1. I beg you, fellow citizens, to hear me with willing and friendly mind, remembering how great is my peril, and how many the charges against which I have to defend myself; remembering also the arts and devices of my accuser, and the cruelty of the man who, speaking to men who are under oath to give equal hearing to both parties, had the effrontery to urge you not to listen to the voice of the defendant.
1. δέομαι ὑμῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἐθελῆσαί μου μετʼ εὐνοίας ἀκοῦσαι λέγοντος, ὑπολογιζομένους τό τε μέγεθος τοῦ κινδύνου καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν αἰτιῶν πρὸς ἂς ἀπολογήσασθαί με δεῖ, καὶ τὰς τέχνας καὶ τὰς κατασκευὰς τοῦ κατηγόρου καὶ τὴν ὠμότητα, ὃς ἐτόλμησε παρακελεύσασθαι πρὸς ἄνδρας ὀμωμοκότας τῶν ἀντιδίκων ὁμοίως ἀμφοτέρων ἀκούσεσθαι τοῦ κινδυνεύοντος φωνὴν μὴ ὑπομένειν.
2. and it was not anger that made him say it; for no man who is lying is angry with the victim of his calumny, nor do men who are speaking the truth try to prevent the defendant from obtaining a hearing; for the prosecution does not find justification in the minds of the hearers until the defendant has had opportunity to plead for himself and has proved unable to refute the charges that have been preferred.
2. καὶ ταῦτʼ εἶπεν οὐ διʼ ὀργήν· οὐδεὶς γὰρ τῶν ψευδομένων τοῖς ἀδίκως διαβαλλομένοις ὀργίζεται, οὐδʼ οἱ τἀληθῆ λέγοντες κωλύουσι λόγου τυχεῖν τὸν φεύγοντα· οὐ γὰρ πρότερον ἡ κατηγορία παρὰ τοῖς ἀκούουσιν ἰσχύει, πρὶν ἂν ὁ φεύγων ἀπολογίας τυχὼν ἀδυνατήσῃ τὰς προειρημένας αἰτίας ἀπολύσασθαι.
3. But Demosthenes, I think, is not fond of fair argument, nor is that the sort of preparation he has made. No, it is your anger that he is determined to call forth. And he has accused me of receiving bribes—he who would be the last man to make such suspicion credible! For the man who seeks to arouse the anger of his hearers over bribery must himself refrain from such conduct.
3. ἀλλʼ οἶμαι Δημοσθένης οὐ χαίρει δικαίοις λόγοις, οὐδʼ οὕτω παρεσκεύασται, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν ὀργὴν ἐκκαλέσασθαι βεβούληται. καὶ κατηγόρηκε δωροδοκίας, ἀπίθανος ὢν πρὸς τὴν ὑποψίαν ταύτην· τὸν γὰρ ἐπὶ ταῖς δωροδοκίαις προτρεπόμενον ὀργίζεσθαι, αὐτὸν χρὴ τῶν τοιούτων ἔργων ἀπέχεσθαι.
4. But, fellow citizens, as I have listened to Demosthenes’ accusation, the effect upon my own mind has been this: never have I been so apprehensive as on this day, nor ever more angry than now, nor so exceedingly rejoiced. I was frightened, and am still disturbed, lest some of you form a mistaken judgment of me, beguiled by those antitheses of his, conceived in deliberate malice. And I was indignant—fairly beside myself at the charge, when he accused me of insolence and drunken violence towards a free woman of Olynthus. But I was rejoiced when, as he was dwelling on this charge, you refused to listen to him. This I consider to be the reward that you bestow upon me for a chaste and temperate life.
4. ἐμοὶ δέ, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, συμβέβηκε τῆς Δημοσθένους ἀκούοντι κατηγορίας μήτε δεῖσαι πώποθʼ οὕτως ὡς ἐν τῇδε τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, μήτʼ ἀγανακτῆσαι μᾶλλον ἢ νῦν, μήτʼ εἰς ὑπερβολὴν ὁμοίως ἡσθῆναι. ἐφοβήθην μὲν γάρ, καὶ ἔτι καὶ νῦν τεθορύβημαι, μή τινες ὑμῶν ἀγνοήσωσί με ψυχαγωγηθέντες τοῖς ἐπιβεβουλευμένοις καὶ κακοήθεσι τούτοις ἀντιθέτοις· ἐξέστην δʼ ἐμαυτοῦ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν βαρέως ἤνεγκα, ὅθʼ ὕβριν καὶ παροινίαν εἰς γυναῖκα ἐλευθέραν καὶ τὸ γένος Ὀλυνθίαν κατηγόρει· ἥσθην δέ, ὅτʼ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς αἰτίας ὄντα ταύτης ἐξεβάλλετε, καὶ τῶν σεσωφρονημένων ἐν τῷ βίῳ μοι χάριν ἀπειληφέναι νομίζω.
