The Rise of Athens

“How shall I escape my father’s curse” Ibid., 925.

“The old is trampled by the new!” Aesch Eum 778–79.

“Share my home with me” Ibid., 833.

“provoke bloodshed” Ibid., 856–63.

During the opening ceremony See Goldhill, pp. 101–2.

the names of men Ibid., p. 104.

“Since this is how matters have turned out” Aesch Eum, 481–88.

“Never let civil war, which eats men” Ibid., 979–84.

“ancient children” Ibid., 1034.

16. “CROWNED WITH VIOLETS”

Plutarch’s life of Pericles, Diodorus Siculus, and Thucydides are the main sources. Also Garland, Camp, and the findings of archaeologists.

“On one street” Plut Per 7 4.

“harmonised with his way of life” Plut Per 8 1.

“that eyesore” and “war rushing down” Ibid., 8 5.

nicknamed the Olympian Ibid., 8 2–3.

“the Athenians were under no obligation” Ibid., 12 3.

A decree was passed in 448 Some scholars believe the bill was passed into law in the 430s or 426/5, but I follow mainstream opinion.

“In this way he relieved” Plut Per, 11 5.

“the size of the Athenian forces” Ibid., 20 1.

the guilty

polis was the island of Samos The Samian revolt is described in Thuc 1 115 1–117 3 and Plut Per 24 1–28 6.

the building of an aqueduct The aqueduct can still be seen and is now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Pythagoreion.

Plutarch mentions a report Plut Per 281–83.

within an inch of depriving Athens Thuc 8 76 4.

“as if the spring had been taken” Arist Rhet 1365a 34.

A sentry runs to the ruler This section describes the plot of Sophocles’ tragedy Antigone. I am indebted to the translation by E. F. Watling, Penguin Classics, Harmondsworth, 1947.

“Wonders are many on the earth” Soph Ant 332ff.

“And yet you dared to contravene it?” Ibid., 449–55.

the beautiful Aspasia The section on Aspasia is indebted to Bicknell, who argues that Axiochus, the father of Aspasia, was the same man as the father-in-law of the elder Alcibiades, and so grandfather of Axiochus, son of the elder Alcibiades.

“From her comes all the race” Hes Theo 590–95. The translation is by Dorothea Wender, Penguin Classics, Harmondsworth, 1972.

met her lover at a funeral Lys 1 8.

“your duty is to stay indoors” Xen Oec 7 36.

“Perhaps I should say a few words” Thuc 2 45 2.

“We have hetairae” Dem Neaira 122.

Plato has Socrates hint Plato Alc 1 118d-e.

“To find our Zeus a Hera” Plut Per 24 6. I am grateful to the late Ian Scott-Kilvert for his translation of this verse.

madam of a brothel Ibid., 24 3.

procured free-born Athenian women Ibid., 32 1.

“great art and power” Ibid., 24 1.

“Yesterday I heard Aspasia” Plato Men 236b.

“regarding his beauty” Plut Alc 1 3.

Once as a small boy

Ibid., 2 2–3. Childhood tales about the famous are rightly distrusted. But this incident of the knucklebones has the ring of truth and casts anticipatory and accurate light on the character of the adult Alcibiades.

“Leave the flute to the Thebans” Ibid., 2 5.

“Alcibiades, you bite like a woman” Ibid., 2 2.

“If he’s dead” Ibid., 2 3.

“I’m trying to work out” Diod 12 38 3 and Plut Alc 7 2.

Socrates took Alcibiades under his wing For Socrates’ relations with Alcibiades, see Plut Alc 6.

the time of the Great Panathenaea For this festival, see Burkert, pp. 232–33, Connolly and Dodge, pp. 80–87.

not to rebuild Diod 11 29 3.

Athena Promachus The statue had a long life. After one thousand years on the Acropolis, it was removed to Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. It was eventually destroyed IN A.d. 1203 by a superstitious and frightened mob that believed the goddess was beckoning to an army of crusaders who were threatening the city.

“The Greeks must be outraged” Plut Per 12 2.

“entertaining the people” Ibid., 11 4.

Pheidias was placed in overall charge Ibid., 13 4.