At the end of the first year of war, the Athenians held, as was their custom, an elaborate funeral for all those killed in the war. The funeral oration over these dead was delivered by the brilliant and charismatic politician and general, Pericles, who perished a little bit later in the horrifying plague that decimated Athens the next year. The Funeral Oration is the classic statement of Athenian ideology, containing practically in full the patriotic sentiment felt by most Athenians. What I want you to ask yourself is: according to Pericles, what precisely makes Athens great? How does this compare to other city-states? What problems do you see in Pericles’ description of Athens?

To you who are the sons and brothers of the departed, I see that the struggle to emulate them will be an arduous one. For all men praise the dead, and, however preeminent your virtue may be, I do not say even to approach them, and avoid living their rivals and detractors, but when a man is out of the way, the honor and goodwill which he receives is unalloyed.

• And, if I am to speak of womanly virtues to those of you who will henceforth be widows, let me sum them up in one short admonition.
• To a woman not to show more weakness than is natural to her sex is a great glory, and not to be talked about for good or for evil among men.