5. To you I do, indeed, give praise and high esteem for putting your faith in the life of those who are on trial, rather than in the accusations of their enemies; however, I would not myself shrink from defending myself against this charge. For if there is any man among those who are standing outside the bar—and almost the whole city is in the court—or if there is any man of you, the jurors, who is convinced that I have ever perpetrated such an act, not to say towards a free person, but towards any creature, I hold my life as no longer worth the living. And if as my defence proceeds I fail to prove that the accusation is false, and that the man who dared to utter it is an impious slanderer, then, even though it be clear that I am innocent of all the other charges, I declare myself worthy of death.
5. ὑμᾶς μὲν οὖν ἐπαινῶ καὶ διαφερόντως ἀγαπῶ, ὅτι τῷ βίῳ μᾶλλον τῷ τῶν κρινομένων πιστεύετε, ἢ ταῖς παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν αἰτίαις· αὐτὸς δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἀποσταίην τῆς πρὸς ταῦτʼ ἀπολογίας. εἰ γάρ τις ἢ τῶν ἔξωθεν περιεστηκότων πέπεισται, σχεδὸν δʼ οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν πολιτῶν πάρεισιν, ἢ τῶν δικαζόντων ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐγὼ τοιοῦτόν τι διαπέπραγμαι, μὴ μόνον εἰς ἐλεύθερον σῶμα, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὸ τυχόν, ἀβίωτον εἶναί μοι τὸν λοιπὸν βίον νομίζω· κἂν μὴ προϊούσης τῆς ἀπολογίας ἐξελέγξω καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν οὖσαν ψευδῆ, καὶ τὸν τολμήσαντʼ εἰπεῖν ἀνόσιον καὶ συκοφάντην, κἂν τἆλλα πάντα μηδὲν ἀδικῶν φαίνωμαι, θανάτου τιμῶμαι.
6. But strange indeed did that other argument of his seem to me, and outrageously unjust, when he asked you whether it was possible in one and the same city to sentence Philocrates to death because he would not await trial and so condemned himself, and then to acquit me. But I think that on this very ground I ought most certainly to be cleared for if the man who condemns himself by not awaiting trial is guilty, certainly he who denies the charge and submits his person to the laws and to his fellow citizens is not guilty.
6. παράδοξος δέ μοι κἀκεῖνος ὁ λόγος ἐφάνη καὶ δεινῶς ἄδικος, ὅθʼ ὑμᾶς ἐπηρώτα, εἰ οἷόν τʼ ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ πόλει Φιλοκράτους μὲν θάνατον καταψηφίσασθαι, ὅτι καταγνοὺς ἑαυτοῦ ἀδικεῖν τὴν κρίσιν οὐχ ὑπέμεινεν, ἐμοῦ δʼ ἀπογνῶναι. ἐγὼ δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ τούτῳ δικαίως ἂν ὑπολαμβάνω μάλιστα σῴζεσθαι· εἰ γὰρ ὁ καταγνοὺς ἑαυτοῦ καὶ μὴ παρὼν ἀδικεῖ, ὅ γε ἀπογνοὺς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῖς νόμοις καὶ τοῖς πολίταις παραδοὺς οὐκ ἀδικεῖ.
7. Now, fellow citizens, as regards the rest of his accusations, if I pass over any point and fail to mention it, I beg of you to question me and let me know what it is that you wish to hear about, and to refrain from forming any judgment in advance, but to listen with impartial goodwill. I do not know where I ought to begin, so inconsistent are his accusations. See whether you think I am being treated in a reasonable way.
7. περὶ δὲ τῆς ἄλλης κατηγορίας δέομαι ὑμῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἐάν τι παραλίπω καὶ μὴ μνησθῶ, ἐπερωτᾶν με καὶ δηλοῦν ὅ τι ἂν ποθῆτε ἀκοῦσαι, μηδὲν προκατεγνωκότας, ἀλλʼ ἴσῃ τῇ εὐνοίᾳ ἀκούοντας. ἀπορῶ δʼ ὁπόθεν χρὴ πρῶτον ἄρξασθαι, διὰ τὴν ἀνωμαλίαν τῆς κατηγορίας. σκέψασθε δʼ ἂν ὑμῖν εἰκός τι πρᾶγμα δόξω πάσχειν.
