Today's Passage
This passage concludes Pericles' famous Funeral Oration (epitaphios logos), delivered in 431/430 BCE during the first year of the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
“Comfort, therefore, not condolence, is what I have to offer to the parents of the dead who may be here. Numberless are the chances to which, as they know, the life of man is subject; but fortunate indeed are they who draw for their lot a death so glorious as that which has caused your mourning, and to whom life has been so exactly measured as to terminate in the happiness in which it has been passed. Still I know that this is a hard saying, especially when those are in question of whom you will constantly be reminded by seeing in the homes of others blessings of which once you also boasted: for grief is felt not so much for the want of what we have never known, as for the loss of that to which we have been long accustomed. Yet you who are still of an age to beget children must bear up in the hope of having others in their stead; not only will they help you to forget those whom you have lost, but will be to the state at once a reinforcement and a security; for never can a fair or just policy be expected of the citizen who does not, like his fellows, bring to the decision the interests and apprehensions of a father. While those of you who have passed your prime must congratulate yourselves with the thought that the best part of your life was fortunate, and that the brief span that remains will be cheered by the fame of the departed. For it is only the love of honour that never grows old; and honour it is, not gain, as some would have it, that rejoices the heart of age and helplessness.
“Turning to the sons or brothers of the dead, I see an arduous struggle before you. When a man is gone, all are wont to praise him, and should your merit be ever so transcendent, you will still find it difficult not merely to overtake, but even to approach their renown. The living have envy to contend with, while those who are no longer in our path are honoured with a goodwill into which rivalry does not enter. On the other hand, if I must say anything on the subject of female excellence to those of you who will now be in widowhood, it will be all comprised in this brief exhortation. Great will be your glory in not falling short of your natural character; and greatest will be hers who is least talked of among the men, whether for good or for bad.
“My task is now finished. I have performed it to the best of my ability, and in word, at least, the requirements of the law are now satisfied. If deeds be in question, those who are here interred have received part of their honours already, and for the rest, their children will be brought up till manhood at the public expense: the state thus offers a valuable prize, as the garland of victory in this race of valour, for the reward both of those who have fallen and their survivors. And where the rewards for merit are greatest, there are found the best citizens.
Modern Translation
I offer comfort, not sympathy, to those parents present who have lost their sons. You know well that human life is subject to countless uncertainties; but those who have drawn such a glorious death as their lot are truly fortunate—they whose lives were perfectly measured to end at the height of their happiness. I understand this is difficult to accept, especially when you'll be constantly reminded of your loss by seeing in others' homes the blessings you once enjoyed. For we grieve not for things we never possessed, but for what we've grown accustomed to and then lost. Yet those still young enough to have children should take heart in the hope of having more. New children will help you forget those you've lost while providing both reinforcement and security to the state. No citizen can offer fair or just counsel who doesn't share the same stakes as his fellow citizens—the concerns and interests of a parent. Those past childbearing age should find consolation knowing that the greater part of your life was fortunate, and that your remaining brief years will be brightened by your children's glory. Only the love of honor never ages; in our declining years, it's honor—not profit, as some claim—that brings joy to the aged and infirm.
To the sons and brothers of the fallen, I foresee a difficult challenge ahead. Once someone dies, everyone praises them, and even if your excellence is extraordinary, you'll struggle not just to equal but even to approach their reputation. The living must contend with envy, while those no longer competing with us receive honor untainted by rivalry. Regarding the proper conduct of women who are now widowed, I'll be brief: your greatest glory lies in not falling below your natural character, and she achieves the highest honor who is least discussed among men, whether for praise or blame.
My duty is now complete. I've fulfilled it to my best ability, and in words at least, the law's requirements are satisfied. As for actions, these buried men have already received part of their honors, and the state will raise their children to adulthood at public expense. This valuable prize serves as victory's crown in this contest of courage, rewarding both the fallen and their survivors. Where merit's rewards are greatest, there you'll find the finest citizens.
Historical Context
This passage concludes Pericles' famous Funeral Oration (epitaphios logos), delivered in 431/430 BCE during the first year of the Peloponnesian War. Pericles, Athens' leading statesman, is speaking at the public funeral for the war's first casualties. The speech serves multiple purposes: honoring the dead, consoling their families, and articulating Athenian democratic values. This final section addresses specific groups—parents, siblings, and widows—offering differentiated consolation. The passage reveals tensions between public duty and private grief, while reinforcing the state's commitment to supporting war orphans. Pericles' brief, restrictive comments about women reflect contemporary gender attitudes and contrast sharply with his expansive treatment of male civic virtue.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Athenian Funeral Orations
The epitaphios logos was an established Athenian institution where a prominent citizen chosen by the state delivered a public speech honoring those who died in war. These orations served to reinforce civic values, justify military sacrifice, and strengthen communal bonds during wartime.
Learn more →Women in Classical Athens
Pericles' brief remarks about widows reflect the restricted public role of Athenian women. The ideal was invisibility—a respectable woman should not be discussed by men. This contrasts with Spartan women's more visible public presence and highlights Athens' particular gender ideology despite its democratic principles.
Learn more →State Support for War Orphans
Athens provided public maintenance (trophe) for war orphans until adulthood, demonstrating the democracy's commitment to those who sacrificed for the polis. This policy reinforced military service while creating reciprocal obligations between citizens and state, exemplifying Athens' innovative social welfare.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plato: Menexenus (246d-249c)
Plato's satirical funeral oration includes similar consolatory themes but parodies the genre's conventions. His treatment of bereaved parents and the state's care for orphans mirrors yet subtly critiques Periclean rhetoric.
Read passage →Lysias: Funeral Oration (Oration 2.70-76)
Lysias's epitaphios from the Corinthian War era echoes Pericles' themes about glory through death and state support for survivors, showing the persistence of these consolatory topoi in Athenian funeral rhetoric.
Read passage →Demosthenes: Funeral Oration (Oration 60.32-37)
Demosthenes' epitaphios after Chaeronea (338 BCE) maintains similar consolatory structures while addressing defeat rather than victory, demonstrating how the genre adapted to different circumstances while preserving core elements.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Pericles' consolation to parents balance private grief with public duty? Is his argument that a 'glorious death' should comfort parents persuasive or problematic?
- Why does Pericles address women so briefly and restrictively compared to his extensive treatment of male relatives? What does this reveal about Athenian democracy's limitations?
- How does the state's promise to raise war orphans function as both compassionate policy and strategic calculation? What modern parallels exist?
- Compare Pericles' emphasis on honor over material gain with contemporary values. Does his claim that 'only the love of honor never grows old' still resonate?