Pericles Flashcards
- Plutarch believed that the study of virtuous deeds are worthy of reading, and that they inspire the reader to act virtuously in turn. What specific virtues does Plutarch say that Pericles shows through his life?
Moderation, uprightness, ability to endure the follies of his peoples and his colleagues in office.
- Which philosopher does Pericles admire and follow? According to Plutarch, what traits does Pericles develop from his study of philosophy?
Anaxagoras of Clazomenae; He develops dignity of spirit, nobility of utterance which was entirely free from vulgar, a firm and modulated voice, and a graceful arrangement of his dress which nothing could disturb while he was speaking
- What does Pericles think about superstition?
He thinks it is an ignorant wonder at the common phenomena of the heavens; affects those who know nothing of the causes of such things, who fear the gods to the point of madness and are easily confused through their lack of experience
- When the time comes for Pericles to enter political life, with what party does he ally himself: that of the common people, or the aristocratic one? Why?
The common people; He was afraid of being suspected of aiming at a dictatorship; when he saw Cimon’s sympathies were with the nobles and that he was the idol of the aristocratic party, he began to ingratiate himself with the people for self-preservation and partly by way of securing power against his rival
- How does Thucydides categorize Pericles’ administration, according to Plutarch?
He categorizes it as being distinctly aristocratic – ‘democracy in name, but in practice government by the first citizen’.
- How do the aristocrats feel about Pericles’ growing power? What does Pericles do to win the people’s favor even more?
They feel that Pericles’ power made them become more extravagant and undiscipline, he also had more control over them. Pg. 174; He focuses on the distribution of the public wealth.
- When the people and Pericles’ enemies protest that he is spending too much money on the building projects, what does he offer to do? How do the people respond?
He offers to let the cost of the buildings be charged to his own account, and he will dedicate all the building in his name; they raised an uproar and told him to draw freely on the public funds and spare no expense in his outlay.
- What does Pericles do to the rival party? Name three things Plutarch brings under his control.
He ventured to put matters to the test of an ostracism, and the result was that he secured his rival’s banishment and the dissolution of the party which had been organized against him. He merged it with his own, and the city presented a single and unbroken front; matters of tribute, the islands, and maritime affairs
- How does Pericles change to the Athenians in his leadership style?
He abandoned the somewhat nerveless and indulgent leadership he had shown on occasion, and used his authority honestly and unswervingly in the interests of the city. He was usually able to carry the people with him by rational argument and persuasion.
- What are Pericles’ primary objectives, with regard to Athens and her power?
To have a prosperous and beautiful city with citizens who have ambitions, to have a strong navy and army. He constantly strove to devote Athens’ main strength to guarding and consolidating what she had already won. Pg. 187-188
- When the plague hits Athens, how do the people treat Pericles?
They raved against Pericles and tried to ruin him. They were urged on by his personal enemies, who convinced them that the plague was caused by the herding together of the country folk into the city
- Why, in Plutarch’s opinion, can Pericles be worthily called “Olympian”?
Plutarch describes Pericles as a character so gracious and had a life so pure and uncorrupt in the exercise of sovereign power he might as well be called Olympian.