8. it is I who am now on trial, and that too for my life; and yet the greater part of his accusation has been directed against Philocrates and Phrynon and the other members of the embassy, against Philip and the peace and the policies of Eubulus; it is only as one among all these that he gives me a place. But when it is a question of solicitude for the interests of the state, one solitary man stands out in all his speech—Demosthenes; all the rest are traitors! For he has unceasingly insulted us and poured out his slanderous lies, not upon me alone, but upon all the rest as well.
8. εἰμὶ μὲν γὰρ ὁ κινδυνεύων ἐγὼ νυνὶ περὶ τοῦ σώματος, τῆς δὲ κατηγορίας τὴν πλείστην πεποίηται Φιλοκράτους καὶ Φρύνωνος καὶ τῶν ἄλλων συμπρέσβεων, καὶ Φιλίππου καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης καὶ τῶν Εὐβούλου πολιτευμάτων, ἐν ἅπασι δὲ τούτοις ἐγὼ τέταγμαι. μόνος δʼ ἐν τῷ λόγῳ φαίνεται κηδεμὼν τῆς πόλεως Δημοσθένης, οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι προδόται· διατετέλεκε γὰρ εἰς ἡμᾶς ὑβρίζων, καὶ λοιδορίας ψευδεῖς οὐκ ἐμοὶ μόνον λοιδορούμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις.
9. and after treating a man with such contempt, later, when it suits his whim, he turns about, and as though he were accusing an Alcibiades or a Themistocles, the most famous men among all the Greeks, he proceeds to charge that same man with having destroyed the cities in Phocis, with having lost you the Thracian coast, with having expelled from his kingdom Cersobleptes, a friend and ally of the city.
9. ὃν δʼ οὕτως ἀτιμάζει, πάλιν ἐκ μεταβολῆς, ὅπου ἂν τύχῃ, ὥσπερ Ἀλκιβιάδην ἢ Θεμιστοκλέα κρίνων, οἳ πλεῖστον τῶν Ἑλλήνων δόξῃ διήνεγκαν, ἀνῃρηκέναι μὲν αἰτιᾶται τὰς ἐν Φωκεῦσι πόλεις, ἀπηλλοτριωκέναι δʼ ὑμῶν τὸν ἐπὶ Θράκης τόπον, ἐκβεβληκέναι δὲ τῆς ἀρχῆς Κερσοβλέπτην, ἄνδρα φίλον καὶ σύμμαχον τῆς πόλεως.
10. and he undertook to liken me to Dionysius, the tyrant of Sicily, and vehemently and with loud cries he called upon you to be on your guard against me; and he related the dream of the priestess in Sicily. Then, after all this exaggeration, he begrudged me the credit even for what he had slanderously charged me with accomplishing, and ascribed it all, not to my words, but to the arms of Philip.
10. ἐνεχείρησε δʼ ἀπεικάζειν με Διονυσίῳ τῷ Σικελίας τυράννῳ, καὶ μετὰ σπουδῆς καὶ κραυγῆς πολλῆς παρεκελεύσαθʼ ὑμῖν φυλάξασθαι, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἱερείας ἐνύπνιον τῆς ἐν Σικελίᾳ διηγήσατο. οὕτω δʼ ἄνω τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐξάρας, ἐφθόνησέ μου ταῖς διαβολαῖς, τὰς αἰτίας ἀνατιθεὶς τῶν πεπραγμένων οὐ τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ὅπλοις τοῖς Φιλίππου.
11. When now a man has shown such trickery and effrontery, it is difficult even to remember every single thing, and in the face of danger it is not easy to answer unexpected slanders. But I will begin with those events which I think will enable me to make my presentation most clear and intelligible to you, and fair; these events are the discussion that took place concerning the peace, and the choice of the ambassadors. In this way I shall best remember his charges and best be able to speak effectively, and you will be best instructed.
11. πρὸς δὴ τοσαύτην τόλμαν καὶ τερατείαν ἀνθρώπου χαλεπὸν καὶ διαμνημονεῦσαι καθʼ ἕκαστα, καὶ λέγειν μετὰ κινδύνου πρὸς ἀπροσδοκήτους διαβολάς. ὅθεν δʼ ἡγοῦμαι σαφεστάτους τέ μοι τοὺς λόγους ἔσεσθαι καὶ γνωρίμους ὑμῖν καὶ δικαίους, ἐντεῦθεν ἄρξομαι, ἀπὸ τῶν περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης λόγων καὶ τῆς αἱρέσεως τῆς πρεσβείας· οὕτω γὰρ μάλιστα καὶ μεμνήσομαι, καὶ δυνήσομαι εἰπεῖν, καὶ ὑμεῖς μαθήσεσθε.
