And the world listened; Pericles: Funeral address

No other city goes up to a great job I never have any dream great. It would be obvious symbols of our supremacy which posterity as all mankind today will be astonished. And if I have tragic the glories of the city it was the men and they are my. Mate after a. Great. Barrack Lee spoke and the world listened. And though we're listening to the first of the new series DeMatteis Ingrid

Horatius the man and the time that created them. These programs are produced by radio station WAGA of the University of Wisconsin under a grant from the Educational Television and Radio Center in cooperation with the National Association of educational broadcasters consultant for the series Big W. Habermann chairman of the department of speech at the University of Wisconsin. Here is Professor Habermann. This program on character lays a great statesman of Athens is the first in a series that dramatizes famous orations of Western civilization some of these orations have called mankind to action. Some have formulated into words the inarticulate feelings of a struggling humanity. Some have praised the ideals of a nation a people and an age. These orations are a part of the times when they were delivered yet they have something to say to us today. Take for example this first speech in our series.

It is the funeral oration by apparently its subject matter is a timeless one. What is the kind of life that is worth dying for. Its date is 430 B.C. its speaker was apparently as the leading citizen of Athens a kind of Prime Minister. Apparently it was about 15 years old in 479 B.C. when the Persians retreating in defeat left Athens in ruins. Fifty years later when he died he left Athens at the height of her beauty and her glory yet facing military defeat by the armies of Sparta. Whether Paraguay's could have averted war with Sparta we cannot settle here. But he was sure that he knew how to fight it. He would wage a defensive war on land and an Office of War on the sea. So he manned the ships and attacked the allies of Sparta on the sea coasts. He called in the

farmers from the fields in the plains around Athens. These people gave up their harvests and their homes to the marauding invaders. They came into the city which was ill prepared to take them. Homeless and unhappy. True the poor and homeless kid he that is how the performance trick and say God pity. Oh that we love the whole thing the whole love the Stones of my father and my father's father the gods of hoss and feed us oh oh oh oh that. Damn these come to this house what is it mother. Mother what's the matter mom what's wrong oh you got this my son my darling babe send him not to death true but I'm all right mother. I was sleeping there

inside the cave I'm not dead I'm not even all that we should never have left all was well the harvest almost ripe even your father said it was the best look my feet are wet and your skirt. Why is all this water here here are the pieces of the jar you will cut your feet think I already did O thou do meet a goddess of life birth and wedlock. Will I bring the offering of the fruit of thy fields and of poppy flowers of the earth home spare this child in all of this house. O O divine mother take from us the evil saw and move. Where did you get it. Let me see you don't touch it. Oh oh please let me see. White Feather Why you little fool think you your mother weeps only because the water spilled in the job broken. Think you I pray that you don't cut your great toe. Oh I must strike my own son my pretty babe to keep his fingers from the evil sun.

Look. Don't not touch. Only look like it. Where did you find it. I went to the well as dawn was breaking to get water for the bath. I brought the jar here I thought to pour it into the basin outside the door of the cave lest I make a noise and wake me from happy dreams. Same thing before my eyes from the neck of the jar came this feather. Why does a sail upon the water and it fell into the basin and I screamed and dropped the job thus waking B. Oh I leave sunrise that breaks upon this house my song to evil wake. It's a cranes Feather I think to say that so the crane is bred to our own Demeter the goddess of the farmlands had no enemy of ours. Nay to some evil birds some. Period of death within the city walls. I know the owl will tease the feather out of the towel too I will fly around in the morning mother. Oh it is is not

Athena goddess of this city. The spear throwing bridge and builder of ships. She of the Warriors helmet and shield goddess of war the secret to her and from how this feather came. Don't look so mother. What if Athena saw you now it is clear I think you know we'll lose this war because of the war good an honest farmers are dragged in from the hills from their fields and their families herded like sheep into the city walls. They send by father to their ships by will of us you know the ship builder by how will his son lives like a bat here in this cave. Now comes the owl to devour the bat. Two owls really eat that and the white feather upon the water. That is the sale the sale of thy father's ship. Poor babe. And down it goes in the water in cold cold water at the time of the sunrise. Both saw them father lost lost by will of Earth you know.

No no please she can't let him die. Give a kind of something for father's life and offering a peace to her with an offering. But. But what would she like. I cannot thing we could give her cook or not cook corneas fact she'd be off line fat offering for Athena and what would become of us my son with no milk or cheese. Would you make an offering of the only goat we have left. Who knows think you will stop soon enough without losing pro-coal on it look now. Bring her in the cave it's milking time and I'll show you milk while I think on this matter of the offering. But it must be a big one big enough for father and now what is to do what about this Miss Jo are broken into a hundred pieces to sweep on and I must keep this feather to show in the temple when I go with the offering. If I were above home with our flocks in the fig tree you have a bowl of good gifts too.

Mother mother mother she's she's gone mother. Look at the rope she's gone. Her corn ran away. Wad I call him called and she isn't anywhere. See how the ropes broken. Oh this full day I'll find your mother. Don't cry again. I'll find a shadowy thief. Look off locks on the hillside to come to the streets of Athens. My poor boy Demetrius Demetrius Boyd come here. Demetrius Gods see I am robbed of the goat and no the boy is going to. Sweep the rain probably not get the cans off.

It's great to see you the finest group I told you I was pinching my feelings. They're not as big as the ones at home. Oh it's a bone is it not a penny in his hand but he grabs like a monkey. Beyond that if you want to grow real juicy figs you have to do like my father carry water and wash them how to grow food say everyone in the market price to come get free advice listen to them as much each to grow. No it's it's just in the mountains we have always known I should have known it's a monkey from the mountains. You have never been to Athens me for a while. Now look around you. Mine never saw so many people so many suing those ravens. These pigs of mine know that great ships carry them over the seas and the king pays a fine price for them and overall they have a. Man with a fat belly. He's an oil much and his ships carry oil from the olive presses

for the queen of the Queen and the moon man the one with a gold ring in his ear. You know what he meant steal boys and slaves to the one eyed giants of the rainbow. Keep your figs. Yes because like I said our figs were bigger. She can't make legal. Oh dear oh oh oh little fish oh you're caught by the chair you know. Let me call not to be called a little fish can swim against the current. Here come come out of the way of traffic. Come on now mind your step. Don't don't don't don't don't so we forced labor. What's this. A runaway slave. I'm not I'm not I'm free born you can't sell me I don't want to sell your I'm a strong country you're nothing NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO Sit down sit down boy. Because I am and that's better. Where you from out there from the mountains. They made us come

in. The Eagles Young taken from the nest and caged in the city but you know you are an Athenian. Where is your father. We made him go down to the ships for the war. And my mother and I have to stay in a cave over that way past the big round place on the Hill. Or you know the name of the round place. No but I can show you it's its. Right out of the rock with lots of places to sit in this high stone Did you see a man there a man with a with a great long head like Zeus himself hurling Thunderbolts with his tongue and making thunder and lightning all around no. What if you don't believe me about the claim can I show you. We can go around the place with the seats if you're scared. Or are you or are you waiting for. Oh I think I did wrong. Yes you must come out of the cave by young eagle hunting in the streets with the eyes of an eagle in the heart of an eagle.

I didn't come out of the cave Corners last night started looking but the marketplace is full of goats. I think the woman with the figs told me live I shall tell the truth. The hill with the seats and the great rocks is called minks citizens of Athens meet there in assembly. The seats are for them to sit down while they talk and listen. The hierarch facing them is for the speaker. He stands up you see there is a man with a long head but he is not Zeus. He's a wise man called Parrot cliches and the citizens like what he says so much they have made him their leader and now he leads us into war. You mean Athena didn't do it. She has never appeared in the assembly and nobody votes for her they worship her in the temples. Nobody worships barrack leaves but they almost always vote for him in the assembly. Does does it hurt to vote. Do they do it was nine not with knives but sometimes it may be that for it it hurt you to leave your home. But it was wise to bring

