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Activity 4. Pericles on Athenian Democracy (c. 430 BC)
Source: Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War (translated by Richard Crawley, 1951),
New York: Modern Library, 104-106.
Background: Much of our knowledge about the age of Pericles in Athens and Athenian
democracy comes from a funeral oration delivered by Pericles after the first year of the
Peloponnesian War (431 – 404 BC). The speech was included in an account of the war
written by the Greek historian Thucydides. However Thucydides did not witness the
speech and he did not write his book until at least 26 years later. No other written record
of the speech exists. Thucydides considered Pericles a demagogue and a threat to
Athenian sovereignty, which probably influenced his account. The book was written in an
archaic [old] form of Greek and there is also disagreement amongst historians about how
it should be translated. Read the passages and answer questions 1 – 3.
1. Why does Pericles describe Athens as a “democracy”?
2. According to Pericles, how does the form of Athenian government affect its citizens?
3. Based on this speech and what you know about ancient Athens, is it legitimate to
describe Pericles as the “Father of Democracy”? Explain.
A. Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighboring states; we are rather a pattern
the obscurity of his condition.
B. The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life.
of action, we think it an indispensable preliminary to any wise action at all..