A Rhetorical Analysis Of Pericles Funeral Oration

In Richard Crawley’s translated version of The History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides the “Funeral Oration of Pericles” and “The Melian Conference” share the similarity of the Athenian representative using rich rhetoric and the differences of perspective of Athens. In both the “Funeral Oration of Pericles” and “The Melian Conference,” the Athenians uses graceful rhetoric in order to disguise its military intentions. Before Pericles acknowledges the dead soldiers and their mourning family, he praises Athens on their beauty and intellect (Book 2 Funeral Oration of Pericles 40). He also denounces Sparta, the enemy, for their military policies. He mocks them for remaining closed off to foreigners when Athens is open and welcoming (Book 2 Funeral Oration of Pericles 39). Pericles uses rhetoric in order to build a sense of patriotism and nationalism with his grieving audience. He uses this nationalistic feeling to

It is only after he states all this that he offers any comfort to the mourning, telling them that the fallen warriors are heroes and “for heroes have the whole earth for their tomb” (Book 2 Funeral Oration of Pericles 34). Likewise, in “The Melian Conference” the Athenians attempt to use rhetoric - not as graceful as Pericles’ but still rhetoric - in order to persuade the people of Melos to join their empire. Throughout the conference, the Athenian asserts their advantage in power in an attempt to have the Melian forget about what is just or right (Book 5 The Melian Conference 87). The Athenian tells the Melian that it would not be “dishonourable to submit to the greatest city” and that they would be given the opportunity to enjoy their land (Book 5 The Melian Conference 111). But when all of that fails to persuade the