Pericles Funeral Oration (Thu II.35)
Bernardo CDA Vasconcelos / Thucydides
- Created on 2018-09-11 02:59:57
- Modified on 2021-01-26 19:17:16
- Translated by Mário da Gamma Kury & Jeremy Mynott
- Aligned by Bernardo CDA Vasconcelos
Português
Ἑλληνική
English
" Muitos dos que me precederam neste lugar fizeram elogios ao legislador que acrescentou um discurso à cerimônia usual nestas circunstâncias , considerando justo celebrar também com palavras os mortos na guerra em seus funerais . A mim , todavia , ter-me-ia parecido suficiente , tratando-se de homens que se mostraram valorosos em atos , manifestar apenas com atos as honras que lhes prestamos - honras como as que hoje presenciastes nesta cerimônia fúnebre oficial - em vez de deixar o reconhecimento do valor de tantos homens na dependência do maior ou menor talento oratório de um só homem . É realmente difícil falar com propriedade numa ocasião em que não é possível aquilatar a credibilidade das palavras do orador . O ouvinte bem informado e disposto favoravelmente pensará talvez que não foi feita a devida justiça em face de seus próprios desejos e de seu conhecimento dos fatos , enquanto outro menos informado , ouvindo falar de um feito além de sua própria capacidade , será levado pela inveja a pensar em algum exagero . De fato , elogios a outras pessoas são toleráveis somente até onde cada um se julga capaz de realizar qualquer dos atos cuja menção está ouvindo ; quando vão além disto , provocam a inveja , e com ela a incredulidade . Seja como for , já que nossos antepassados julgaram boa esta prática também devo obedecer à lei , e farei o possível para corresponder à expectativa e às opiniões de cada um de vós .
" ’Οἱ μὲν πολλοὶ τῶν ἐνθάδε ἤδη εἰρηκότων ἐπαινοῦσι τὸν
προσθέντα τῷ νόμῳ τὸν λόγον τόνδε , ὡς καλὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐκ
τῶν πολέμων θαπτομένοις ἀγορεύεσθαι αὐτόν . ἐμοὶ δὲ
ἀρκοῦν ἂν ἐδόκει εἶναι ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργῳ γενομένων 2 . 35 . 1 . 5
ἔργῳ καὶ δηλοῦσθαι τὰς τιμάς , οἷα καὶ νῦν περὶ τὸν τάφον
τόνδε δημοσίᾳ παρασκευασθέντα ὁρᾶτε , καὶ μὴ ἐν ἑνὶ ἀνδρὶ
πολλῶν ἀρετὰς κινδυνεύεσθαι εὖ τε καὶ χεῖρον εἰπόντι 2 . 35 . 2 . 1
πιστευθῆναι . χαλεπὸν γὰρ τὸ μετρίως εἰπεῖν ἐν ᾧ μόλις καὶ
ἡ δόκησις τῆς ἀληθείας βεβαιοῦται . ὅ τε γὰρ ξυνειδὼς καὶ
εὔνους ἀκροατὴς τάχ ' ἄν τι ἐνδεεστέρως πρὸς ἃ βούλεταί τε
καὶ ἐπίσταται νομίσειε δηλοῦσθαι , ὅ τε ἄπειρος ἔστιν ἃ καὶ 2 . 35 . 2 . 5
πλεονάζεσθαι , διὰ φθόνον , εἴ τι ὑπὲρ τὴν αὑτοῦ φύσιν ἀκούοι .