12. There is one thing, at any rate, which I think you all yourselves remember: how the ambassadors from Euboea, after they had discussed with our assembly the question of our making peace with them, told us that Philip also had asked them to report to you that he wished to come to terms and be at peace with you. Not long after this, Phrynon of Rhamnus was captured by privateers, during the Olympian truce, according to his own complaint. Now when he had been ransomed and had come home, he asked you to choose an envoy to go to Philip in his behalf, in order that, if possible, he might recover his ransom money. You were persuaded, and chose Ctesiphon as envoy for him.
12. ἅπαντας γὰρ ὑμᾶς οἶμαι τοῦτό γε αὐτοὺς μνημονεύειν, ὅθʼ οἱ πρέσβεις οἱ τῶν Εὐβοέων, ἐπειδὴ περὶ τῆς πρὸς αὑτοὺς εἰρήνης τῷ δήμῳ διελέχθησαν, εἶπον, ὅτι καὶ Φίλιππος αὐτοὺς κελεύσειεν ὑμῖν ἀπαγγεῖλαι ὅτι βούλεται διαλύσασθαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ εἰρήνην ἄγειν. οὐ πολλῷ δʼ ὕστερον χρόνῳ Φρύνων ὁ Ῥαμνούσιος ἑάλω ὑπὸ λῃστῶν ἐν ταῖς σπονδαῖς ταῖς Ὀλυμπιακαῖς, ὡς αὐτὸς ᾐτιᾶτο· ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἐπανῆλθε δεῦρο λυτρωθείς, ἐδεῖτο ὑμῶν πρεσβευτὴν αὑτῷ πρὸς Φίλιππον ἑλέσθαι, ἵνα, εἴ πως δύναιτο, ἀπολάβοι τὰ λύτρα. πεισθέντες δʼ ὑμεῖς εἵλεσθʼ αὐτῷ Κτησιφῶντα πρεσβευτήν.
13. When Ctesiphon returned from his mission, he first reported to you on the matters for which he was sent, and then in addition he said that Philip declared that he had gone to war with you against his own will, and that he wished, even now, to be rid of the war. When Ctesiphon had said this and had also told of the marked kindness of his reception, the people eagerly accepted his report and passed a vote of praise for Ctesiphon. Not a voice was raised in opposition. Then it was, and not till then, that Philocrates of Hagnus offered a motion, which was passed by unanimous vote of the people that Philip be allowed to send to us a herald and ambassadors to treat for peace. For up to this time even that had been prevented by certain men who made it their business to do so, as the event itself proved.
13. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐπανῆκε δεῦρʼ ἀπὸ τῆς πρεσβείας ὁ Κτησιφῶν, ἀπήγγειλε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐπέμφθη, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις, ὅτι φαίη Φίλιππος ἄκων μὲν πολεμῆσαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, βούλεσθαι δὲ καὶ νῦν ἀπαλλαγῆναι τοῦ πολέμου. εἰπόντος δὲ ταῦτα τοῦ Κτησιφῶντος, καὶ πολλήν τινα ἐξαγγείλαντος πρὸς τούτοις φιλανθρωπίαν, καὶ τοῦ δήμου σφόδρα ἀποδεξαμένου καὶ τὸν Κτησιφῶντα ἐπαινέσαντος, ἀντειπόντος δʼ οὐδενός, ἐνταῦθα ἤδη δίδωσι ψήφισμα Φιλοκράτης ὁ Ἁγνούσιος, καὶ ὁ δῆμος ἅπας ὁμογνωμονῶν ἐχειροτόνησεν, ἐξεῖναι Φιλίππῳ δεῦρο κήρυκα καὶ πρέσβεις πέμπειν ὑπὲρ εἰρήνης. πρότερον μὲν γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ἐκωλύετο ὑπό τινων, οἷς ἦν τοῦτʼ ἐπιμελές, ὡς αὐτὸ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἔδειξεν.
14. for they attacked the motion as unconstitutional, subscribing the name of Lycinus to the indictment, in which they proposed a penalty of one hundred talents. When the case came to trial Philocrates was ill, and called as his advocate Demosthenes, not me. And Demosthenes the Philip-hater came to the platform and used up the day in his plea for the defence. Finally Philocrates acquitted, and the prosecutor failed to receive the fifth part of the votes. This is matter of common knowledge.
