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| Yes, I was talking about this, |
Oddly similar to my parents, Thucydides does an excellent job of making people feel better by speaking lies delivered in nice, pretty packages of truth. The majority of his piece is a stretch of reality. It's all in praise of Athens and its greatness, which is humorous, considering the circumstances of the Peloponnesian War. Even worse, it actually doesn't much address Pericles, aside from brief mentions here and there. However, when one considers the audience, it's clear that the speaker has a powerful ability for decorum. His speech lacks logos, but the pathos is so powerful - the audience is already mourning the loss of loved ones and he's not holding back on the sweet talk.
Eli's post talks about people's irrational behavior, and how people are susceptible to being built up just when they've been let down. That's what kairos is, essentially, and that's what Thucydides is heavily leaning on in his speech. So how is the history by Thucydides rhetorical? It's a parent at a funeral telling their child that everything is awesome, when apparently, it's not.
You're right Ben, Athens at the time was in a tight spot. Thucydides didn't make that very clear in his retelling. But really I can't blame him. They were pretty deep in their problems and need a way out. Morale and commitment are essential. Maybe he was just emphasizing a different side.
ReplyDeleteAs I have read other posts, I have questioned whether or not I actually understood what was being said. I think you and I received a similar message. I feel like Pericles was referring to the great history of the Athenians in a deceptive way. He talked about greatness because that is how others saw their history. But I think that Pericles dit not see greatness. I think he saw the legacy as a hinderance on Athenian progression. They could not piggy-back on their history, they had to make their own.
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