μέχρι γὰρ τοῦδε ἀνεκτοὶ οἱ ἔπαινοί εἰσι περὶ ἑτέρων
λεγόμενοι , ἐς ὅσον ἂν καὶ αὐτὸς ἕκαστος οἴηται ἱκανὸς εἶναι
δρᾶσαί τι ὧν ἤκουσεν · τῷ δὲ ὑπερβάλλοντι αὐτῶν φθονοῦντες 2 . 35 . 3 . 1
ἤδη καὶ ἀπιστοῦσιν . ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῖς πάλαι οὕτως ἐδοκιμάσθη
ταῦτα καλῶς ἔχειν , χρὴ καὶ ἐμὲ ἑπόμενον τῷ νόμῳ πειρᾶσθαι
ὑμῶν τῆς ἑκάστου βουλήσεώς τε καὶ δόξης τυχεῖν ὡς ἐπὶ
πλεῖστον . 2 . 36 . 1 . 1
"
προσθέντα τῷ νόμῳ τὸν λόγον τόνδε , ὡς καλὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐκ
τῶν πολέμων θαπτομένοις ἀγορεύεσθαι αὐτόν . ἐμοὶ δὲ
ἀρκοῦν ἂν ἐδόκει εἶναι ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργῳ γενομένων 2 . 35 . 1 . 5
ἔργῳ καὶ δηλοῦσθαι τὰς τιμάς , οἷα καὶ νῦν περὶ τὸν τάφον
τόνδε δημοσίᾳ παρασκευασθέντα ὁρᾶτε , καὶ μὴ ἐν ἑνὶ ἀνδρὶ
πολλῶν ἀρετὰς κινδυνεύεσθαι εὖ τε καὶ χεῖρον εἰπόντι 2 . 35 . 2 . 1
πιστευθῆναι . χαλεπὸν γὰρ τὸ μετρίως εἰπεῖν ἐν ᾧ μόλις καὶ
ἡ δόκησις τῆς ἀληθείας βεβαιοῦται . ὅ τε γὰρ ξυνειδὼς καὶ
εὔνους ἀκροατὴς τάχ ' ἄν τι ἐνδεεστέρως πρὸς ἃ βούλεταί τε
καὶ ἐπίσταται νομίσειε δηλοῦσθαι , ὅ τε ἄπειρος ἔστιν ἃ καὶ 2 . 35 . 2 . 5
πλεονάζεσθαι , διὰ φθόνον , εἴ τι ὑπὲρ τὴν αὑτοῦ φύσιν ἀκούοι .
μέχρι γὰρ τοῦδε ἀνεκτοὶ οἱ ἔπαινοί εἰσι περὶ ἑτέρων
λεγόμενοι , ἐς ὅσον ἂν καὶ αὐτὸς ἕκαστος οἴηται ἱκανὸς εἶναι
δρᾶσαί τι ὧν ἤκουσεν · τῷ δὲ ὑπερβάλλοντι αὐτῶν φθονοῦντες 2 . 35 . 3 . 1
ἤδη καὶ ἀπιστοῦσιν . ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῖς πάλαι οὕτως ἐδοκιμάσθη
ταῦτα καλῶς ἔχειν , χρὴ καὶ ἐμὲ ἑπόμενον τῷ νόμῳ πειρᾶσθαι
ὑμῶν τῆς ἑκάστου βουλήσεώς τε καὶ δόξης τυχεῖν ὡς ἐπὶ
πλεῖστον . 2 . 36 . 1 . 1
"
‘Most of those who havespoken on this occasion in thepast have praised the man who added this speech to the traditional ceremony , regarding it a fitting public tribute at the burial of our war dead . To me , however , it would seem sufficient that when men have proved their worth in action we should also honour them with action – as indeed you see us do today in the provision of this state funeral . Otherwise we risk the good name of many on the persuasive powers of one man , who may speak well or badly . It is difficult for a speaker to strike the right balance when there is not even any firm agreement between different perceptions of the truth . The listener who is close to these events and a friend of the dead may perhaps think that the presentation falls short of what he wants to hear and knows to be the case , while a stranger to the situation may suspect some exaggeration , envious if he hears of feats beyond his own abilities . After all , we can only bear to hear words of praise for others as long as we can each imagine ourselves capable of doing something similar ; anything beyond this prompts resentment , and then actual disbelief . However , since our forebears deemed this the right and proper practice , I too must follow the tradition and try to meet your different wishes and expectations as best I can .