Analysis of The History of The Peloponnesian War, By Thucydides

In Thucydides’, The History of The Peloponnesian War, there are many themes that are illustrated throughout various passages. One major theme can be found in book 2, chapter 53, where Thucydides describes the situation in Athens after it had been stricken with plague during the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides uses his account of the plague to suggest that war is a violent teacher. Among other passages in his work he also suggests that in war, no matter how wealthy and prepared the participants may be there is always the chance for the unforeseen, such as, the teaching and breeding of violence. In chapter 53 of book 2, Thucydides describes the surrounding circumstances of a plague that had struck Athens during the Peloponnesian War. The situation he presents is of utter despair and chaos. People began to become completely careless of everything because death was rampant throughout their lands (2.52.2). Sacred temples were desecrated with dead bodies and traditional burial rites were abandoned due to the excess of corpses (2.52.3). Believing that their lives would not last long, people began to openly engage in activities that were previously kept hidden and quick and easy satisfactions became the only thing that people sought after (2.53). According to Thucydides, honor had lost all meaning and fear of god or any man was no longer a restraint (2.53.2). This is clearly indicative of the idea that war is a violent teacher. In other words, the plague that was brought on during the Peloponnesian War had reduced the Athenians to sheer necessity and as a result, people began to act on baser impulses. This is not the only instance in which the idea of war teaching violence is displayed. In book 3, chapters 81-83, Thucydides writes of a revolt that took place in Corcyra, an ally of Athens. There was a vicious struggle between the commons and oligarchs. The commons were the allies of Athens and the Oligarchs were supporters of Sparta. He goes on to describe how Corcyra was