Today's Passage
This passage comes from Pericles' Funeral Oration, delivered in 431/430 BCE after the first year of the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
“Indeed if I have dwelt at some length upon the character of our country, it has been to show that our stake in the struggle is not the same as theirs who have no such blessings to lose, and also that the panegyric of the men over whom I am now speaking might be by definite proofs established. That panegyric is now in a great measure complete; for the Athens that I have celebrated is only what the heroism of these and their like have made her, men whose fame, unlike that of most Hellenes, will be found to be only commensurate with their deserts. And if a test of worth be wanted, it is to be found in their closing scene, and this not only in cases in which it set the final seal upon their merit, but also in those in which it gave the first intimation of their having any. For there is justice in the claim that steadfastness in his country’s battles should be as a cloak to cover a man’s other imperfections; since the good action has blotted out the bad, and his merit as a citizen more than outweighed his demerits as an individual. But none of these allowed either wealth with its prospect of future enjoyment to unnerve his spirit, or poverty with its hope of a day of freedom and riches to tempt him to shrink from danger. No, holding that vengeance upon their enemies was more to be desired than any personal blessings, and reckoning this to be the most glorious of hazards, they joyfully determined to accept the risk, to make sure of their vengeance, and to let their wishes wait; and while committing to hope the uncertainty of final success, in the business before them they thought fit to act boldly and trust in themselves. Thus choosing to die resisting, rather than to live submitting, they fled only from dishonour, but met danger face to face, and after one brief moment, while at the summit of their fortune, escaped, not from their fear, but from their glory.
Modern Translation
I have spoken at length about our city's character to demonstrate that we fight for higher stakes than those who lack such advantages, and to ensure that my eulogy for these fallen men rests on concrete evidence. That eulogy is now largely complete, for the Athens I have praised exists only through the heroism of these men and others like them—men whose reputation, unlike most Greeks, perfectly matches their actual merit. The manner of their death provides the ultimate proof of their worth, not only confirming the excellence of those already proven, but revealing it for the first time in others. It is right that steadfast service in defending one's country should cover any personal failings; the good deed erases the bad, and civic virtue outweighs private shortcomings. None of these men let wealth and its promise of future pleasures weaken their resolve, nor did poverty and the hope of eventual prosperity and freedom make them shrink from danger. Instead, they valued revenge against their enemies above all personal benefits. Considering this the most noble risk, they gladly embraced it, determined to punish their foes while postponing their own desires. Though they entrusted ultimate victory to hope, they chose to rely on themselves in the immediate battle. Preferring death with resistance to life with submission, they fled only from shame while facing danger head-on. In one brief moment, at the height of their fortune, they found deliverance—not from their fears, but from their glory.
Historical Context
This passage comes from Pericles' Funeral Oration, delivered in 431/430 BCE after the first year of the Peloponnesian War. As was customary in Athens, a prominent citizen was chosen to deliver a public eulogy for those who died in battle. Pericles, the leading statesman of Athens, uses this occasion not merely to honor the dead but to articulate Athenian democratic values and justify the war against Sparta. The speech serves multiple purposes: consoling the bereaved, inspiring continued resistance, and defining Athenian identity. This particular section transitions from praising Athens itself to praising the specific virtues of the fallen soldiers, arguing that their sacrifice both exemplifies and preserves Athenian greatness.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Funeral Oration Genre
The epitaphios logos was a formal speech delivered annually in Athens to honor war dead. It followed established conventions while allowing speakers to articulate civic values. Pericles transforms this traditional form into a sophisticated meditation on democracy and empire.
Learn more →Athenian Democratic Ideology
Pericles articulates the idea that Athens fights for freedom and democracy while others fight merely for survival. This reflects Athenian self-perception as uniquely free citizens defending a superior political system against oligarchic opponents.
Learn more →Arete and Civic Virtue
The Greek concept of arete (excellence/virtue) is here specifically linked to civic duty. Pericles argues that public service can redeem private failings, reflecting democratic values where citizen participation defines worth more than aristocratic birth.
Learn more →Kleos (Glory) in Greek Culture
The idea that warriors escape 'from their glory' rather than fear reflects the Greek concept of kleos—immortal fame achieved through heroic deeds. Death in battle paradoxically preserves this glory forever, preventing any future diminishment.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Lysias: Funeral Oration (Sections 17-19)
Lysias also delivered a funeral oration (c. 392 BCE) that similarly praises Athenian sacrifice and links individual virtue to collective democratic values, though with less philosophical sophistication than Pericles.
Read passage →Plato: Menexenus (246d-247a)
Plato's dialogue includes a funeral oration (possibly parodying Pericles) that similarly connects individual sacrifice to civic excellence, while subtly critiquing the rhetoric of democratic ideology.
Read passage →Demosthenes: Funeral Speech (Sections 27-31)
Demosthenes' funeral oration (338 BCE) after Chaeronea echoes Periclean themes about choosing glorious death over shameful survival, showing the lasting influence of this rhetorical tradition.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Pericles' claim that public service can 'cover' private failings relate to modern debates about separating public figures' professional achievements from personal conduct?
- Is the idea that Athens has 'more to lose' than other cities a form of cultural supremacism, or a legitimate basis for greater sacrifice?
- How does Pericles' emphasis on choosing 'glorious death' over 'shameful life' compare to modern military values and the treatment of veterans?
- What tensions exist between Pericles' democratic idealism and the reality of Athenian imperialism that required these soldiers' deaths?