The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-05-28
MEMORIAL DAY AT ATHENS.
Not the First, but the First of Which We
Have Particulars.

Not the First, but the First of Which We
Have Particulars.
OF course it cannot be known when CIV
ilized nations first began to fix certain days
for the annual commemoration of the acts
of their dead heroes, but so natural is the
custom that it must have arisen among the
Oldest nations. BY rare combination of
circumstances, however, we have YER
batim report of one Memorial day address,
delivered 2,322 years ago by the greatest
man of his age.
We know, moreover, that, unlike many
so called orations reported In ancient his
tory, this one was delivered very nearly as
reported, for it was a written address, and
the report comes to us by Thucydides, an
enemy of the orator. The great war of
Sparta and her allies against Athens and
her allies had been in progress year when
the Greeks who had fallen in the first bat
ties were honored with a magnificent funer-
al, and Pericles, then ruler Of Athens,
made the speech.
It is really wonderful to note how much
Of it could be adopted word for word in a
Memorial day address of today. He began
by eulogy Of their ancestors who had
founded Athens, and Of their successors
who had defended her against Persia and
made her free. He then told why these
brave young men had died-to preserve
that glorious iberty--and thus continued;
"For we enjoya form Of government
which does not copy the laws of our neigh
bors, but we are ourselves rather a pattern
to others than imitators of them. In name,
from its not being administrated for the
benefit Of the few, but Of the many, it Ii
called democracy, but with regard to its
lawsalf enjoy equality as concerns private
affairs, while with regard to public rank
each man, according as he has reputation
for anything, Is preferred for public honors,
notso much from consideration Of partyas
Of merit. Nor, again, on the ground OF
poverty, If he be able to do the state any
service, is he prevented by the obscurity of
his position"
This was not sarcasm. He really meant
1t. We are at liberty, however, to surmise
that Pericles meant to set forth what the
object of their government was rather than
what 1t really accomplished, for he goes on
to relate how carefully they observe the
laws, because they are of their own choos-
ing, how recreations are provided for all
classes Of men and equally in their enjoy
ment, how the freedom of Athens Is the
envy Of mankind, and is SO highly regard
cd by Athenians that every one would
| rather die fighting than lose 1t. Indeed,
II he spoke exact truth, it is much to be
feared that no modern state Is equal to it.
His closing paragraph might appropriate
ly be recited to any American audience on
this Memorial day of 1897. 1t ran thus:
Wherefore to the parents of these dead
will not offer coincidence so much as con-
ISOLATION, for they know that they lived
| subject to misfortunes, but that happy Is
their lot who have gained the most glori-
| Gus death as these have, and theirs whose
sorrow is as yours; their life so measured
that 1t ended In honor, and even so,your
sorrow. Difficult indeed / know IL Is to
persuade, you of this, as you must be re-
minded OF your loss by the good fortune.of
others, and sorrow Is most keenly, felt. not
| for the loss Of that of which one ID with
out much experience, but of that which
one loses after being accustomed to 1t.
But bear up in hope of your other .chil-
dren, who have them, and you who are old
consider that the long period before was 80
much clear gain, that your time of grief
Is but short while the fame of your lost
ones Is long, for the love of honor Is the
| only feeling that never grows old, and as
| ege advances IL Is not the gain of treasure,
as some assert, that can cheer the heart,
but only the enjoyment Of honor"
| Such were the golden words Of this IT,
| oldest Memorial day address recorde,
But 1t is pain to complete the stor, .
| Soon after the city was crowded by fugi-
tives, the dreadful plague came, and Peri
cles md all his family died of it. Deprived
| of his clear leadership, tho Athenians
wasted their resources, and ut the end oi q
long war were thoroughly subjugated and
put under the sway of the infamous ''thir-
| ty tyrants." Yet IL is wonderful what a
clear idea this man, 480 b. O., had Of
what a republic ouglftto be.
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