However, Pericles, the Athenian politician who launched the Golden Age of Athens, decided to propose a less destructive option. Pericles dedicated his life to making Athens great, and his passion for the city is evident in his funeral oration delivered after the opening battles of the Peloponnesian War. He showed that he cared deeply for Athens and its citizens: "When a man goes away, all are wont to praise him, and even if your merit is so transcendent, it will always be difficult for you not only to go beyond it, but even to approach it. their fame. The living have to fight against envy, while those who are no longer on our path are honored with a benevolence into which rivalry does not enter. On the other hand, if I am to say anything about feminine excellence to those of you who will now be widows, it will all be contained in this brief exhortation. Great will be your glory in not lacking your natural character; and the greatest will be he who is least spoken of among men, whether for good or evil (Thucydides, page 117).” Pericles reiterated the ideas of self-sacrifice for arête, but instead of focusing on this aspect, he chose to ensure that the Greek peoples did not deviate from what they were; they would not change themselves for anyone, they would remain Greek and proud until the day they died. In the mind of Pericles,