Pericles (c. 495 – 429 BC) was a prominent and influential statesman, orator, and general ofAthens during the city's Golden Age—specifically, the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars.
"Pericles promoted the arts and literature; this was a chief reason Athens holds the reputation of being the educational and cultural centre of theancient Greek world. He started an ambitious project that built most of the surviving structures on the Acropolis (including the Parthenon). This project beautified the city, exhibited its glory, and gave work to the people.[1] Furthermore, Pericles fostered Athenian democracy to such an extent that critics call him a populist"
From his Funeral Oration:
"Rather, the admiration of the present and succeeding ages will be ours, since we have not left our power without witness, but have shown it by mighty proofs; and far from needing a Homer for our panegyrist... we have forced every sea and land to be the highway of our daring, and everywhere, whether for evil or for good, have left imperishable monuments behind us"
"We throw open our city to the world, and never by alien acts exclude foreigners from any opportunity of learning or observing, although the eyes of an enemy may occasionally profit by our liberality"
"Therefore, having judged that to be happy means to be free, and to be free means to be brave, do not shy away from the risks of war"
c/o wiki
No comments:
Post a Comment