Would Tick Leg Do Dog

The spectrum of the speech of Pericles to the Athenians


At the end of the first year of the Peloponnesian War (which will see conflicting Athens and Sparta, with their coalitions, 431 to 404 BC), Pericles, according to Athenian tradition, say an epitaph to commemorate the fallen Athenians. From this commemoration, has come down to us thanks to Thucydides, it is clear the ethos of the polis of Athens. He following are the most significant passages.

"Here our government favors the many instead of just a few:
and this is called democracy.
Here in Athens we do like.
here
laws ensure equal justice for all
in their private disputes, but we do not never ignore the merits of excellence.

When a citizen stands, then it will be, in preference to other
, called to serve the state, but not as an act of privilege as a
reward merit, and poverty is not an impediment.

Here in Athens we do like.

The freedom we enjoy extends also to their daily life, we do not
we are suspicious of each other and do not bother if ever our
next to our neighbor like to live in his own way.
We are free, free to live just like we like
and yet we are always ready to face any danger.

An Athenian citizen does not neglect public affairs when it expects to
own private affairs, but also is not concerned with public affairs
to solve his private matters.

Here in Athens we do like.

We have been taught to respect the judiciary, and we have been taught
also to respect the laws and to never forget that we must protect those who receive
offense.

And we were also taught to observe those unwritten laws that
reside in the universal sense of what is right and what is
common sense.

Here in Athens we do like.

A man who does not care about the state we do not consider it harmless, but useless
, and although a few are able to give life to a
politics, all well here in Athens we can judge it.

We do not regard the discussion as an obstacle on the path of democracy
.
We believe that happiness is the fruit of freedom, but freedom is only the fruit of
value.

So, I proclaim that Athens is the school of Hellas, and that every Athenian
growing developing in him a happy versatility, self-confidence,
readiness to face any situation and that is why our city is the
open to the world and we never expel a foreigner.

Here in Athens we do like. "

Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War