Problem: (Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War). What is the historical context of this primary source in Greek politics and society following the Persian Wars? What, in Pericles' estimation, are the benefits of democracy? What impact did the plague have on those democratic values in Athens? How evident are Athens' democratic values in their negotiations with citizens of Melos? What is the historical significance of this primary source for understanding Greek culture and society during and after the Peloponnesian War?