Humane ideals were central to the image Athenians had of
themselves and their city during the classical period. Tragic
plays, which formed a part of civic education, often promoted pity
and compassion. But it is less clear to what extent Athenians
embraced such ideals in daily life. How were they expected to
respond, emotionally and pragmatically, to the suffering of other
people? Under what circumstances? At what risk to themselves?
In this book, Rachel Hall Sternberg draws on evidence from Greek
oratory and historiography of the fifth and fourth centuries BCE to
study the moral universe of the ancient Athenians: how citizens may
have treated one another in times of adversity, when and how they
were expected to help. She develops case studies in five spheres of
everyday life: home nursing, the ransom of captives, intervention
in street crimes, the long-distance transport of sick and wounded
soldiers, and slave torture. Her close reading of selected
narratives suggests that Athenians embraced high standards for
helping behavior--at least toward relatives, friends, and some
fellow citizens. Meanwhile, a subtle discourse of moral obligation
strengthened the bonds that held Athenian society together,
encouraging individuals to bring their personal behavior into line
with the ideals of the city-state.
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