In Book 1, Chapter 1 Thucydides (c. 460–00 BCE) introduces his History of the Peloponnesian War. He asserts that he bega... Read More In this chapter Thucydides turns to the years immediately preceding the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War in 431 BCE. Th...
On 7 June 415 BCE, various statues of the god Hermes were desecrated in Athens. The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) had been raging for decades as one of the biggest civil wars in Ancient Greece, and the Athenians prepared for the expedition to Sicily in 415 BCE.
The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) had been raging for decades as one of the biggest civil wars in Ancient Greece, and the Athenians prepared for the expedition to Sicily in 415 BCE. However, a few priests warned against it, and others spoke of disastrous omens.
The mutilation of Hermes’ face was a serious sacrilege and was very serious for the Sicilian expedition. Not only were there individual Athenians preparing to travel but they were also preparing to fight on an island they knew little about. The mutilation of the hermai was considered a sign of imminent danger during their journey.
Thucydides begins this chapter by emphasizing the Athenians' widespread ignorance of Sicily, thus distinctly foreshadowing the disaster that will befall them in Book 7, Chapter 23. Thucydides writes that most Athenians had no idea of Sicily's geographical extent or the size of its population. He describes the enthusiasm for the Sicilian expedition, however, in ominous terms redolent of hubris, or overweening pride: the people "conceived a renewed ambition to subjugate Sicily."
From the narrative structure it is clear Thucydides intended the material in Book 6, Chapter 18 through Book 7, Chapter 23 to constitute a set-piece of its own: an inset analogous to a story-within-a-story or a play-within-a-play. The introduction to Book 6, Chapter 18, for example, leaves no doubt that the Athenians have singled out a uniquely challenging goal that appeals to their ambition for expansion and conquest. The laconic conclusion to Book 7, Chapter 23 ("Such were the events in Sicily") memorably conveys both grief and regret. The structure and tone of the narrative have underpinned many analyses comparing Thucydides 's account of the Sicilian expedition to ancient Greek tragedy.
Thucydides (c. 460–after 404 BCE) is widely evaluated as a pioneer of history in ancient Greece. He brought rigor and uncompromising rationality to the pursuit of a truthful account of events, what was in his time a relatively new genre of nonfiction prose.
The History of the Peloponnesian War refers to an extended conflict in ancient Greece between the city-states of Athens and Sparta and their allies. The war lasted between 431 and 404 BCE and ended with the defeat of Athens. Thucydides wrote his history to preserve a record of the war and its effects.
This was obviously an attempt to prevent the Sicilian expedition because Hermes was the god of travelers. Some Athenians believed the people of Corinth were responsible, intending to thwart the attack on Sicily.
The Athenians regarded the profanation of the Hermes statues as a major offense to the gods and could spell disaster for them. Aside from the fear and outrage generated by this act of sacrilege, the details of the event hint at a political dimension as well.
On the morning of June 7, 415 BCE, the denizens of Athens awoke to find many stone statues of Hermes throughout the city with their distinctive phalluses hacked off and their faces smashed. This in turn caused mass fear and outrage among Athenian citizens. According to David Stuttard:
In 420 BCE, he was given the title of strategos, which he would hold for 15 years. After the sacrilege, his enemies further amplified his role with the claim that he plotted to overthrow the democracy of Athens. Alcibiades denied the charges against him and demanded to stand trial to clear his own name.
Trials. Alcibiades denied the charges against him & demanded to stand trial to clear his own name. There was an inquiry into this blasphemous act, which implicated Alcibiades. Alcibiades was born in 450 BCE to Cleinias, a member of an ancient aristocratic family.
Alcibiades’ enemies used political testimony for their own political ends, claiming the "mockery of sacred rites was part of a 'conspiracy against the democracy'" (Kagan, 265). Although he took no part in the hermai attacks, his political enemies saw an opportunity to discredit him.
On the morning of June 7, 415 BCE , the denizens of Athens awoke to find many stone statues of Hermes throughout the city with their distinctive phalluses hacked off and their faces smashed. This in turn caused mass fear and outrage among Athenian citizens. According to David Stuttard: