The Role of Language for Thucydides and Sophocles

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Recommended: Pericles's speech at the funeral of a martyred soldier

In Thucydides' On Justice, Power and Human Nature and Sophocles' Oedipus plays, they use language and speeches to convey the same things. The political orders in these works use their speeches to form a sense of purpose, sway political views and to manipulate for their own personal self-interest.

In both of their works, Thucydides and Sophocles write of a speech that instills a sense of ambition. In On Justice, Power and Human Nature, Pericles uses the oration not only to respect the departed, but to instill in the Athenians national pride and a zest to fight. The speeches that were given at funerals would primarily talk about the ancestors of the deceased and the lives they led. Pericles acknowledges this custom and proceeds to remind Athens what they are fighting for. He claims that the Athenian government is more of "an example to others, then they are to [Athens]," (Thucydides, ii.37) and that not only is there freedom and generosity between the government and the citizens, but also between one another as well. Pericles continues his eulogy by praising Athens' recreational activities, her soldiers' courage and loyalty, and her citizens' restraint against extravagance in what is beautiful (Thucydides, ii.37-40). Pericles praises do not cease until he finishes with his remarks of Athens being an education for Greece. He wants the citizens to remember the soldiers but forget about the tragedy that had occurred. These Greeks "ran away from the word shame," and Pericles urges the rest of the Athenian public body to do the same as well. In summation, Pericles' purpose of his speech was to convince the people to not be afraid of dying in battle and choose the most honorable course of action by fighting boldly. In "Oedipus the King," Oedipus gives a speech

Also Thucydides and Sophocles incorporate speeches of a political order to demonstrate its power to sway the one's political view. During the debate at Athens in 415, two particular political leaders fought to sway the decision of the Sicilian expedition. It began with Nicias coming forward with the intention of changing the minds of the Athenians. He understood that the character of Athens was bold and daring, but he hoped that his logic would prevail (Thucydides, vi.9). He reminds the assembly that Athens had just recovered from the plague and war to allow the population and money to increase.

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