Tradition and Athenian Pride

Greek History

How can you talk about tradition and not think of this... "TRADITION!!!"

                In an attempt to say something new about Greek civilization (as most people have talked about the pride of the Greeks country), I would like to point out the innate sense of tradition among the Greek society. It is clear from the introduction and the start of Pericles Oration that the Greeks had traditions. Many of these traditions could arguably be called “irrational” both then and now. Today we praise the Greeks for their advanced society, ideals, and government for their time in history. Because of this we may now overlook the fact that the Greeks were still human, and still like most people today with many different religious, cultural, and even silly traditions.

Pericles’ Ethos

                Many people talked about the pride of ones country as what they learned about the history of the Greek civilization (Austin Pena did a good job of this in his post “The Cradle of Humanism”)*, but for me this theme of country stood out more as the center of how Pericles built his ethos. Pericles said it the best himself by stating, “I have sung the praises of our city.” The pride of Athens and of their country was something that built common ground between Pericles and his audience. It also made himself appear to be a true Athenian, or Greek. I have felt this ethos while listening to many patriotic speakers in my own life. Once I have the feeling or thought of the speaker being a true American or Patriot, I am more inclined to listen to what they have to say. Pericles used this same method to build his ethos in his oration.

Pericles’ Philosophy

                This was definitely harder for me to pick out, but overall I feel that Pericles mostly resembles the ideals of the sophists. He clearly wants to help his audience believe the points he makes, as well as being quite ambiguous in his stances morally. He brings up some moral issues, but doesn’t necessarily try to persuade his audience to a specific way of thinking about these issues; more he is trying to persuade or induce belief. Because of the relativism in his thoughts to the people in his audience, like the mothers who have lost spouses, I feel there is the most evidence pointing to Pericles being a sophist. 

*http://rhetoricandcivilization.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-cradle-of-humanism.html

An Education to Greece

   History and Greek Civilization

Because history is the past of the winners, and Athens
definitely won to history, Pericles was right that future
ages will wonder at Athens.  We do so today.

           

            Pericles’s speech reveals Athenian civilization in two ways: the traditions and pride.  Pericles mentions that he does not want to give the speech because the bravery of the soldiers speaks for themselves. However, it is his duty to honor his ancestors and traditions. Pericles, though, focused much more on the pride and glory of Athens.  According to Pericles, Athenians have natural bravery instead of Spartan state-induced bravery.  The Athenians also pride themselves on working alone and not needing allies.  Athenians enjoy living in a world where beauty, things of the mind, bravery, politics, and service live harmoniously.  Athens is an “education to Greece” and "future ages will wonder at us.”  However, Pericles is only at least partly employing propaganda because Athens had its problems.  However, history is not the truth of the past but a reconstruction of the winner’s memories.  So Athens, the winner, is a golden city to Pericles.

Employing Ethos

            Pericles establishes his ethos mostly through emotional appeal.  Though he already had great ethos because he was a leading statesman in Athens, he mentioned none of his accomplishments during his speech, which actually increased his ethos.  He instead establishes ethos mostly through pathos.  When he says a speech is not necessary because of the bravery of the soliders, he is being sympathetic to the mourners.  He uses the word “we” instead of “you” to connect him with his audience.  Once he has the audience firmly on his side through his pathos, he is able to give the mourners advice to have more children, and they will take his advice.

Socrates vs. Pericles

Socrates would question even the most mundane
so he would definitely question the bravery of
the Athenian soldier. 

                        Socrates would have approached this funeral oration very differently than Pericles.  I imagine that he would attempt to discover if the dead soldiers were actually brave or only acting on orders.  He would question the mourners about their sons and brothers and their character.  He would not dote on Athens for more than half the speech but attempt to expose its corruption. Under his motto that “an unexamined life is not worth living” Socrates would bring the hard questions to light as opposed to Pericles’s epideictic, praising oration.

was most interested in knowing absolute truth.  I even conjecture that unlike Adam's thoughts, Pericles represented the Sophist thought.  Sophists were pragmatic, and Pericle’s advice to have more children and to women quiet were pragmatic thinkings taken from a difficult situation.  Pericles based himself in real life events, not in theory.