you into the city. A wise man votes yes to a plan that will be good for all Athenians though it may hurt a few. A wise man votes no to a plan where his inner voice tells him it is evil and selfish and he never votes a tour until he has tried to find the truth. Are you a wise man. What do you think. I think you are. Could you find out about my father. Mother says his ship will go down in the cool cool water is that the truth. I do not know. Neither does your mother. The enemy has great armies. They will seize all the land outside the city walls. I think that is the truth. But apparently it has built great ships for Athens and free men like your father pulled together on the oars and they will strike the enemy at sea and save Africa. I think that is the truth.

Even if there is an old father in the water jar even if we all himself and his wife were there. But while you are waiting for your father to come back forget about Owens and goats and the life of the cave. Look. Listen. In the streets of the city. Then you will know the truth about your father and about you yourself. Promise I promise. Thank you my friend. Who knows perhaps we shall meet again. But where have you been foolish boy. Running out in the streets gone since sunrise is fine cook corn don't I think I will too right after lunch. But if you ever heard of a man the pair of Eric Lee Oh never mind mother give me some bread and cheese. I kid you she is stolen three days you've looked at me out of my mind

waiting for you. Tomorrow you will stay here with me in the cave to morrow I have to go down the long walls to the see Berkeley's walls and a sailor man taught me told me about many goats big flocks of goats going into the ships in the harbor. Maybe corn is one of these. Besides I want to see the walls and find out about ships and sailors. You can nothing for me or what's to become of us now to go to surely go on forever and you always go on to you boy goat. Methinks I see the horns sprouting on your A worker am I mother. I thought to surprise you with the money we're building things. Well to you you build the Cuckoo's Nest. Oh hear him you God. Now he lies to me I have to know why mother the rope maker in the shipyard. He took me to the builder and the builder said it is the way of pure CLI's that none should

starve your hands be idle. The city has need of all Athenians and the city pays. Even a boy. What was it kept you this day. Oh mother if you would come with me. If only you would come out of the key. You would never tell me you are ashamed to tell your mother these things. All these weeks these months you grow into a stranger not a stranger. I am a citizen like everyone else. You are the strange one because you will not go out in the city. I think you have a sickness mother. Yes a sickness for home for my husband to be. Today I went to the theatre. No work is it. Only I don't miss. Where is money in that I have cost me nothing directly says even the poor must see the theatre. And there was flute

song and dancing. And then great men speaking men like gods. There was a king and he did a wrong and to make it right he tore out his eyes and went away. Woe is the fate of men in this world and unhappy the women they leave behind. I know it is the bad war knows. I know mother. But we must all live bravely and some day you will be proud. What do you think. To morrow at the first light I go with the oxen in the way going up the Acropolis. All the great white temples. My master has business at the Parthenon itself. You're born. With a 4.

Look at the city. She is still sleeping. And does a fair sun rising take the winter chill out in the kindest. Way. She stands keeping watch. Ta. Ta like the mountains as bright as the sun. Did you know they can see her from the ships and see. The sailors see the gleam of her helmet and spear. And they know they've come safely home. My father he will see her land. The colder the wind you know warmer quote than this. No sir. You have no schooling. You cannot read. Well. Now if you could read. There's news coming. A message from the Warriors. And they've named the names of the ships that went down. And the men of Athens with them. My father will be the day of the great morning. The bones of the dead brought back for public burial.

