Description

What does the "Funeral Oration" of Pericles tell us about the nature of the Athenian state, as the Athenians themselves saw it? What seems to be the attitude about Sparta, the main rival of Athens? Keeping in mind that this is Thucydides' version and not the actual text of the speech that Pericles gave, what do you think Thucydides is trying to tell us about his own city (Athens) and about the man who led it in into war (Pericles)?