“a Take on the Pericles’ and Socrates’ Views on Athenian...

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 starts his speech talking about the†¦show more content†¦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, i f 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. Socrates, however, wasn’t as keen on democracy. Socrates, a critic of Athenian society, is also known as a critic of democracy. â€Å"Athens is a democracy, a city in which the many are the dominant power in politics, and it can therefore be expected to have all the vices of the many† (â€Å"Socrates’ criticism of democracy,† Encyclopedia Britannica). Socrates claims that he did not want to take part in government because he feared imprisonment or death, which eventually became his fate. Socrates’ problem with democracy was his concern with the citizens who run theShow MoreRelatedIdeal s of Democratic Citizenship in Funeral Oration by Pericles1264 Words   |  6 PagesCitizenship in Funeral Oration by Pericles When dealing with the extent to which Socrates is a good example for following the ideals of democratic citizenship, a good source to use as a point of comparison to his life is the principles laid out about that citizenship by Pericles in his Funeral Oration. In the Oration, Pericles brought forth certain ideas about Athenian democracy and how its citizens should live their lives in accordance with it. He held these views to be paramount and used them inRead MoreAthens vs Socrates1521 Words   |  7 PagesAthenian democracy ensures that a citizen in a society acts according to what society deems appropriate rather than by an individuals assumptions of what is acceptable. Athens as a whole stresses the importance of an active citizen whose life is intertwined with the government. In essence, an Athenian citizen can participate in the decision making of the state and will be enthusiastic in carrying out policies that pass in the assembly. Pericles, an Athenian statesman, makes it cl ear when he saysRead MoreComparison between Classical Athens and Han China1005 Words   |  5 PagesDespite the social hierarchy and acceptance of position of the population in both societies, Han China and Classical Athens had disparities proportionate to their physical sizes. The geographical isolation from each other resulted in the differences in demographics, characteristics of government structures, individual duties and roles in government, and the general view of life. The east to west length of the Han Empire dwarfs the city-state of Athens. The maps of Classical Greece and Han ChinaRead MoreAristophanes Voices Concerns for Ancient Greek Culture in His Plays1832 Words   |  8 Pages Aristophanes was not a proponent of the majority of Athenian culture, as well as other aspects of Greek life as whole. He despised the political, educational, and societal views that remained persistent throughout Athens. While his plays may be comedies, he uses them in an assortment of ways. His plays are used to demonstrate a purpose far beyond that of entertainment. He uses his writing for voicing the problems that lie in Ancient culture. Aristophanes uses each play to reveal certainRead MoreEssay about Theme of Comedic Showmanship in Aristophanes Plays1756 Words   |  8 Pagesplay The Babylonians. This production however caused charges to be brought upon him by the politician Cleon for smearing the Athenian people and state. In all, Aristophanes was brought on charges twice, the second time for his play The Knights in which he again attacked the politician Cleon. In 405 Aristophanes was however publicly honored and crowned for promoting Athenian unity in his play The Frogs. Throughout his life Aristophanes wrote forty plays, eleven surviving to this day. A recurring themeRead MoreWas the 5th Century Bce a Golden Age for Athens?1324 Words   |  6 PagesAthens and the Athenian Empire has led scholars to deem this period a Golden Age. It is true that his period had many achievements, but in the light of the Athenians treatment of women, metics (non-Athenians living in Athens), and slaves it is given to question whether or not the period can truly be called Golden. The 5th century and the Athenian Empire gave birth to an amazing amount of accomplishments. One such accomplishment was the minting of standard Athenian coins that were usedRead MoreDbq: Ancient Greek Contributions1467 Words   |  6 Pageson the Western Literate Society lasts to this day. As the Greeks expanded their empire, they spread their ideas to other countries, while also borrowing from other cultures. During this period of time, the Greeks made many significant and long-lasting contribution to our modern culture in Philosophy, Art, Democracy, Drama, Math, and Science. These givings of important ideas, inventions, and structures have had an extraordinary influence on the surrounding environment, society, and in the future. TheRead MorePlato, An Ancient Greek Philosopher1458 Words   |  6 Pagespeople in the Ancient Greek society. He was a free thinker and lived in a free city, Athens. He was taught by multiple teachers including Socrates who was frequently mentioned in his writings as the central character. Plato’s novel, The Republic, influenced the idea of government and shows his views on the world. Throughout his personal life, writings, and dialogues, Plato shows his value of knowledge and how each of his writings impacted the morals of people in the society. Plato was born in 427Read MoreComparing Classical Athens and Han China Essay1599 Words   |  7 PagesThe differences between Classical Athens and Han China were major and distinctive. The background information, government, values of the individual, and art of each society show how differently each empire developed. Within the background information of both Athens and Han China you can automatically notice evident differences between the two. The first document shows the maps of both empires side by side. The Han Empire is isolated and much bigger than Athenss city-state Attica, which is a mereRead MoreAncient Greek Culture2704 Words   |  11 Pages Let’s take you back, way back, back into time, back to Early Greece. There are a lot of things that set early Greece apart from all the other chapters in the book. First off, I am a musically inclined girl who has grown up around music all of my life. I guess that is one reason why I have chosen the field that I am studying right now. I feel that it was always interesting to learn about Ancient Greece and its culture in music and poems. Not only does it set music apart, but it also tells an interesting