At the beginning of The Funeral Speech of Pericles, Pericles presents a panegyric that sounded very familiar. As i continued to read I realized that the speech was very similar to our modern day political speeches; it was a repetition of praise and glory to Athens, like a big pep rally. Pericles states "... What was the road by which we reached our position, what was the form of government under which our greatness grew, ... These are questions which i may try to solve... " (Thucydides 2) He then leads into speaking of the greatness of Athens and vigor of the citizens within it. It appears leaders have used unity and praise throughout all of history to band people together. This idea can probably be best summarized as: alone we are good, but together we are the best. Here Pericles Tells the people of their greatness "We cultivate refinement without extravagance and knowledge without effeminacy; wealth we employ more for use than for show, and place the real disgrace of poverty not in owning to the fact but in declining the struggle against it." (Thucydides 3) and concludes their superiority by comparison to other city-states "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." (Thucydides 4)
In modern day speeches, especially political ones, we see this same style of rhetoric; this concept of our city is the best and our teamwork is unmatched. "It was a unity based on love for our families, care for our neighbors, loyalty to our fellow citizens, pride in our great flag, gratitude for our police and first responders, faith in God, and a refusal to bend our will to the depraved forces of violence, intimidation, oppression, and evil." (Trump 2020, 9/11 memorial Speech). This speech does the same thing to bring people up that Pericles's eulogy did; it attempts to remind the citizens that they are not alone and will succeed with faith and teamwork. The same is seen in speeches given by history's greatest speakers like Martin Luther king jr and some of histories cruelest.
In conclusion, the way people are influenced hasn't changed much throughout history. We all want a sense of security through faith and companionship. And even though this love we accumulate for one another is manipulated from time to time, it is still some of the strongest glue that holds us together during hardship. Thucydides shows us this very well through this panegyric; reminding his people that though the men they lost were great, but that together they are still strong!
Commented on Hailey Morgan's and Jamie Peter's post
I noticed the same parallels when reading the speech. It portrays the same "we are the best of the best" mindset which we still hear today. I can't help but think of an athlete hyping himself up before some sort of competition. Hearing all of the reasons why we are "better" gives a sense of pride which subconsciously results in a more energetic response.
ReplyDeleteHi Jessef! You had an iteresting take on this funeral address. I saw similarities to today's political speeches as well. I also saw why the Athenians made giving a eulogy like this into law. Since honor was so closley tied to civic duty, the fallen soldiers were honored by the people being reminded of the greatness of their city; the city they had died for. This law made it manditory for people to honor thier dead.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! The same pattern of rhetoric spans all situations and speeches. Pride in one's country can be seen in every war, tragedy, and event, and it definitely was present in Pericles's funeral speech. Also, I really respect how you included a quote from the speech about 9/11 and tied it to your post. Really fitting during this time. It reminds us that what we learn in class can be applied to any circumstance in real life.
ReplyDeleteI definitely saw how similar Pericles speech is compared to ones our political leaders do today. It's very interest how history made a full circle here. It's kind of sad how we as a society fall for the same tactics the politicians use to motivate us the same way Pericles did to motivate the City of Athens. I guess it's true that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
ReplyDeleteSometimes when we as a people, nation, or society experience immense grief or emotional turmoil, we have to be reminded that the pain we feel is not meant to keep us down, but to motivate us to do better so future generations do not have to go through such things. The idea that Pericles should be blamed and verbally cast down when he is simply the barer of bad news is somewhat confusing to me. The concept of unity is used to make people believe that they are not alone in their suffering, and to help them find peace in that fact. Defense of Pericles aside, the fact that modern politicians use the same tactics that the Athenians used and they still work astounds me, but when someone has good oration I can see why it works.
ReplyDelete