Assess Whether Pericles Was a Good or Bad Leader

Leadership appears multiple times throughout the story and is a common theme throughout. One of the most important times leadership was shown was when they had been captured by the cyclops near the beginning when they wanted help getting home and Odysseus had lead his men with courage even though they were terrified. “Now by the gods, I drove my big hand spike deep in the embers, charring it again, and cheered my men along with battle talk to keep their courage up:no quitting now.” (p# 904) This particular quote is quite important because the men needed to do this to escape, but if they were to fail they would most definitely die. They were scared and Odysseus is the one who decided to keep their courage up. In modern times we rely on leaders but sometimes they can act foolish. It is nice to know that the king of a country was able to take such a high amount of

What qualities of Athenian life does Pericles mention? How do these contrast with those that Archidamus points out for Sparta? The qualities of the Athenian life that Pericles mentions are that they are far from practicing a jealous surveillance over each other because they do not feel like they should be angry with there neighbors for doing what they like, but all there private relations does not make them lawless as citizens. He also say’s that they provide plenty of means for there mind to refresh itself from the business, that they celebrate games and sacrifices all the year round. On the other hand Sparta is war-like, because they have self control and they honor bravery. They are also educated with the laws and with a self-control to

Pericles's speech first gave praise to the ancestors, for which they are the people who built the city from the ground up and fought for democracy. He speaks of the ancestors with great honor and valor and that it was them who gave birth to Athens. He perceives Athens as a city with virtue, modesty, and modernization. It is a city who doesn't isolate itself from other governing states. Pericles announce that they aren't afraid to show their culture to the world and any foreigners may come and learn or observe from them. He suggests Athens is a country that welcomes foreigners and they

Pericles spends most of the speech praising Athens. Pericles’ emphasis on democracy is very clear. He began his speech addressing the significance of the ancestors of Athens. Pointing out their sacrifices for their city and which directly correlates to the fairness and freedoms of the current Athenian democracy. Pericles’ spoke about separation of class of people is not tolerated and if anyone can serve the state they are not judged by their livelihood. He also advocates this position by returning briefly, at the end of the speech, to the fallen soldiers and their families, rather than merely promising glory to those who lose what is most their own (their lives) in defense of their own, Pericles presents glory itself as that

Pericles was born in 495 B.C. E in Cholargos north of Athens. Pericles was an influential orator, leader and general during Athens golden age between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars. Pericles popularized arts and literature and was the main reason Athens holds the reputation of being the educational and cultural center of the ancient Greek world. During Pericles rule, Athens developed its Acropolis, the elevated citadel that held the most important buildings and temples. These building where so architecturally

A reading of Thucydides’, Pericles’ Funeral Oration and The Melian Dialogue uncovers both contrasting and comparable viewpoints on Athenian politics, power, aims of war, and empire. Thucydides presents two differing characteristics of Athens, one as the civilizer in Pericles’ funeral oration and the other as an tyrant in the Melian dialogue. In the funeral oration delivered by Pericles during the first year of the war, the Athenian leader emphasizes the idealized personal image of the Athenians in regard to their constitution and good character. Pericles goes on to praise the Athenian democratic institution of Athens that contributes to their cities greatness; in Pericles’s own words, “The Athenian administration favors the many instead of few… they afford equal justice to all of their differences” (112, 2.37). This quote emphasizes the good character of the Athens’ to coax and encourage the Athenians to preserve and better their great empire into the future. On the other hand, in the Melian dialogue, this notion of justice and equality is irrelevant; one, because Athens compared to Melos, is the stronger of the two and thus, is more powerful. Further, Athens, will continue to acquire absolute power and build its empire by conquering Melos and whomever else stands in its way. Through Pericles’ funeral oration and the Melian dialogue, the following conclusions/themes will demonstrate both the changing and somewhat stable nature of Athenian policy with regards to empire,

In the Aftermath of the Peloponnesian war between Athens and Sparta, Pericles, Athens’ general and statesmen, delivered a powerfully comforting eulogy to the polis of Athens, assuring the people that their city state is in good hands, and easing the pain of all the families and relatives of the deceased. He uses several rhetorical devices throughout his speech to gain a positive emotional appeal by his audience and makes assertions in the attempt to enhance and transform the perception of him by the audience.

