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Passage: Pericles' Funeral Oration, as recorded by Thucydides, serves as the definitive defense of the Athenian democratic ideal. Pericles argued that Athens was the 'school of Hellas,' where the city's greatness was found in the versatility and active participation of its citizens. Unlike the Spartans, who relied on forced training, Athenians were celebrated for their natural courage and willingness to debate public policy. However, Thucydides' placement of the speech—just before his account of the devastating plague and the brutal realities of the Peloponnesian War—suggests a tragic irony, contrasting Pericles' lofty ideals with the city's eventual moral and physical collapse. Question: The passage suggests that Thucydides included Pericles' speech in his history primarily to:

1. Create a contrast between idealized political rhetoric and actual historical outcomes.
2. Argue that the Spartan model of government was superior to the Athenian one.
3. Demonstrate that the Athenian plague was caused by democratic debate.
4. Provide an accurate, word-for-word transcript of the original event.

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