14. γράφονται γὰρ οὗτοι παρανόμων τὸ ψήφισμα, Λυκῖνον ἐπὶ τὴν γραφὴν ἐπιγραψάμενοι, καὶ τίμημα ἑκατὸν τάλαντα. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτʼ εἰσῄει ἡ γραφὴ εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον, ἀρρώστως δʼ ἔχων ὁ Φιλοκράτης ἐκάλεσεν αὑτῷ συνήγορον Δημοσθένην, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐμέ. παρελθὼν δʼ ὁ μισοφίλιππος Δημοσθένης, κατέτριψε τὴν ἡμέραν ἀπολογούμενος· καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον ἀποφεύγει φεύγει Φιλοκράτης, ὁ δὲ γραψάμενος τὸ πέμπτον μέρος τῶν ψήφων οὐ μεταλαμβάνει. καὶ ταῦθʼ ὑμεῖς ἅπαντες ἴστε.
15. Now about the same time Olynthus was taken, and many of our citizens were captured there, among them Iatrocles, brother of Ergochares, and Eueratus, son of Strombichus. Their families naturally made supplication in their behalf, and begged you to provide for them. Their spokesmen before the people were Philocrates and Demosthenes, not Aeschines. So Aristodemus the actor is sent as envoy to Philip, as being an acquaintance of his, and of a profession that naturally wins friends.
15. ὑπὸ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς καιροὺς Ὄλυνθος ἑάλω, καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐγκατελήφθησαν πολιτῶν, ὧν ἦν Ἰατροκλῆς ὁ Ἐργοχάρους ἀδελφὸς καὶ Εὐήρατος ὁ Στρομβίχου υἱός. ὑπὲρ δὴ τούτων ἱκετηρίαν θέντες οἱ οἰκεῖοι ἐδέοντο ὑμῶν ἐπιμέλειαν ποιήσασθαι. παρελθόντες δʼ αὐτοῖς συνηγόρουν Φιλοκράτης καὶ Δημοσθένης, ἀλλʼ οὐκ Αἰσχίνης. καὶ πέμπουσι πρεσβευτὴν Ἀριστόδημον τὸν ὑποκριτὴν πρὸς Φίλιππον, διὰ τὴν γνῶσιν καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν τῆς τέχνης.
16. But when Aristodemus returned from his mission, his report to the senate was delayed by certain business of his, and meanwhile Iatrocles came back from Macedonia, released by Philip without ransom. Then many people were angry with Aristodemus for having failed to make his report, for they heard from Iatrocles the same story about Philip.
16. ὡς δʼ ἐπανήκων ἀπὸ τῆς πρεσβείας ὁ Ἀριστόδημος διά τινας ἀσχολίας οὐ προσῄει πρὸς τὴν βουλήν, ἀλλʼ ἔφθασεν αὐτὸν Ἰατροκλῆς ἐλθὼν ἐκ Μακεδονίας ἀφεθεὶς ὑπὸ Φιλίππου ἄνευ λύτρων, ἐνταῦθʼ ἠγανάκτουν πολλοί, ὅτι τὴν πρεσβείαν οὐκ ἀπήγγειλεν ὁ Ἀριστόδημος, τοὺς αὐτοὺς λόγους ἀκούοντες τοῦ Ἰατροκλέους περὶ τοῦ Φιλίππου.
17. Finally Democrates of Aphidna went before the senate and persuaded them to summon Aristodemus. One of the senators was Demosthenes, my accuser! Aristodemus appeared before them, reported Philip’s great friendliness toward the city, and added this besides, that Philip even wished to become an ally of our state. This he said not only before the senate, but also at an assembly of the people. Here again Demosthenes spoke no word in opposition, but even moved that a crown be conferred on Aristodemus.
17. τελευταῖον δʼ εἰσελθὼν Δημοκράτης ὁ Ἀφιδναῖος ἔπεισε τὴν βουλὴν ἀνακαλέσασθαι τὸν Ἀριστόδημον· εἷς δὲ τῶν βουλευτῶν ἦν Δημοσθένης ὁ ἐμὸς κατήγορος. παρελθὼν δʼ ὁ Ἀριστόδημος πολλήν τινα εὔνοιαν ἀπήγγειλε τοῦ Φιλίππου πρὸς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ προσέθηκεν ὅτι καὶ σύμμαχος βούλοιτο τῇ πόλει γενέσθαι. καὶ ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἐν τῇ βουλῇ μόνον εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ δήμῳ. κἀνταῦθʼ οὐδὲν ἀντεῖπε Δημοσθένης, ἀλλὰ καὶ στεφανῶσαι τὸν Ἀριστόδημον ἔγραψε.
18. Next Philocrates moved that ten ambassadors be chosen to go to Philip and discuss with him both the question of peace and the common interests of the Athenians and Philip. At the election of the ten ambassadors I was nominated by Nausicles, but Philocrates himself nominated Demosthenes—Demosthenes, the man who now accuses Philocrates.
