Sing to me of the Man, Oh Muse…(I)

man reading on greek beach, greece, greek islands

Man reading Stendhal.

Pericles.

Every father’s favorite son.

Every historian’s favorite leader.

My secret ancient crush.

The man responsible for bringing radical democracy to Athens was born into aristocracy, but became leader of the people’s party. He made sure that every Athenian citizen had not only the right to vote, but also a voice in government, access to office, and equality before the law. This was radical indeed when one considers that Pericles ruled over 2500 years ago, when most of the world’s people were living under the rule of tyrants who relied on the supernatural and the threat of death to keep their populations under control. Even today there are countries that do not grant all their citizens the right to vote, and where the supernatural determines rule of law.

Pericles was the first politician to recognize the importance of a strong middle-class and he enacted legislation that granted the lower classes access to the political systems. He saw the middle-class as an untapped source of Athenian power, and a crucial part of Athens’ military dominance.

Pericles also started an imperial building program, focused on the Acropolis and the Agora. He made the case that Athens should look like the imperial power that she was. During his reign the Parthenon was built. He wanted the city to inspire the love of her citizens and the admiration of everyone who would ever set eyes upon her. And he succeeded.

Try to imagine, if you can, a modern politician suggesting such a thing.

As if all that weren’t enough, Pericles was also a patron of the arts and passed a decree in which the state covered the expenses of any family in Attika that wished to watch a theatrical play in Athens. This included their travel expenses as well as room and board.

Pericles was also the first politician to place an importance on philosophy in political discourse. He was educated by the sophist Daman, who taught him politics, by Zeno the Eleatic who taught him rhetoric and argumentation, and by Anaxagoras who taught him nobility of purpose and character. Anaxagoras was the first philosopher to attribute the order of the world to intelligence, rather than chance or necessity, and to explain power as the affinity of similar things. Pericles is believed to have been greatly influenced by Anaxagoras in his steadfast calmness, dignified manner, and rhetorical eloquence. Nothing could shake his majestic composure.

One day, Pericles was in the marketplace of Athens conducting business, and all day long a noisy and troublesome pest followed him around, shouting insults and accusations at him. The pest even followed him home. Throughout the ordeal, Pericles maintained his composure. It was dark by the time Pericles arrived home, so he gave orders for one of his servants to take a torch and guide the critic safely back to wherever he lived.

Pericles godlike dignity and demeanor earned him the nickname “The Olympian”, and his rhetoric was legendary. It’s difficult to imagine a time when eloquence in speech was so highly regarded, so I’ll let Pericles speak for himself:

“For men can endure to hear others praised only so long as they can persuade themselves of their own ability to equal or surpass the actions recounted. When this point is passed, envy comes in and with it incredulity.”

“There is no shame for a man to admit his poverty, but only disgrace in not fleeing it.”

“Our form of government does not enter into rivalry with the institutions of others. Our government does not copy our neighbors’, but is an example to them. It is true that we are called a democracy, for the administration is in the hands of the many and not the few. But while there exists equal justice to all, and alike in their private disputes, the claim of excellence is also recognized; and when a citizen is in any way distinguished, he is recommended for public service, not as a matter of privilege, but as the reward of merit. Neither is poverty an obstacle, but a man may benefit his country whatever the obscurity of his condition. There is no exclusiveness in our public life, and in our private business we are not suspicious of one another, nor angry with our neighbor if he does what he likes; we do not cast sour looks at him which, though harmeless, are not pleasant. While we are thus constrained in our private business, a spirit of reverence pervades our public acts; we are prevented from doing wrong by respect for the authorities and for the laws, having a particular regard for those which are ordained for the protection of the injured, as well as those unwritten laws which bring upon the transgressor the reprobation of general sentiment.”