Pericles
Athenian statesman and general who led Athens at the start of the Peloponnesian War; he died in 429 BCE, during the plague.
c. 495–429 BCE
The Plague at Athens, and Pericles Answers the Athenians
Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Book 2 (sections 47–65) · after 430 BCE (events of 430–429 BCE)
καὶ τὸν μὲν Περικλέα ἐν αἰτίᾳ εἶχον ὡς πείσαντα σφᾶς πολεμεῖν καὶ δι’ ἐκεῖνον ταῖς ξυμφοραῖς περιπεπτωκότες, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ὥρμηντο ξυγχωρεῖν· καὶ πρέσβεις τινὰς πέμψαντες ὡς αὐτοὺς ἄπρακτοι ἐγένοντο. πανταχόθεν τε τῇ γνώμῃ ἄποροι καθεστηκότες ἐνέκειντο τῷ Περικλεῖ.
They blamed Pericles for persuading them to go to war, as though he had caused their misfortunes, and they were eager to come to terms with the Spartans. They even sent envoys, but the envoys achieved nothing. Feeling trapped on every side, the Athenians turned their anger on Pericles.
τοιαῦτα ὁ Περικλῆς λέγων ἐπειρᾶτο τοὺς Ἀθηναίους τῆς τε ἐς αὑτὸν ὀργῆς παραλύειν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν παρόντων δεινῶν ἀπάγειν τὴν γνώμην.
With words like these, Pericles tried to ease the Athenians' anger against him and to turn their minds away from their present terrors.