What was Pericles famous speech?

What was Pericles famous speech?

In 431 BCE the Athenian statesman Pericles delivered one of the most influential speeches of all time, his Epitaphios or Funeral Oration. The occasion was at the funeral of the first Athenian soldiers to lose their lives in the Peloponnesian War.

What did Pericles say in his Funeral Oration?

In his speech, Pericles states that the citizens of Athens must continue to support the war. He wanted to emphasis that what they were fighting for was of the upmost importance. He stated that the soldiers who died gave their lives to protect the city of Athens, its citizens, and its freedom.

What is most important to Pericles according to his funeral speech?

The most important thing to remember about the Funeral Oration is that it is a speech, intended to persuade its listeners. Pericles praises Athens so that people will keep fighting; he praises the sacrifices of the dead so that others will imitate them.

What was the occasion for Pericles speech?

This famous speech was given by the Athenian leader Pericles after the first battles of the Peloponnesian war. Funerals after such battles were public rituals and Pericles used the occasion to make a classic statement of the value of democracy.

How was Pericles speech recorded?

The Funeral Oration was recorded by Thucydides in book two of his famous History of the Peloponnesian War.

What made Pericles famous?

Pericles was an Athenian statesman who played a large role in developing democracy in Athens and helped make it the political and cultural center of ancient Greece. Pericles was born in 495 B.C.E. in Athens to an aristocratic family. However, his most memorable feat was erecting the Acropolis in Athens.

Who is Pericles why did he give this speech?

Pericles was widely seen as the leader of Athens. He gave this speech during a funeral for Athenian soldiers who died in the first year of the brutal Peloponnesian War against Sparta, Athens’s chief rival. The Athenian historian Thucydides included the speech in his book the History of the Peloponnesian War.

What was the purpose of Pericles Funeral Oration?

In 431, shortly after the Peloponnesian War had broken out, Pericles delivered his famous Funeral Oration to commemorate those troops who had already fallen in battle.

Was Pericles a good leader?

Pericles was an astute leader and a commander. His words and speeches depicted him as an authoritative leader. As a courageous and respected General, Pericles summoned the assembly of the city to instill into them some sense of courage and to rejuvenate their fighting spirit and to push fresh for a war with Sparta.

What is the primary theme of the funeral oration of Pericles?

The main theme of Pericles’s speech is praise for Athens and Athenians. He states that the greatness of Athens is anchored in the efforts of previous generations. Their bravery made it possible for the current generation to enjoy a free state.

Who gave the Pericles Funeral Oration?

Who did Pericles give the speech to?