According To Pericles Discussion Of The Athenian Society

According to Pericles, the Athenian society is exceptional due to their society allowing free will yet, in spite of that, their people desire Athens to prosper above all else. In addition, due to the Athenian belief that the spirit and volition of their citizens is predominant over systematic order, the Athenian people fight on the behalf of their civilization because they choose to. Society allows the individual to pursue whatever they desire, yet the individual consciously decides to battle for the sake of their land. Moreover, the Athenians were able to reach these heights because they honored the diligence of their ancestors and continued the customs that were passed down onto them. This allotted the Athenians to elaborate on their ancestors'
The Athenians were able to think productively and be self-aware in the quest to construct the ultimate society, rather than to flourish just for superficial purposes. Pericles also mentions that the Athenians were able to prosper because they build relationships through generosity and acted without mercenary intentions, however, their generosity always went rewarded thus working in their favor. However what differentiated the Athenians from other societies the most was that they possessed a resolution and willingness to act solely based on their dedication to their nation. The pining to defeat those who opposed their land was a trait that was uniquely
It is understood that being a warrior for the sake of the Greeks would be the more respectable and honorable option, but due to Achilles lack of regard for cultural norms he insists on withdrawing from battle. However, Achilles also acquired the desire for vengeance that Pericles writes about. After learning of the death of his friend Patroclus by the hands of the Trojan prince Hector, Achilles abandons his prior decision to no longer fight the Trojans and begins to remorselessly and ruthlessly kill all of the trojans that he come into contact with on the battlefield, with the intention of avenging his dear friend Patroclus. Achilles then displays his indifference for cultural ideals when he disposes of the bodies of those he killed rather than allowing for their corpses to be properly buried. A Specific example being when Achilles drags Hector's corpse around, even though the best moral choice would have been immediately relinquishing Hector's body to be properly buried. Achilles’ desire for revenge ignited his aspirations of mercilessly fighting the Trojan