18. ῥηθέντων δὲ τούτων, ψήφισμα ἔγραψεν ὁ Φιλοκράτης ἑλέσθαι πρέσβεις πρὸς Φίλιππον ἄνδρας δέκα, οἵτινες διαλέξονται Φιλίππῳ περὶ εἰρήνης καὶ τῶν κοινῇ συμφερόντων Ἀθηναίοις καὶ Φιλίππῳ. χειροτονουμένων δὲ τῶν δέκα πρέσβεων, ἐγὼ μὲν προεβλήθην ὑπὸ Ναυσικλέους, Λημοσθένης δʼ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ Φιλοκράτους, ὁ νυνὶ Φιλοκράτους κατηγορῶν.
19. and so eager was Demosthenes for the business, that in order to make it possible for Aristodemus to be a member of our embassy without financial loss to himself, he moved that we elect envoys to go to the cities in which Aristodemus was under contract to act, and beg in his behalf the cancelling of his forfeitures. To prove the truth of this, take, if you please, the decrees, and read the deposition of Aristodemus, and call the witnesses before whom the deposition was made, in order that the jury may know who was the good friend of Philocrates, and who it was that promised to persuade the people to bestow the rewards on Aristodemus.
19. οὕτω δʼ ἦν πρόθυμος εἰς τὰ πράγματα, ὥστε ἐν τῇ βουλῇ γράφει, ἵνα ἀζήμιος ὢν ἡμῖν ὁ Ἀριστόδημος συμπρεσβεύῃ, ἑλέσθαι πρέσβεις ἐπὶ τὰς πόλεις ἐν αἷς ἔδει τὸν Ἀριστόδημον ἀγωνίζεσθαι, οἵτινες ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ παραιτήσονται τὰς ζημίας. καὶ ὅτι ταῦτʼ ἐστὶν ἀληθῆ, λαβέ μοι τὰ ψηφίσματα, καὶ τὴν ἐκμαρτυρίαν ἀνάγνωθι τὴν Ἀριστοδήμου, καὶ κάλει πρὸς οὓς ἐξεμαρτύρησεν, ἵνʼ εἰδῶσιν οἱ δικασταί, τίς ὁ Φιλοκράτους ἑταῖρος, καὶ τίς ὁ τὰς δωρεὰς Ἀριστοδήμῳ φάσκων πείσειν δοῦναι τὸν δῆμον.
20. The Decrees. The Deposition The whole affair, therefore, from the beginning originated not with me, but with Demosthenes and Philocrates. And on the embassy he was eager to belong to our mess—not with my consent, but with that of my companions, Aglaocreon of Tenedos, whom you chose to represent the allies, and Iatrocles. And he asserts that on the journey I urged him to join me in guarding against the beast—meaning Philocrates. But the whole story was a fabrication; for how could I have urged Demosthenes against Philocrates, when I knew that he had been Philocrates’ advocate in the suit against the legality of his motion, and that he had been nominated to the embassy by Philocrates?
20. Ψηφίσματα. Ἐκμαρτυρία ἡ μὲν τοίνυν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔνστασις τῶν ὅλων πραγμάτων ἐγένετο οὐ διʼ ἐμοῦ, ἀλλὰ διὰ Λημοσθένους καὶ Φιλοκράτους· ἐν δὲ τῇ πρεσβείᾳ συσσιτεῖν ἡμῖν ἐσπούδασεν, οὐκ ἐμὲ πείσας, ἀλλὰ τοὺς μετʼ ἐμοῦ, Ἀγλαοκρέοντα τὸν Τενέδιον, ὃν ἐκ τῶν συμμάχων εἵλεσθε, καὶ Ἰατροκλέα. ἐν δὲ τῇ πορείᾳ παρακελεύεσθαί με φησὶν αὑτῷ, ὅπως τὸ θηρίον κοινῇ φυλάξομεν, τὸν Φιλοκράτην, πρᾶγμα λέγων πεπλασμένον. πῶς γὰρ ἂν ἐγὼ Δημοσθένην ἐπὶ Φιλοκράτην παρεκάλουν, ὃν ᾔδειν συνειπόντα μὲν Φιλοκράτει, ὅτʼ ἦν ἡ τῶν παρανόμων γραφή, προβληθέντα δʼ εἰς τὴν πρεσβείαν ὑπὸ Φιλοκράτους;
21. Moreover, this was not the sort of conversation in which we were engaged, but all the way we were forced to put up with Demosthenes’ odious and insufferable ways. When we were discussing what should be said, and when Cimon remarked that he was afraid Philip would get the better of us in arguing his claims, Demosthenes promised fountains of oratory, and said that he was going to make such a speech about our claims to Amphipolis and the origin of the war that he would sew up Philip’s mouth with an unsoaked rush, and he would persuade the Athenians to permit Leosthenes to return home, and Philip to restore Amphipolis to Athens.
21. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις οὐκ ἐν τοιούτοις ἦμεν λόγοις, ἀλλʼ ὅλην τὴν πορείαν ἠναγκαζόμεθα Δημοσθένην ὑπομένειν ἀφόρητον καὶ βαρὺν ἄνθρωπον· ὃς διασκοπούντων ἡμῶν ὅ τι χρὴ λέγειν, καὶ Κίμωνος εἰπόντος ὅτι φοβοῖτο μὴ δικαιολογούμενος περιγένοιτο ἡμῶν ὁ Φίλιππος, πηγὰς δὴ λόγων ἐπηγγέλλετο, καὶ περὶ τῶν δικαίων τῶν ὑπὲρ Ἀμφιπόλεως καὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦ πολέμου τοιαῦτα ἐρεῖν ἔφη, ὥστε ἀπορράψειν τὸ Φιλίππου στόμα ὁλοσχοίνῳ ἀβρόχῳ καὶ πείσειν Ἀθηναίους μὲν καταδέξασθαι Λεωσθένην, Φίλιππον δʼ Ἀθηναίοις Ἀμφίπολιν ἀποδοῦναι.
22. But not to describe at length the overweening self-confidence of this fellow, as soon as we were come to Macedonia, we arranged among ourselves that at our audience with Philip the eldest should speak first, and the rest in the order of age. Now it happened that the youngest man of us was, according to his own assertion, Demosthenes. When we were summoned—and pray now give especial attention to this, for here you shall see the exceeding enviousness of the man, and his strange cowardice and meanness too, and such plottings against men who were his own fellow ambassadors and his messmates as one would hardly enter into even against his bitterest enemies. For you remember he says it is the salt of the city and the table of the state for which he has most regard—he, who is no citizen born—for I will out with it!—nor akin to us.
22. ἵνα δὲ μὴ μακρολογῶ τὴν τούτου διεξιὼν ὑπερηφανίαν, ὡς τάχιστα ἥκομεν εἰς Μακεδονίαν, συνετάξαμεν πρὸς ἡμᾶς αὐτούς, ὅταν προσίωμεν Φιλίππῳ, τὸν πρεσβύτατον πρῶτον λέγειν καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς καθʼ ἡλικίαν· ἐτύγχανε δʼ ἡμῶν νεώτατος ὤν, ὡς ἔφη, Δημοσθένης. ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰσεκλήθημεν,—καὶ τούτοις ἤδη μοι σφόδρα προσέχετε τὸν νοῦν· ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ κατόψεσθε τἀνθρώπου φθόνον ὑπερβάλλοντα καὶ δεινὴν δειλίαν ἅμα καὶ κακοήθειαν, καὶ τοιαύτας ἐπιβουλὰς κατʼ ἀνδρῶν συσσίτων καὶ συμπρέσβεων, ἃς οὐδʼ ἂν κατὰ τῶν ἐχθίστων τις εἰκῇ ποιήσαιτο. τοὺς γὰρ τῆς πόλεως ἅλας καὶ τὴν δημοσίαν τράπεζαν περὶ πλείστου δή φησι ποιεῖσθαι, οὐκ ὢν ἐπιχώριος, εἰρήσεται γάρ, οὐδʼ ἐγγενής.
23. But we, who have shrines and family tombs in our native land, and such life and intercourse with you as belong to free men, and lawful marriage, with its offspring and connections, we while at Athens were worthy of your confidence, or you would never have chosen us, but when we had come to Macedonia we all at once turned traitors! But the man who had not one member of his body left unsold, posing as a second Aristeides “the Just,” is displeased, and spits on us, as takers of bribes.
23. ἡμεῖς δέ, οἷς ἱερὰ καὶ τάφοι προγόνων ὑπάρχουσιν ἐν τῇ πατρίδι, καὶ διατριβαὶ καὶ συνήθειαι μεθʼ ὑμῶν ἐλευθέριοι, καὶ γάμοι κατὰ τοὺς νόμους καὶ κηδεσταὶ καὶ τέκνα, Ἀθήνησι μὲν ἦμεν ἄξιοι τῆς ὑμετέρας πίστεως, οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτε ἡμᾶς εἵλεσθε, ἐλθόντες δʼ εἰς Μακεδονίαν ἐξαίφνης ἐγενόμεθα προδόται. ὁ δὲ οὐδὲν ἄπρατον ἔχων μέρος τοῦ σώματος, ὡς ὢν Ἀριστείδης, ὁ δίκαιος ἐπικαλούμενος, δυσχεραίνει καὶ καταπτύει δωροδοκίας.
