91 pages • 3 hours read
History of the Peloponnesian War
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Essay Topics
In his Introduction, Thucydides claims that his evidence is better “than that of the poets, who exaggerate the importance of their themes, or of the prose chroniclers, who are less interested in telling the truth than in catching the attention of their public, whose authorities cannot be checked, and whose subject-matter, owing to the passage of time, is mostly lost in the unreliable streams of mythology” (47). In what ways does Thucydides both rely on and subvert poetic traditions? Use at least three specific examples from the text in your discussion.
Is Thucydides trustworthy as a historian? Using specific examples from the text, explain why or why not.
Thucydides reproduces 141 speeches in his text but admits that he and his informants “found it difficult” to remember the exact words they heard spoken. His method is to keep “as closely as possible to the general sense of the words that were actually used, and to make the speakers say what, in [his] opinion, was called for by each situation” (47). Select one speech that seems most likely to have been creatively reconstructed for thematic purposes. Discuss the specific arguments in the speech to support your claim.
Thucydides believes that his “history will seem less easy to read because of the absence in it of a romantic element” (48). Do you agree or disagree that Thucydides avoids “romantic” elements in his writing (48)? Discuss, using specific examples from the text.
Thucydides praises Pericles’ leadership, saying, “it was under him that Athens was at her greatest” (163). Using specific examples from the text, compare and contrast Pericles’ leadership with that of one of his successors.
The Mytilenian and Melian dialogues take place eleven years apart. Compare and contrast the arguments presented in Diodotus’ defense of the innocent Mytilenians and the Athenians argument to the Melians. What is Thucydides suggesting about power and corruption?
Why does Thucydides repeatedly mention earthquakes, storms, and wind conditions? Using specific examples from the text, examine their significance to Thucydides’ themes.
In Book 7, Nicias insists on waiting for a soothsayer before deciding how to proceed with the Athenian retreat. His delays prove fatal for the expedition. Discuss what Thucydides suggests about the impact of oracles to determine outcomes. Draw on at least one other example from the text as evidence.
Thucydides served as an Athenian general until he was exiled for failing a mission. Do you agree or disagree that Thucydides betrays a pro-Athenian bias? Analyze specific examples from the text to support your argument.
In what ways is Thucydides’ approach to human history revolutionary, and in what ways does it reflect intellectual developments in 5th-century-BC Athens?
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By Thucydides
