The Funeral Oration of Pericles
伯裏克利 / Pericles
伯裏克利(公元前495—公元前429),古雅典最偉大的政治家,貴族出身,卻是民主派領袖,實行奴隸主民主政治。當政期間完成了奴隸主民主憲法,發展工商業,獎勵文化,大興土木。從公元前443年到公元前429年,他任將軍委員會的首席將軍,成為雅典的最高統治者。在他任職期間,雅典文化和國勢都發展到巔峰狀態。
Practicing for Better Learning
Read the following article carefully, and answer the questions below.
1. What makes the Athenian happy and satisfied?
2. What does “the double advantage”refer to in the last paragraph?
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Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighboring states; we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves. Its administration favors the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy. If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences; if to social standing, advancement in public life falls to reputation for capacity, class considerations not being allowed to interfere with merit; nor again does poverty bar the way; if a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition. The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life. There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance over each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbor for doing what he likes, or even to indulge in those injurious looks which cannot fail to be offensive, although they inflict no positive penalty. But all this ease in our private relations does not make us lawless as citizens. Against this fear is our chief safeguard teaching us to obey the magistrates and the laws particularly such as regards the protection of the injured, whether they are actually on the statute book, or belong to that code which, although unwritten, yet cannot be broken without acknowledged disgrace.