Pericles articulates a strong sense of pride for the Athenian self-image through praising their ancestors, fathers, and the fallen. Pericles stated, “I shall begin with our ancestors: it is both just and proper that they should have the honor of the first mention on and occasion like the present. They dwelt in the country without break in the succession from generation to generation, and handed it down free to the present time by their valor.” The Athenian’s ancestors allowed for the future greatness and the ultimate formation of the government through their great and honorable patriotism. Their ancestors passed down the empire to the fathers of Pericles and other citizens, who only further added greatness to the inherited empire and began forming national habits. However, this greatness was earned through military achievements allowing for the possessions enjoyed by the current citizens, who gained the city from their fathers. The current Athenians, both dead and alive, further progressed the Athenian control and greatness as their successors already did. Pericles stated, “There are few parts of our dominions that have not been augmented by those of us here, who are still more or less in the vigor of life; while the mother country has been furnished by us with everything that can enable her to

In the citizen’s eyes, Oedipus is seen as a good leader. He demonstrates great leadership through several events. When the Oedipus learned of the plague, he “sent away [his] brother-in-law, son of Menoeceus, Kreon, to Pythian Apollo’s shrine” to hear from Apollo on “what [he] might do or say to save our city.” He notified the people that he understands their pain and suffering for the “soul inside [him]

Pericles and Constantine were examples of great leaders in the ancient world. Under their rule, changes were made. Both led armies into battles against others. However, they both had a different style of leading and gave different effects on their citizens. Although they are both respected leaders, they affected different aspects of their civilizations. Pericles greatly improved the arts and literature of Athens, whereas Constantine enacted administrative, financial, social and military reforms to the Roman Empire, as well as decreed tolerance for Christianity within the empire. However, among all the leaders of the Archaic Period,

Pericles shaped his campaigning around pleasing the masses. Thucydides’ political strategy was to get all of his supporters to sit together in the assembly. Unfortunately for him, there were not many to support him against Pericles. Strategically, Pericles gave nearly all of the political power to the people. This was the reason he was known as the ‘first citizen of democratic Athens by the historian Thucydides.

Athens is a major Greek city-state in European history. It was a great center of cultural and intellectual development, and thus home to philosophers. Socrates and Pericles, two of these philosophers, had polarizing opinions about the city-state and its citizens. While Pericles chooses to praise the Athenian citizen, Socrates criticizes Athens’ people. Pericles gave his opinion at a funeral during the first battles of the Peloponnesian War, while Socrates gave his during the trial that ultimately led to his death. The Athenian city-state has become a model for today’s systems of government and a hearth for western philosophy, so Pericles’ opinion seems to be the one that is more accurate.

Pericles was great as a leader, and he used all his skills as a logical man in order to occupy Athenians who weren’t involved in the army and who were unskilled. Because he did not want them to just get benefited from national income for doing nothing, he proposed to them different plans for public works and buildings where all kinds of industries could be involved. Since he didn’t have money of his own he was spending public money for building, and that is what he was accused of by Thucydides and other members of his party. Using the knowledge of psychology of people, Pericles knew how to persuade people in the Assembly. He didn’t have his own money, but still made the Athenians believe as though he did; and his reply to the accusation was as follows:

Furthermore, in the mind of Pericles, any citizen who did not take some part in the realm of politics was not just missing the core of Athenian democracy, but was essentially useless. This is so because Athenian democracy stood on the idea that people would take an active role in the government that represented them in order to protect their freedoms, and anyone who shunned that responsibility was a detriment to society. The arguments that Pericles puts forth are persuasive in the sense that theoretically in order for a democracy to survive as intended (which is self-representation and majority rule) then people must take politics sincerely.

Described by Thucydides as “the foremost Athenian and most able in speech or action [at the time of the Peloponnesian War,]” Pericles ushered in what was widely known as the “Golden Age of Athens” (31). He often exercised great prudence in his decision making and was widely admired by the Greek people. The man stressed justice, the worth of the Empire, and cleaving one’s personal interests to those of the city. Through his eloquent speeches and definitive actions he captured both the hearts of the Athenians and territory as a premier military commander. The people readily accepted his authority, and became accustomed to it. This would only lead to problems down the road, however, as other rulers took up the mantle of Athens. They would only be but a gilded echo of Pericles, unable and unwilling to follow his path. Therefore, though Pericles did not intentionally set Athens up to fail, because of the oratorical skill, leadership style, and character he possessed, success could only be truly achieved by and through him.