Definition:
Pericles Funeral Oration Details | Pericles Funeral Oration Basics
Pericles' funeral oration is a famous speech recorded by Thucydides in his history of the Peloponnesian War (Book 2). It was a funeral oration for those who had died in the Peloponnesian War by 431. Even if the essence of the speech contained the sentiments of Pericles, Thucydides probably wouldn't have remembered it verbatim.Pericles delivers the oration not only to bury the dead, but to praise Athens and its democracy. Pericles' eulogy has provided us with a vision of life in Ancient Athens, although it should be remembered that this vision was glorified by patriotic fervor.
Read Pericles Funeral Oration, by Thucydides.
