As a retired sailor, I am just seeking for peace and forgiveness, all of my arguments will be based on my life experiences and my expertise as the Sailor that I once was. All I want is the best for my family and the people of Athens, I have seen the destruction of war and the best way to avoid war and future problems, in my opinion, is by education ourselves to become better citizens and live peacefully among each other. We have to start making a radical change in this society; we have to stop getting easily influenced by our governors and have our own voice heard, don’t change the country, change the people in the country. I believe that the best way to have our voice heard is by attending Assembly, Despite the fact that we’re getting paid, …show more content…
Considering all the harsh things our people have experienced, it is reasonable that we get compensated for making decisions that might impact our society. Even those who don’t have an education, but have the experience of life should get involved in Assembly. We have to unite in order for us to become a better society, a society that has smart citizens who follow the law, a society where discrimination between classes shouldn’t be a problem and we need a society where people like you and me can sleep peacefully because our walls and outstanding soldiers protect us from another invasion. As Thucydides, Leonardo Blah said in its book ‘’Meanwhile the Athenian people, after the departure of the barbarian of their country, at once proceed to carry over their children and wives, and such polarity as they had left, from the placed they where they had deposited them, and prepared to rebuild their city and their walls” (Ch. IV). This supports the idea in which the people of Athens will have too much going on. they will be occupied feeding their children, rebuilding their homes, and also trying to get over what the thirty thirians did to their wives. It is more than necessary that we compensate the people of Athens for what they been through and will go through, that’s why they should get …show more content…
We want to listen to what they think; we need to know their opinion because every person has a whole different perspective of how things should be done, we have to let them know why is it important for them to attend Assembly. Those different perspectives can help in Assembly, every opinion can help change or improve the opinions of other people, that’s why we’ll need the opinions of the Athenian people. Now that we have seen our enemies destroy our town, trashed our values, and raped our women, now it’s the time to make this government different and we can change it by attending Assembly, not just for the money, but for the future generations of Athens. Some people at first won't attend Assembly due to the lack of education that they have; they will feel embarrassed to attend Assembly, but we have to let them know that we want their opinions and their perspectives based on the life experience that they all have had. We have to unify all social classes into Assembly, saying that no discrimination between classes can get away without expulsion of Assembly. As Plato states in The Republic ‘’ Then we would rightly say that the understanding of the one is knowledge since he knows, but that of the other is opinion, since he judges by appearances’’ (Pg.
Without being either the ones who made this law or the first to apply it after it was laid down, we applied it as one in existence...and one that will endure for all time,” (Thuc., V, 105). The Athenians see no injustice in doing simply as their nature impels them to do. In fact, the Athenians see their offer of subjugation to the Melian people as more than reasonable, “What we will demonstrate is that we are here to help our empire and that there is salvation for your city in what we are now about to say, since we hope to rule over you without trouble and let both parties benefit as you are saved,” (Thuc., V, 91). Following their belief in doing what is necessary to strengthen themselves, even at the expense of others, is what brings Athens to Melos.
“The Restoration of the Athenian Empire” Our walls are crumbling and our fleet is minute. We here in Athens are unable to collect tribute from other city-states and are often in threat of being attacked. Our fleet is defenseless and weak. The Democratic fraction, propose that we spend our time and hard earned money on the rebuilding of our walls and fleet. That way Athens can dangerously collect tributes from other Greek city-states. The Democrats also would like to commence in hazardous military voyages with our insubstantial navy. Hoping the result brings forth great rewards.
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,
Athenian citizen makes more contribution to government rather than Spartans. The Athenian government allows citizen to be a member of the government except for the military position, as its stated on an article that ” each citizen can be voted for each legislation”(Echos in the past, page, print). Which signify that being in the government position means having the capability and not the wealth. In the athenian
In Athens, as we stand today, Metic are not allowed the right to own property, which, as we all know is crippling in our society. They are however forced to pay taxes. Taxed without rights to vote or to serve on our juries. They pay to be excluded. This willingness to remain in Athens as opposed to wherever they may have originated from, or where their parents may have originated from, should be taken as a compliment on our part. The city we run, is such that they are not only willing to stick around through that, but that they stuck with us through a losing war.
