Pericles, a strong Athenian leader and politician, makes a clear statement throughout his Funeral Oration that the Athenian people are superior to all others throughout the rest of Greece. His pride for Athens is evident and he intends to spread that pride through this speech to all citizens listening. Thucydides boasts, "you must yourselves realize the power of Athens, and feed your eyes upon her from day to day, till love of her fills your hearts; and then when all her greatness shall break upon you, you must reflect that it was by courage, sense of duty, and a keen feeling of honor in action that men were enabled to win all this, and that no personal failure in enterprise could make them consent to deprive their country of their valor, but they laid it at her feet in the most glorious contribution that they could offer" (Thucydides).
Pericles took this time to make the oration instill a type of satisfaction to the Athenians by amplifying all of their strengths, rather than mourning the death of those lost in the Peloponnesian war. Pericles did this in order to justify that the men fighting in battle died for the great city of Athens. His speech lightened the sadness of mourning loved ones who have died in the Peloponnesian battles and turned the outlook of their deaths into an honorable act of dignity rather than a loss. Pericles' Funeral Oration depicts the immense amount of attributes that Athens and its citizens excel in. Pericles exemplifies that the fact that dying for Athens awards a great respect and shows an immense amount of patriotism for the city-state, which ultimately leads to glory and happiness. .
Towards the beginning of the Peloponnesian War, Pericles was chosen to give the oration at the funeral for those who have died in battle during that year of the war. This oration was interpreted/written by Thucydides, who was present at the actual eulogy. These orations were done publicly for all who wished to attend.