The Greatest Speech Ever Made?
It’s been Classics Enrichment Week and, after considering in last week’s assembly how prominent teaching the Classics was when schools like Brentwood were founded in the 16th Century, our focus on Monday was a speech from the ancient world that many have argued was one of the most powerful and influential speeches in human history.
It was made by Pericles, an eminent Athenian politician and general, around 430 BCE, and it took place at the end of the first year of the Peloponnesian War, the conflict that pitted the Athenian Empire against the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta. The speech was part of an annual public funeral ceremony for those who had died in the war, a custom that involved displaying the bodies of the dead for three days, followed by a procession and burial, where a prominent citizen would then deliver a speech in their honour.
Pericles’ speech departed from the usual form of Athenian funeral orations. Instead of simply dwelling on past military achievements, Pericles used his speech as a eulogy of Athens itself, praising its democratic values and highlighting its emphasis on equality of justice and opportunities for advancement based on merit. He also declared Athens, a city open to the world that valued open-mindedness, and that the sacrifices of the soldiers who had died to protect these freedoms demanded that those listening emulate their courage and patriotism in the future.
The speech is renowned for its rhetorical brilliance, employing several devices that have since become part of the oratorical lexicon. Pericles uses antithesis to contrast Athens with rivals like Sparta; anaphora, which means repetition of key phrases at the start of multiple sentences for emphasis; ethos to establish his credibility by presenting himself as a humble yet worthy speaker; and pathos to stir the emotions of pride and grief intended to strengthen the resolve of those listening.
Beyond its rhetorical brilliance and immediate impact of unifying the citizens of Athens, the speech became a reference point for democratic ideals. Its articulation of democracy, equality, and civic duty has influenced political thought for centuries, laying foundational concepts that continue to underpin modern democratic societies.
Extracts from Pericles’ Funeral Oration can be found on monuments around the world, and its influence can be seen on some of the most famous leaders in some of their most famous speeches. Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address shares similar themes – acknowledging predecessors, praising democracy, and exhorting survivors to redouble their efforts in support of a noble cause – and Winston Churchill’s speeches in 1940, when Britain faced Nazi Germany alone, spoke of the sacrifices required to defend democracy against Fascism and tyranny.
It is remarkable that a speech given in 430 BCE has endured for so long and influenced so many, both as a piece of oratory and a defense of democracy. At a time when democracy is perhaps less universally accepted as the best form of government than has been the case for a long time, I encouraged our students on Monday to read Pericles’ words (as recorded by Thucydides in his ‘History of the Peloponnesian War) and form their own opinion of his underlying message.
Have a great weekend
Best wishes
Michael Bond