And one empty bed with a winding sheet for those whose bodies cannot be flown. You and your mother must be there lad. All the city Willamette. And the great Pyrrhic leaves himself will speak for the dead. For my father by Fatherland. He will speak for all fathers and sons of Ethel's Pyrrhic least. For us. We are too late already the speeches begun I cannot hear so many people like you cannot get closer. Look there are the Grays on that high platform. The pair of speakers I wish to set forth the spirit in which we have fought

and the ways by which we rose to greatness. Our Constitution is named a democracy because it is in the hands not of the few What of the many. Our goal to secure equal justice for all in their private disputes and all public opinion welcomes and honors talent in every branch of achievement. We carry the same spirit into our daily relations with one another. Open and friendly in our private intercourse in our public acts we keep strictly within the control of law. We are obedient more especially to those laws which are protection to the oppressed. Yes ours is no workaday city only no other provides so many recreations for the spirit. Again sin sacrifices of the year and beauty in all public buildings to cheer the heart and delight the eye.

Day by day our military training is different from our opponents. For our trustees not in the devices of material equipment but in our own good spirit spoke back. The enemy toils from boyhood in the Boreas pursuit after Korea. Why are we free to live and wander as we please. March out nonetheless to face the same dangers we choose to face danger with an easy mind rather than after a rigorous training and to trust forever in the mental illness than in state made Kurdish. We are lovers of beauty without extravagance and lovers of wisdom without manliness. Well to us it is but an opportunity for achievement and poverty we think is no disgrace but a real degradation to make no effort to overcome. Citizens attend both to public and private duties and do not let their own

affairs interfere with their knowledge of the city. We regard the man who holds aloof from public life not as quiet but as useless. You know what I claim that our city as a whole is an education to Greece and we you want to not man by man for independence of spirit. Many sidedness of attainment and complete reliance in lives and bravery. Such is the city spacious look. These men whom we celebrate died a soldier's death. I wish to show that we have more at stake than men who have no such inheritance and to support my praise of the deed by making clear to you what they have got. Such an end as we have here seems indeed to show us what a good life

means waste of either of us may pray to be spared their bitter but disdain to meet the whole with a spirit less triumphant. Let us draw strength not merely from how noble a thing it is to show courage in battle but from the busy spectacle of our great cities like as we have been before a spade by day falling in love with her as we see her and remembering that wholeness greatness she owns too many with the fighters daring the wise men's understanding of his duty and the good man's self-discipline in his performance so they gave their bodies to the Commonwealth and received each for his own memory pranged that will never die. And with it the grandest of them supple Curtis home in the minds of men.

It is not easy to give you comfort. I know how often in the joy of others you will have reminded us of what was once your home and how many sorrow not for the loss of what they have never tasted but with something that has grown dear to them has been snatched away. But you must people brave heart in the hope of other children. The new comers will help you to forget the gap in your own circle and it will help the city to fill up the ranks of its workers and its soldiers who are past the age of vigor. I would say count the long years of happiness. So much gain to set off against the brief that yet remains and let your burden be lightened by the glory of the day. For the love of not only is not stated by age and it is spy on our not as some say by code

that the helpless end of life. I have spoken with such words as I had to say according as the law proscribes and the graveside offerings to the dead have been duly made and forward the city will take charge of their children to manhood such as the crown and benefit she holds out to the dead to their kid for the trial of those they have undergone for the price is highest. They had two of the best citizens to contend for and know when you have finished your lie mentation. Let each of you depart. To. Work. To get

here again is Professor Habermann. They departed for their homes to wait for the return of invading armies. In the next year apparently has died after an attack of the plague. Those who succeeded to power in Athens spoke harshly off him but through his wisdom his statecraft and his words such as those in the funeral oration he made the people of his day believe what we would like to believe today that noble aspiration should be the ordinary way of life. And the world listened. The first in a series of radio programs

on great orations the men and the aids that created them. These programs are produced by Radio Station W.H. of the University of Wisconsin under a grant from the Educational Television and Radio Center Frederick W. Habermann chairman of the department of speech at the University of Wisconsin is the consultant production by Karl Schmidt. Music by Don vaguely. The series is written by Jay Helen Stanley heard in the cast were Ray Stanley Gloria link Clara Prothero Ruth Wallerstein and can host these programs are distributed by the National Association of educational broadcasters. This is the NEA E.B. Radio Network.