Page 10 - GALIET WE PERIKLES: Thyucidides IV

Galiet & Galiet
Theban force of rather over 300 men ... came at about the first watch of the night...” (2.2.1)
I, Perikles, appear before you, my loyal subjects, (before the opportunely tragic time of my death) to make an official funerary statement: the place of a citizen’s individual freedom within an ordered society. Obviously, a most difficult and perplexing fiction for, in our enlightened society, neither women nor slaves nor immigrants actually count. In fact, I shall be blunt. The rule is indeed not of the majority, but of the minority: of a population over 300,000 individuals, 43,000 are males of voting age of whom 6,000 seldomly assemble at meetings to vote1. The reality is that most of you are passive in the affairs of the state and neglect the great Athenian democratic ideal: first 3⁄4 devout loyalty to the state, last 3⁄4 personal liberty.
I realize that as a human being, I am subject to complexities, idiosyncrasies and tendencies to idealistic romantic (and most damaging) delusions of nobility, patriotism and grandeur 3⁄4 perhaps a weakness 3⁄4 since so used to giving speeches from the highest platform. I see the paradox of what I am about to say even within the perceived flawlessness and brilliance of my official speech. Yet, I shall still sell it and proclaim it (in valiant hope that I shall not be caught infragranti): “each single one of our citizens, in all the manifold aspects of life is able to show himself the rightful owner of his own person, and do this, moreover, with exceptional grace and exceptional versatility” (2.41.1). O Perikles, what autonomy! ... what freedom! ... what sense of liberty and independence!... and how propitiously juxtaposed closer to the end of the paragraph (for endings remain fresh and are always remembered). Say: Autonomy versus State: Anarchy versus Order. O Perikles, what sweet temptation to unprescribed chaos! And more!
1 Duiker, William and Spielvogel, Jackson. World History. Comprehensive Volume. 3rd Edition. UK: Wadsworth Thomson Learning. 2001. 99 – 100.
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