Ahn Jaewon,
Seoul National University
Abstract
This paper offers a reading of Thucydides’ account of the Athenian plague from a modern perspective of someone who has observed or directly experienced “ta symbebekota” of Covid-19. “Ta symbebekota” refers to those phenomena that were not only consequences but also accompaniments of the Athenian plague. In addition, I look into a point that seems to have been overlooked by Thucydides in his account of the plague and offer two reasons for it. Finally, there are suggestions why Thucydides should still be read.
Keywords: Thucydides, Pericles, Euripides, Heracles, loimos, Peloponnesian war, democracy, Covid-19.