Today's Passage
This passage describes the first public funeral of the Peloponnesian War (431 BCE), introducing Pericles' famous Funeral Oration.
Crawley Translation (1910)
In the same winter the Athenians gave a funeral at the public cost to those who had first fallen in this war. It was a custom of their ancestors, and the manner of it is as follows. Three days before the ceremony, the bones of the dead are laid out in a tent which has been erected; and their friends bring to their relatives such offerings as they please. In the funeral procession cypress coffins are borne in cars, one for each tribe; the bones of the deceased being placed in the coffin of their tribe. Among these is carried one empty bier decked for the missing, that is, for those whose bodies could not be recovered. Any citizen or stranger who pleases, joins in the procession: and the female relatives are there to wail at the burial. The dead are laid in the public sepulchre in the Beautiful suburb of the city, in which those who fall in war are always buried; with the exception of those slain at Marathon, who for their singular and extraordinary valour were interred on the spot where they fell. After the bodies have been laid in the earth, a man chosen by the state, of approved wisdom and eminent reputation, pronounces over them an appropriate panegyric; after which all retire. Such is the manner of the burying; and throughout the whole of the war, whenever the occasion arose, the established custom was observed. Meanwhile these were the first that had fallen, and Pericles, son of Xanthippus, was chosen to pronounce their eulogium. When the proper time arrived, he advanced from the sepulchre to an elevated platform in order to be heard by as many of the crowd as possible, and spoke as follows:
Modern Translation
That same winter, the Athenians held a public funeral for the first casualties of the war, following their ancestral tradition. The ceremony proceeded thus: Three days beforehand, the remains of the fallen were displayed in a specially erected pavilion, where relatives could bring whatever offerings they wished. During the funeral procession itself, cypress-wood caskets were transported on wagons—one for each of Athens' ten tribes—containing the bones sorted according to tribal affiliation. Among these was carried an empty bier, draped and decorated, representing those whose bodies were never recovered. The procession was open to all—citizens and foreigners alike could participate, while female relatives accompanied the cortège with ritual lamentations. The dead were interred in the state cemetery located in the Kerameikos, Athens' most beautiful district, where all war dead were buried—except for the Marathon fighters, whose exceptional valor earned them the honor of burial on the battlefield itself. Following the interment, a citizen selected for his intellectual distinction and public standing would deliver a commemorative address. Then the gathering would disperse. This was the established funeral custom, observed throughout the war whenever circumstances required. These being the first casualties, Pericles, son of Xanthippus, was selected to deliver the eulogy. When the moment came, he ascended from the tomb to a raised platform, positioning himself to reach the greatest number of listeners, and began speaking thus:
Historical Context
This passage describes the first public funeral of the Peloponnesian War (431 BCE), introducing Pericles' famous Funeral Oration. The ceremony honors Athenian soldiers who died in the war's opening campaigns. Thucydides meticulously details Athens' democratic funeral customs, emphasizing collective civic identity through tribal organization and public participation. The selection of Pericles—Athens' leading statesman—to deliver the eulogy underscores the occasion's political importance. This funeral serves as a platform for articulating Athenian values and justifying their imperial policy at the war's outset. The detailed description of customs contrasts with Sparta's more austere practices, highlighting cultural differences between the warring powers.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Athenian Funeral Customs
The patrios nomos (ancestral custom) of public burial reinforced democratic values by honoring all citizens equally, regardless of social status. The tribal organization reflected Athens' democratic structure, while public participation emphasized collective civic identity over aristocratic family traditions.
Learn more →Marathon Exception
The Marathon dead (490 BCE) received unique honors, buried on the battlefield in a tumulus still visible today. This exception highlights Marathon's symbolic importance in Athenian identity as the democracy's defining victory over Persian autocracy.
Learn more →Pericles' Political Position
Pericles (c. 495-429 BCE) dominated Athenian politics for decades. His selection as orator reflects his status as strategos (general) and democratic leader. The funeral oration would become his most famous speech, articulating Athenian democratic ideals.
Learn more →The Kerameikos Cemetery
The Kerameikos, northwest of the Acropolis, served as Athens' state cemetery. Archaeological excavations have revealed numerous grave monuments and confirmed Thucydides' description. The 'Beautiful Suburb' designation emphasizes the honor accorded to war dead.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plato: Menexenus (234c-235c)
Plato provides a satirical funeral oration allegedly by Aspasia, Pericles' companion. This philosophical dialogue critiques the genre of funeral speeches and offers insight into their rhetorical conventions and political purposes.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Pericles (28.3-4)
Plutarch describes Pericles' oratorical power and political dominance. He notes how Pericles' speeches could sway the Athenian assembly, providing context for why he was chosen for this crucial oration.
Read passage →Pausanias: Description of Greece (1.29.4)
Pausanias describes the Kerameikos cemetery and its monuments in the 2nd century CE, confirming the location and providing archaeological details about the graves of those honored in public funerals.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How do Athens' elaborate public funeral customs reflect democratic values, and what political purposes might they serve during wartime?
- Why does Thucydides provide such detailed description of the funeral ceremony before presenting Pericles' speech? What effect does this create?
- What is the significance of the empty bier for the missing? How might this custom affect families and the broader community?
- Compare Athens' treatment of the Marathon dead with their regular funeral customs. What does this exception reveal about Athenian cultural memory and values?