeral Oration

American Civil War scholar Garry Wills addresses the parallels to Pericles' funeral oration to Abraham Lincoln's famous speech the Gettysburg Address. Pericles' speech, like Lincoln's, begins with an acknowledgment of revered predecessors: "I shall begin with our ancestors: it is both just and proper that they should have the honour of the first mention on an occasion like the present"; then praises the uniqueness of the State's commitment to democracy: "If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences"; honors the sacrifice of the slain, "Thus choosing to die resisting, rather than to live submitting, they fled only from dishonour, but met danger face to face"; and exhorts the living to continue the struggle: "You, their survivors, must determine to have as unfaltering a resolution in the field, though you may pray that it may have a happier issue."

See also

• Funeral oration (ancient Greece)
• Thucydides
• History of the Peloponnesian War
• The Peloponnesian War