No Justice in Democracy

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Recommended: The features and the limitations of the Athenian democracy

In ancient Greece, the polis, or people, had a say in their society through democracy. Athenian democracy was meant to benefit the people through justice. Unfortunately, this did not always happen. In Hecuba, the practice of democracy contradicted its fundamental principles. The amount of justice a person could receive vastly depended on their stature in Greek society. Oftentimes, the collective vote of the army benefitted the few who held the most sway, such as when Odysseus suggested the sacrifice for Achilles' tomb. However, the policies they passed did not affirm the morals of what is just to slaves like Hecuba, when they chose her daughter. Also, those such as Agamemnon who did not agree with the policies enacted by the soldiers lived in constant fear of openly opposing it.
A person's status in Greek society highly impacted the way people treated them. People of nobility would be held in a higher regard than just a free man. This hierarchy also carried onto the battlefield. Those who had proven themselves courageous in battle would have more sway over a group. Achilles achieved this, since others respected him as a member of the army. Thus, when Achilles died, he insists on receiving a sacrifice over his tomb, because the heroic code depends on giving individuals honor that they have earned. This is exemplified when he says, "Where, then, Danaans, do you think you're going, / leaving my tomb without a prize" (Euripides 84). This task was due Achilles, because he had triumphed on the battlefield at Troy by fighting nobly. Afterwards, when the army was tasked with deciding who would be Achilles' sacrifice, Odysseus swayed the people with his words. The people not only regarded Odysseus as a noble in society, but he also prove...

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...held the most amount of prominence in the group benefited the most through the collective vote, and morals would often be disregarded in the policies. In addition, individuals would live in fear from the policies endorsed by the group, because they could not openly contest them. In Hecuba, democracy did not live up to its potential to be just to all members of society.

Works Cited

Esposito, Stephen. "The Chorus and the Themes of Euripides' Hecuba." An Essay on Euripides' Hecuba. Newburyport: Focus Publishing/R. Pullins Co., 2010.
Euripides. Odysseus at Troy: Ajax, Hecuba, and Trojan Women. Ed. Stephen Esposito. Newburyport: Focus Publishing/R. Pullins Co., 2010.
Rosenbloom, David. “Euripides’ Hecuba: Nothing to Do with Democracy?”. American Philosophical Association. http://apaclassics.org/sites/default/files/documents/ abstracts/Rosenbloom_3.pdf. PDF file.

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