Secondary sourceBook1910
The Man who Made Athens Beautiful
1910
A 1910 child-friendly retelling from The Children's Plutarch describing Pericles's character and his contributions to Athens.
A simplified retelling for children illustrating Pericles's self-control and care for the Athenian people.
About this source
What it is
This is a passage titled The Man who Made Athens Beautiful, from The Children's Plutarch, published in 1910. It retells a story about Pericles's calm reaction to an insult in the street, and describes benefits he provided to the Athenian people, such as theatre funding and paid naval training.
Why it matters
Based on ancient accounts by Plutarch, this retelling was written for children to illustrate Pericles's self-control and his generosity toward ordinary Athenians. It shows how his reputation as a wise and fair leader was passed down and simplified for young readers across centuries.
Look closer
- Why might the author choose this particular story about an insult to show Pericles's character?
- What qualities does the text suggest made Pericles popular with the Athenian people?
- How might retelling an ancient story for children change or simplify the original account?
This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Pericles on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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