Why are some of Thucydides’ speeches difficult for readers to understand?

While Thucydides is generally known for a condensed, direct, and austere writing style, his speeches are often more difficult to understand than his narrative prose. This difficulty arises primarily from his frequent use of abstract expressions and the obscurity of his rhetorical antithesis.1

These speeches were not intended for oral delivery but were written to be read, serving as a vehicle for Thucydides to explore the motives and ambitions of the leading men and states involved in the war. By employing these complex rhetorical devices, he aimed to provide a deep analysis of the human mind during wartime, even at the expense of the lucidity found in the rest of his work.1