In the early years of the Peloponnesian War, the city of Athens experienced a devastating plague which Thucydides described memorably in his history of the war. What do we learn about the Athenians from Thucydides' famous account? Why does Thucydides juxtapose his account of the plague with Pericles' famous Funeral Oration? Does Thucydides mean to undercut Pericles' beautiful speech?

Borden Flanagan of American University (@Blahbliptyblah) discusses this questions in conversation with Tom Merrill (@w_merrill) and Sarah Marsh.

Here is a good edition of Thucydides' Peloponnesian War.

The Funeral Oration: Book 2, para. 35-46