Plato and Pericles: Sources from Ancient Greece

This post discusses two sources from Ancient Greece, Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" from The Republic and Pericles's Funeral Oration from during the Peloponnesian War.

“The Allegory of the Cave” is an excerpt from The Republic, an ancient Greek work by the famous philosopher Plato. The “Allegory of the Cave” is a discussion between two philosophers about an imagined group of prisoners, who since their childhood have been chained in a dark cave. The prisoners sit with their backs pressed against a wall, unable to move their heads or look around. Every day, a group of people walk behind the prisoners, carrying objects and statues illuminated by a fire that casts shadows on the wall in front of the prisoner’s field of vision. Since the prisoners don’t know better, the shadows on the wall are their true reality. The prisoners are eventually freed, but instead of leaving the cave to find light, most of them are content to stay in the darkness and shadows because the light hurts their eyes and disturbs their reality. However, one of the men goes to the surface despite the discomfort, and he eventually gets used to the sun and accepts that the shadows are not the true reality. He then decides to go back to the cave to share the truth with the other prisoners.

(Photo Credits: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/827395762822224174/)

In my opinion, I think that this allegory is about the search for truth and the struggle between perceived and true reality. It’s easy to just believe everything we see on a surface level and to trust in what is tangible. We are often prisoners to institutionalized thinking in our own minds without even realizing it, content to live in a false reality because we are too afraid to see the true light. There is definitely more to life and a greater reality out there, something that is intangible. As a Christian, I believe that God and eternal life in Heaven is that greater reality that many people spend their whole lives searching for. Salvation is the true light that all men either seek to find or choose to live in their own darkness and false reality. Once a Christian becomes saved, just like the man who found the sun, our job isn’t to stay on the surface but to go back to the “cave” and share that truth with others. I believe that is why God has us on this earth, to share the news of salvation with the lost. If you have made the incredible discovery of truth, how can you keep that to yourself and not share it with others?

Pericles' Funeral Oration was the speech given at a public funeral ceremony after the first battles of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta in 431 B.C. The speech was actually written by Thucydides, and given by Pericles, an influential Greek politician and general who was influential in shaping Athen’s democracy. Democracy was unique at that point in history and Athens saw themselves as remarkable to everyone else. In his speech, Pericles speaks of all of Athen’s ideals and values and highlights the important factors of their democracy.

(Photo Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/91479436160903918/)

1. Their democracy favored the many instead of the few.

2. Having a democracy allowed men to advance by working hard, rather than obtaining their status by wealth or family inheritance.

3. The Athenian citizens could live freely, but they weren’t lawless.

4. Their democracy valued equal opportunity for all, whether they were an ordinary citizen or upper class.

5. Athens had open borders and harbors, allowing anyone into their cities to learn, trade, observe, etc.

6. The Athenians were able to enjoy entertainment without being extravagant.

7. The Athenians didn’t spend their lives training for the military, but they were by no means weak.

8. Their democracy valued education and virtue over military strength.

9. Athens trusted more in the spirit and pride of their citizens than in system and policy.

10. Athens didn't have to rely on their allies to support them in war.

11. The Athenians used their wealth for more than show.

12. Athens didn’t copy the laws of other states but rather set a pattern for others to follow.

Works Cited

Plato. "The Allegory of the Cave." Plato's Republic, 375 BCE.

Thucydides. "Pericles's Funeral Oration." Fordham University, sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/pericles-funeralspeech.asp.