As I read Pericles give an absolute clinic on how to give an eloquent eulogium, I couldn't help but notice how similar Pericles made Athens seem to an ideal version of the United States, specifically in how the Athenians combined different aspects of cultures into their customs, effectively making them a diverse melting pot. Take honoring the dead for example: the Greeks took the bones of the deceased and had them organized in their respective tribes' coffins to be mourned. Those who die in battle are even buried in the same Beautiful suburb (Thucydides, 1), much like how the Egyptians buried a plethora of Pharaohs in what became known as the Valley of The Kings. Even though soldiers and pharaohs had different titles and duties, both were viewed in their respective cultures as significant figures in society and needed to be exalted after they passed.
The second cultural aspect I observed is not one that the Athenians had in common with many of their neighbors at the time, but one that inspires an entire nation millennia afterwards: the development of a democracy (and more importantly, a constitution!). Pericles reminds the audience that honoring the fallen is not just about remembering the beginnings of Greece, but also what allowed her to rise in power:
"Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighbouring states; we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves. Its administration favours the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy." (Thucydides, 2).
The United States was founded on, and still uses, a democratic system inspired by the warrior-poets of the past. The Athenians created multiple political values and systems that point to Athens being ahead of their time in politics.
The third cultural aspect I observed in my reading is in regards to the markets of Athens. Due to being so highly regarded and fascinating a city in the ancient world, the city officials wisely used Athens' reputation to establish trade markets, not unlike the Egyptians, Spartans, or any other nation with significant power and territory. These trade markets brought various fruits and other goods in to the city from around the known world. I thoroughly enjoyed this exert as it provided a glimpse, a window if you will, into what ancient Greek culture could have been like.
P.S. I commented on Haley Morgan's and Jessef's posts.
While I did enjoy learning about the cultural and political development of Greece as a nation, I did find it strange how this seemed to be more emphasized than the hundreds of men who had just perished.
ReplyDeleteThough they were buried with honors and given a special burial spot, I feel as though Pericles should have talked more about his brothers-at-arms than the nation that they died for. I understand that each man sacrificed himself for the greater good of his nation, but I couldn't help but think that the Greeks should have more generously returned the favor by speaking more about the people that were lost.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI wholeheartedly agree! The Bible in John chapter fifteen verse thirteen mentions that there is no greater love than laying down one's life for their friends. In the case of the deceased soldiers, they laid their lives down for not just their friends, but family and all of Athens as well. The soldiers should have been mentioned more, as they were the cause of the event happening in the first place, they should have also been the focal point of Pericles' speech. It seemed like everyone else was receiving praise except for those who lost their lives
DeleteI really enjoyed how you compared Athens democracy to America's democracy and how both played out similarly. I never would have thought of that, that Athens as well as America incorporated different cultures into their system. Now, aside from this, I think Pericles should have been a bit more sensitive to the crowd's grief in the latter half. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he had good intentions though.
Delete