Tuesday, September 15, 2015

You Become What You Say You Are


Thucydides’ understood the power of oratory.  I go along with Ryan R. who stated his belief that he felt as though Thucydides' speech was not a deliberative speech, but an epideictic speech; however, I would have to take it a step further and say that it is both.
    
Epideictic: We, as humans (and I can personally attest to this by looking at the contents of my last blog on the power of praise) are motivated by praise and expectations.  It is a bit ridiculous the praise that he is giving to the people- not necessarily the soldiers- even in such a moment when people are looking to grasp any words of comfort.  With a phrase like “They have blotted out evil with good, and done more service to the commonwealth than they ever did harm in their private lives” he is focusing on what the people want to hear in the present (nice use of Kairos).  The encomium is so forceful that it hits the heart of his audience in a deliberative way.

Deliberative: Thucydides' endless compliments to Athens and his people are more of a call to action rather than a soothing of the soul.  He could have just chosen to compliment the fallen Pericles, but instead he appeals to their pathos by helping them recognize that if they do not live up to the great potential of Athens, all of their fighting, and all of their deaths will be in vain.  He is looking to the future, although speaking of the past lives of these men.  These people can be a benefit to Athens if they decide to stand up and unite.  But what are his reasons for such a way of speech?

There are many reasons as to why Thucydides’ wrote his speech the way he did.  I would like to add on to that list and throw in the possibility that his praise and honor are a way for him to encourage the men to fight- only that he himself will not have to and will be able to remain in a comfortable Athens.  As sad as it is to say, too often have I seen personal motives drive a person to apply encomium in his or her speech.  In conclusion I’d say Thucydides’ praises the men and Athens, while deliberately calling for future action in an effort to protect himself.     


4 comments:

  1. First off, beautifully phrased. I'm a sucker for a well worded sentence. Secondly, I appreciate what you said about the kairotic nature of Pericles' statement “They have blotted out evil with good, and done more service to the commonwealth than they ever did harm in their private lives”. I puzzled over this mention of evil for a while, and came to the conclusion that Pericles wanted to be authentic and honest, and not just put the fallen soldiers on a pedestal of perfection. However, you are right that that statement would certainly be what the audience wanted to hear. They were probably more apt to listen to compliments than realism.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I had the same thought as you Kapri, which is what I wrote about in my post. While this is a eulogy, or a ceremonial oratory, Pericles wants the people to act and change in a certain way as a result of his rhetoric. He uses all three persuasive appeals: logos, pathos, and ethos. Well done, Pericles.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like your insight given to both genres of speech. The spirit of patriotism is not only what the audience needed right then in the state of mourning, but also appeals to Athens' pride by boasting of its many capabilities in all sectors--especially in warfare. This subliminal message will likely influence more men to join the army.

    ReplyDelete
  4. As you state, Pericles calls for action. He wants his beloved nation to continue fighting. He read the situation (kairos) perfectly and acted accordingly.

    ReplyDelete