Power to (All Of) the People

With the Primary Elections approaching, it is virtually impossible for the public to bypass campaign strategies coming at us every which way.  For a year we all have the “delight” of hearing all about candidates’ ethics and policies and agendas that often feel empty and exaggerated.  Yes, the Electoral College is something we love to hate, but the idea of a representative government—a democracy—was once an unconventional concept.

We have the Ancient Greeks to thank for republics and democracies.  Their system, however, was far from absolute virtue and decency.   Neither women nor social minorities had the right to vote.  Only non-slave male citizens were able to join the new democracy club.  Today it’s easy to become discouraged by political gridlock and partisanship, but the US really has come a long way through equality.

It has been a lifelong dream to someday work within the United Nations and help other countries acquire the basic rights of life that come from democracy.   Like the Ancient Greeks, I too want to spread the demokratia (literally meaning “people-power”) to all.

The Master of Disguise

Was Pericles’ funeral oration really an epideictic masterpiece?  The first time I read the piece I thought it odd for a funeral speech; although there was praise I found it more to be praise of Athens rather than praise of the soldiers.  While reading Aristotle’s Rhetoric I found some interesting insights to help categorize the type of rhetoric Pericles used in his funeral oration.

Aristotle, when speaking of advisory rhetoric or deliberative, states that the orator needs to give advice on what is advantageous and good.  He goes into further detail by describing what makes something considered “good”.  He includes courage and honor in the definition.  He states that “if be cowards is the most advantageous thing for one’s enemies, it is evident that courage is the most beneficial thing for the citizens” (Aristotle Rhetoric, page 152).  Pericles goes into great detail to emphasize the importance of courage in the citizens of Athens.  We may consider this praise but with Aristotle’s insight we can view it in the light that Pericles was exhorting them to continue to be courageous in war. 

Was Pericles a master of disguise?

When speaking of deliberative rhetoric Aristotle quotes Pericles’ funeral oration (Aristotle Rhetoric, page 158).  He then goes on to the importance of one who is advising or warning to “grasp all forms of government” so that one may know the things that are advantageous to them in order to preserve the form of government (Aristotle Rhetoric, page 159).  Pericles goes into great deal praising the democracy in Athens.  As a political leader this was important to him and he wanted to preserve it.  I feel that instead of praising the soldiers who had died, Pericles used the opportunity to encourage the people to continue to fight for the form of government that they had established which was superior in his viewpoint.  He even encouraged the women to have more children which could eventually become soldiers and protect the magnificent Athens. 

In my understanding from Aristotle’s Rhetoric, I would classify Pericles’ Funeral Oration as a deliberative piece although the setting seemed appropriate for an epideictic speech.  

Democratic Organization

Democratic History

“Orgullo” was the first initial word that came to my mind when I read the famous funeral oration given by Pericles. “Orgullo” means “pride” in the spanish language. Although, most of the previous blog posts have mentioned the pridefulness of Pericles in his address towards the bravery of the Athenian civilization, I think it was most interesting when he talked about the type of democratic government that their civilization had established. When it all comes down to it, the Athenian civilization is the heart and mind of early day democracy. “Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people.” Little did they know, this ingenious form of government that they had established would have an enormous impact on many future civilizations to come. He can be prideful about all the things he wants but in reality, it’s the form of government that really deserves the attention.

Ethos is credibility 

Unbelievably intriguing is the only phrase I can use to describe the manner in which Pericles presents himself. It flabbergasts me the way he comes across as so arrogant and completely undermines the fact that he even has to address this audience. He makes kind of a mockery in the fact that people come up and make these epideictic oratory speeches when really it’s not necessary at all and it’s an overall joke. However, strikingly enough, I think this almost seems to make him more of a credible source. It makes it seem like he is being more real with the people because he has nothing to lose. In a very strange sense, I feel like he became more credible just because he showed that him speaking isn’t even necessary. Though this is a different way to build his ethos, I would argue that it worked in a unique way.

Philosophy

It didn’t take me long to realize that I absolutely agree with Macey Richardson’s post. I think that Pericles absolutely took a more sophist stance as he tried to persuasively boast about Athens and it’s greatness. Macey Blazeard as well piggy backed off of Macey R and I would definitely suggest that Pericles standing on a platform is great symbolism of his previously mentioned “orgullo”.