Woodruff Thucydides, Books 2/3 Questions.
Due, Thursday, April 2, 2015
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0. What does Pericles say that present-day Athenians owe to their ancestors? To their fathers? 2.35-36
1. What does Pericles say is unique about the Athenian constitution? 2.36-37
2. What kind of attitude does Pericles say that the Athenians have about people who do their own thing? Why do you think that he considers this to be a strength of Athens? 2.37
3. What does Pericles say that the Athenians fear? Why is this a good fear? 2.37
4. How does Pericles say that the Athenians “give our minds recreation from labor?” 2.38
5. How does Pericles say that the Athenians differ from the Spartans in preparing for war? What can you think of as advantages of an open society and a relaxed way of life? 2.39
6. What does Pericles say that the Athenian attitude is towards wealth, poverty, and discussion of public affairs? 2.40
7. What benefit does Pericles say that the Athenians get from their generosity? 2.40
8. What about Athens makes it a “lesson for Greece”? 2. 41
9. Why does Pericles mention Homer in his eulogy? What does he imply about poets and poetry? 2.41
10. After Pericles tells his fellow citizens to become “lovers” of Athens, what else does he encourage them all to do? 2.43
11. What does Pericles say about the virtue of women? 2.45
12. According to Pericles’ speech, how will the Athenian state treat the children of those who died in the war? 2.46
13. What kinds of normally useful things (name three) were found to be ineffective against the plague? 2.47
14. What did the Athenians see as the origin of the plague? 2.48
15. Why does Thucydides say that he chooses to describe the plague in such detail? Why should we take his account as accurate? 2.48
16. What was “the greatest misery of all” during the plague? And what was “another misery”? 2.51
17. What does Thucydides say “aggravated” the existing calamity? (i.e. What made the plague worse than it might otherwise have been?) 2.52
18. How did the plague affect burial rites at Athens? 2.52
19. According to Thucydides, how did the plague affect Athenians’ attitude towards morals and worshipping the gods? 2.53
20. What is Thucydides’ observation about Athenian interpretation of oracles? 2.54
21. What was the Spartan reaction to the plague in Athens? How useful to Athens was this reaction? 2.57
22. How did Pericles dissuade the dejected Athenians from coming to terms with the Spartans during the plague? 2.59-64
23. What characteristic of Athenian democracy does Thucydides comment on in a derogatory way when he discusses the actions of the people towards Pericles? 2.65
24. How did the Athenians — according to Thucydides — bring harm to their state after the death of Pericles? 2.65
25. How does Thucydides say that Pericles contrasted with succeeding Athenian leaders? 2.65
26. How does Thucydides explain Pericles’ success as leader of Athens? 2.65
27. The Athenians successfully brought their siege of Potidaea to an end in 430/29 BCE. Why did the Potidaeans surrender? What kinds of terms did the Athenians make for the Potidaeans? Where is Potidaea? [Map of Greece after p. xxxv] 2.70
28. Briefly describe the tactics of Peloponnesian siege of Plataea (429 BCE). Be sure to mention the ramp, the tunnel, and wall construction. What did each side have in its favor? 2.75-78
29. What had Kleon’s position been during the original discussion about the revolt of Mytilene? What did Thucydides think of him? 3.37 and note 137
30. What is one argument that the Athenian Kleon used against sparing the men of Mytilene from death? 37-40
31. What does the Athenian Cleon think of pity, enjoyment of speeches, and a sense of fairness — in relation to the debate about Mytilene? 3.40
32. What does the Athenian Diodotus say about haste and anger — in relation to the debate about Mytilene? 3.42
33. The Athenian Diodotus says that the Athenians do not need to concentrate on “justice” in the case of Mytilene, but rather should consider something else as more important than those in their reaction to the rebellion. What is that other consideration? 3.44
34. What does Diodotus say about the Death Penalty, regarding the case of Mytilene and the Athenian empire? 3.45-46
35. What does the Athenian Diodotus say about pity and a sense of fairness — in relation to the debate about Mytilene? 3.48
36. What short (laconic) question did the Spartans ask of the Plataeans whom they had besieged for so long, and how do the Plataeans respond? 3.52-60
37. What arguments do the Plataeans use to convince the Peloponnesians to spare their lives? 3.52-60
38. What arguments against the Plataeans do the Thebans use to convince the Peloponnesians to treat them harshly? And how do the Thebans defend themselves against charges of medism? 3.60-67
39. What do the Spartans do to the Plataeans who surrendered to them, after the Thebans made their speech? Why did they do it? 3.68 How does this compare to the Athenian treatment of the besieged people of Potidaea (2.61)?
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