The Introduction to the selection from Thucydides in the course packet and the textbook will give you information and background on Thucydides and the historical context that led to the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta (431-404). You are reading these particular excerpts to get a sense of Thucydides' concerns as a historian, and of the depiction of Athens under the leadership of Pericles as well as of Athens' naval empire and the Athenians' attitude toward power. Your reading for this week is not large in ## of pages, but Thucydides is an author who packs a lot of meaning into a small amount of words. You will want to give this assignment as much time as the others!

1. From Book 1 (pp. 63-68)

Book 1 includes the chapters (section ## like in Herodotus) that are critical to our understanding of him as an historian. In the opening chapter, what does Thucydides set out to write about and why? Does he need to justify his subject? Does it sound anything like Herodotus' opening? Does Thucydides' purpose differ from Herodotus'?

Chapters 2-19 contain an examination of earlier "greatest events." Why does he insert this into a history of the Peloponnesian War? Think also about how Herodotus tells us he will write about the Persian Wars and then he begins with stories from the distant past. Is this in any way similar to what Thucydides is doing? Note how he uses Homer as historical evidence; what might you infer from this?

In chapters 20-23, Thucydides tells us a lot about his own thinking, about his approach to determining truth, about the problem of presenting accurate speeches and descriptions of events, about the utility of history, and about why he thinks the Peloponnesian War was so great, and what really explains its outbreak.

How concerned with accuracy is he?

Does he differ from Herodotus in his concern to present accurate speeches?

What does he think is the value of studying history?

Is Thucydides an optimist or a pessimist?

What are his measures of greatness in assessing the significance of his subject? On what basis does he dismiss the Persian Wars as "not great"?

What does he think caused the Peloponnesian War? Is there any indication that Thucydides believes in divine causation or fate as does Herodotus? Is he explaining things in religious terms or in thoroughly human terms?

2. Pericles' "Funeral Oration" (p. 69-71)

What do you think is the point of this speech? Pericles is supposed to be commemorating those who died in the war in the first year; how much commemorating of them does he do? Does he seem to have another agenda? Think about the following:

Does Pericles value the individual? Or just the individual who benefits his city?

What makes Athens great, in his view?

What is he saying about Athenian democracy? Is it qualified praise?

Does Pericles try to whitewash the nature of Athens' empire? Or does he come out and say that they rule over other Greeks?

What attitudes about poverty are expressed in this speech?

3. The Mytilenean Debate (pp. 72-76)

What is Thucydides trying to bring out about empire in this debate?

What are the respective positions of Cleon and Diodotus? Think about their respective emphases on justice (Cleon) and self-interest (Diodotus); who makes the better argument?

4. The Melian Dialogue (pp. 77-80)

In addition to the questions and issues addressed in the introduction to the Dialogue in the course packet, think about the following:

What are the Athenians saying about justice?

What is the relationship between justice and self-interest? Do the two clash, or coincide?

Are the Athenians honestly listening to the Melians? Or are both speaking at cross-purposes?

Why do the Athenians refuse to let the Melians be neutral? What's the problem?

Are the Melians foolish not to give in to the stronger Athenians? (Think about the Greek experience in the Persian Wars!)

Are the Athenians being harsh? Or, given the realities of the world, could you make the case that they are actually being lenient? (Note: one distinguished scholar has done just this.)

Is it clear with which position Thucydides would side? Does he want the reader at the end of this Dialogue to be comfortable and to have determined that one side is right and one side wrong?

 Updated Friday, 07-Oct-2005 11:00:37 CDT