University of Arkansas Fall, 2001; CLST 1003 Introduction to Classical Studies: Greece D. Levine

Study Questions: Thucydides' History Books 2-3 (Woodruff)

1. What does Pericles say that present -day Athenians owe to their ancestors? their fathers? (39-40)

2. What does Pericles say is unique about the Athenian constitution? (40)

3. 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? (40-41)

4. What does Pericles say that the Athenians fear? Why is this a good fear? (41)

5. How does Pericles say that the Athenians get 'recreation from labor'? (41)

6. 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? (41)

7. What does Pericles say that the Athenian attitude is towards wealth, poverty, and discussion of public affairs? (42)

8. What benefit does Pericles say that the Athenians get from their generosity? (43)

10. Why does Pericles mention Homer in his eulogy? (43)

11. After Pericles tells his fellow citizens to become "lovers of Athens", what else does he encourage them all to do? ( 44-45)

12. How does Pericles' remark at the beginning of section 44 (p.45) reflect the words of the Athenian Solon to Croesus in Herodotus book I? (p. 13-14)

13. How does Pericles' remark about love of honor (p. 45) reflect the Greek/Persian conversation about the Olympic Games in Herodotus (pp. 207-208)?

14. What advice does Pericles have for Athenian women? (46)

15. How will the Athenian state treat the children of those who died in the war? (46)

16. What does Woodruff say about the context of Thucydides' description of the plague at Athens? In other words, why is its location in his History a statement in itself? (46)

17. What kinds of normally useful things were found to be ineffective against the plague? (47)

18. Why does Thucydides say that he chooses to describe the plague in such detail? Why should we take his account as accurate? (47)

20. Where else did the plague hit the Mediterranean world? (47)

21. What were two of the greatest miseries of the plague? (48-49)

22. What does Thucydides say was an aggravation of the existing calamity? (49)

23. How did the plague affect burial rites at Athens? (49)

24. According to Thucydides, how did the plague affect Athenians' attitude towards morals and worshipping the gods? (49-50)

25. What is Thucydides' observation about Athenian interpretation of oracles? (50)

26. What was the Spartan reaction to the plague in Athens? (51)

27. Name two things that Pericles says to dissuade the dejected Athenians from coming to terms with the Spartans during the plague. (52-56)

28. What characteristic of Athenian democracy does Thucydides comment on in a derogatory way when he discusses the actions of the people towards Pericles? (56)

30 How did the Athenians -- according to Thucydides -- bring harm to their state after the death of Pericles? (57)

31, How does Thucydides explain Pericles' success as leader of Athens? (57)

32. Briefly describe the negotiations between the Spartans and Plataeans before the siege of Plataea, being sure to include reference to the Persian War. (62-63)

33. Briefly describe tactics of the siege of Plaetaea. (64-66)

34. What had Cleon's position been during the original discussion about the revolt of Mytilene? What did Thucydides think of him? (67)

35. Give two main points of the Athenian Cleon against sparing the men of Mytilene from death. (67-71)

36. What does the Athenian Cleon think of pity, delight in speeches, and a sense of fairness -- in relation to the debate about Mytilene? (70)

37. What does the Athenian Diodotus say about anger and haste -- in relation to the debate about Mytilene? (71)

38. The Athenian Diodotus says that the Athenians do not need to determine 'justice' in the case of Mytilene, but rather should consider something else as more important than that in their reaction to the rebellion. What is that consideration? (72)

40. What does the Athenian Diodotus say about pity and a sense of fairness -- in relation to the debate about Mytilene? (74-75)

41. Whose advice do the Athenians follow in the Mytilenaean debate, and how do they punish the Mytilenaeans for their rebellion? (75)

42. What question did the Spartans ask of the Plataeans whom they had besieged for so long? What do the Thebans urge the Spartans to do? What do the Spartans do to the Plataeans who surrendered to them? (76-87)

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