Athens and Sparta were two powerful city-states, different from each other where Athenian democracy focused on economic advancement, while Sparta oligarchy focused on military force. Democracy is a system of government where citizens have the right to vote, whereas oligarchy is a system of government where only a group of people is in control and only their opinion or decision that were taken into consideration. Leading to the thesis statement that people are better served by Athenian democracy than the Spartan oligarchy, supported in three evidence points. Firstly, Athenian democracy allowed citizens participation in government that gave them freedom to vote and take part in legislation. Secondly, the Athenian government provided Athenian men better education, by being taught how to read and write to reach their academic advancement. Lastly, the Athenian democracy’s contribution to Athens military advancement that protected its citizens.
The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life” (Pericles’ Funeral Oration, Thucydides). In other words, it doesn’t matter what your social rank is, if you are a citizen of Athens, you have a right (and duty) to serve in the government. This is known as a direct democracy today, and it is where we, citizens of the United States, took inspiration for our current system of government. Pericles is right to praise the city-state in this regard, as its legacy still has effect on the world millenniums after its time.
A few weeks later, the Assembly again met in the Pnyx. The Herald, a Socratic, said a prayer and poured the wine. The President then got right to business and announced we would be making a decision on the topic of Metic citizenship that day. The Metic was allowed one final chance to make his case before a vote was to be held. However, the Sailor lengthened the discussion with the suggestion of making the Metics pay for citizenship. The Socratic’s argued that the Metics must show loyalty to Athens before being considered for citizenship. The Metic himself suggested a requirement of residency in Athens for a certain number of years. Eventually, a member of the
Most Greek city states were ruled by a small elite group, also known as an aristocratic oligarchy (cite text book). Pericles explains that the Athens government is a democracy because the administration is in the hands of many and not just a few people. This will cause the government to have equal justices exist for all people. This is confirmed by Pericles stating, “When a citizen is in any way distinguished, he is preferred to the public service, not as a matter of privilege, but as a reward of merit”. This means that a citizen has to earn their privileges, they don’t just get things because of who they are in society. Athens not only takes pride in their government, but is also very proud of their military. Athens considers their military training to be better that their enemies in many ways. The people never try to hide anything from enemies or prevent them from seeing or learning anything that might benefit them. While their enemies are undergoing difficult exercises to make them brave, the people of Athens live the easy life. Although they live the easy life, the people of Athens are equally ready to face the challenges which their enemies face. The people of Athens would rather meet danger with a light heart and not intense training like their neighbors. They also want to do this with courage not enforce by law, but instead gain by habit. When the Lacedaemonians come into Athenian territory they bring their whole confederacy,
After the wars, Athens emerges as the center of all activity amongst each city-state in Greece. One of the key features within the Athenian society was the arrangement of public assembly and the rule of the people, democracy. In the assemblies, any male citizen could actively vote
My Faction had six objectives to achieve during assembly meetings so that, our opinions existed in Athens. During the Assembly meetings, my Faction wanted to pass the Reconciliation Agreement, restrict citizenship to Athenians and pay Assemblymen and Jurors. Furthermore, as a citizen of Athens,
Today, with our city in the state of transformation, we have gathered to discuss the issue of government agency. This issue requires our careful consideration on how we should continue from now on. We need to acknowledge and consider what is best outcome for all the people of Athens. It is no hesitation of mine that everyone here today years to see our city restored to its past glory. Nonetheless, we as individuals, are very different. I see farmers, fishmongers, olive gatherers, rich athletes, merchant son, and more throughout this meeting.
The idea of sacrificing the needs of the individual Athenian for the benefit of everyone in Athens was at the core of the inner workings of its democracy, thus, a distinct privilege was placed on engaging in the political atmosphere. (Of course, said privilege of voting and serving on juries was only afforded to male natural-born citizens, but that is beside the point.) “Our public men have, besides politics, their
how did people in Athens and Sparta obtain the right to participate in public life and make decisions affecting the community?
I Eryximachus am here at the assembly today to speak to you all about an important issue regarding all Athenians. I came here today to revise the citizen franchise by giving credit to those who deserve it. Athens, right now, is experiencing hardships from the war. We the citizens of Athens must unite the people of our great polis to join-together in returning our polis back to the mighty Athens. The only way to do such is by resigning the law granting any resident of Athens citizenship with an Athenian-born father. We discredit most of our Athenian residents who in all our ways earn the deserving credit and political stance in our polis. The most important discredited being women and metics. Granting them political rights is only for the benefit of Athens- which is why I am speaking here today. I am sure to get many opposed looks and thoughts at first, but please hold your opinions until you hear what I have to say. Athens well-being is my only concern, and I hope, as I look at all of you, that it is yours as well.