“We are called a democracy, for the administration is in the hands of the many and not the few. . . .In the matter of education, whereas they [the Spartans] from early youth are always undergoing laborious exercises. . .to make them brave, we [Athenians] live at ease, and yet are equally ready to face the perils which they face. . . . An Athenian citizen does not neglect the state. . . .We alone regard a man who takes no interest in public affairs, not as a harmless, but as a useless character. . . .To sum up, I say that Athens is the school of Hellas [Greece].”
Adapted from Pericles’s Speech in Behalf of Athenians Who Died in Battle Against Sparta in 432 B.C.
What was Pericles’s main point about the city-state and people of Athens in this speech?
A . were the best citizens, and others should follow their example
B . were less brave than the Spartans
C . needed to learn how to govern from the Spartans
D . lost the battle against Sparta because Athens was a democracy
E . had the right to execute people
Answer: A
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