24. Hear now the pleas that we made in your behalf, and again those which stand to the credit of Demosthenes, that great benefactor of the state, in order that I may answer one after another and in full detail each one of his accusations. But I commend you exceedingly, gentlemen of the jury, that in silence and with fairness you are listening to us. If, therefore, I fail to refute any one of his accusations, I shall have myself, not you, to blame.
24. ἀκούσατε δὴ τούς τε ἡμετέρους λόγους, οὓς εἴπομεν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, καὶ πάλιν οὓς τὸ μέγα ὄφελος τῆς πόλεως εἴρηκε Δημοσθένης, ἵνʼ ἐφεξῆς καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν πρὸς ἕκαστα τῶν κατηγορημένων ἀπολογήσωμαι. ἐπαινῶ δʼ εἰς ὑπερβολὴν ὑμᾶς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὅτι σιγῇ καὶ δικαίως ἡμῶν ἀκούετε· ὥστε, ἐάν τι μὴ λύσω τῶν κατηγορημένων, οὐχ ὑμᾶς, ἀλλʼ ἐμαυτὸν αἰτιάσομαι.
25. So when the older men had spoken on the object of our mission, our turn came. All that I said there and Philip’s reply, I reported fully in your assembly in the presence of all the citizens, but I will try to recall it to you now in a summary way.
25. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ταῖς ἡλικίαις ὑπὲρ τῆς πρεσβείας εἰρήκεσαν, καὶ καθῆκεν εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ λόγος, τὰ μὲν καθʼ ἕκαστα τῶν ἐκεῖ ῥηθέντων ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ, καὶ τοὺς πρὸς ταῦτα Φιλίππου λόγους, ἐν τῷ δήμῳ σαφῶς ἀπήγγειλα πρὸς ἅπαντας Ἀθηναίους, νυνὶ δὲ πειράσομαι διὰ κεφαλαίων ὑμᾶς ὑπομιμνῄσκειν.
26. In the first place, I described to him our traditional friendship and your generous services to Amyntas, the father of Philip, recalling them all one after another, and omitting nothing. Secondly, I reminded him of services of which he himself had been both witness and recipient. For shortly after the death of Amyntas, and of Alexander, the eldest of the brothers, while Perdiccas and Philip were still children, when their mother Eurydice had been betrayed by those who professed to be their friends, and when Pausanias was coming back to contend for the throne, an exile then, but favoured by opportunity and the support of many of the people, and bringing a Greek force with him, and when he had already seized Anthemon, Therma, Strepsa, and certain other places, at a time when the Macedonians were not united, but most of them favoured Pausanias: at this crisis the Athenians elected Iphicrates as their general to go against Amphipolis—for at that time the people of Amphipolis were holding their city themselves and enjoying the products of the land.
26. πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ πρὸς αὐτὸν διεξῆλθον τὴν πατρικὴν εὔνοιαν καὶ τὰς εὐεργεσίας ἃς ὑμεῖς ὑπήρξατε Ἀμύντα τῷ Φιλίππου πατρί, οὐδὲν παραλείπων, ἀλλʼ ἐφεξῆς ἅπαντα ὑπομιμνῄσκων, δεύτερον δὲ, ὧν αὐτὸς ἦν μάρτυς εὖ παθών. Ἀμύντου μὲν γὰρ νεωστὶ τετελευτηκότος καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ πρεσβυτάτου τῶν ἀδελφῶν, Περδίκκου δὲ καὶ Φιλίππου παίδων ὄντων, Εὐρυδίκης δὲ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτῶν προδεδομένης ὑπὸ τῶν δοκούντων εἶναι φίλων, Παυσανίου δʼ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν κατιόντος, φυγάδος μὲν ὄντος, τῷ καιρῷ δʼ ἰσχύοντος, πολλῶν δʼ αὐτῷ συμπραττόντων, ἔχοντος δὲ Ἑλληνικὴν δύναμιν, εἰληφότος δὲ Ἀνθεμοῦντα καὶ Θέρμαν καὶ Στρέψαν καὶ ἄλλʼ ἄττα χωρία, Μακεδόνων δὲ οὐχ ὁμονοούντων, ἀλλὰ τῶν πλείστων τὰ Παυσανίου φρονούντων, ἐπὶ τῶν καιρῶν τούτων ἐχειροτόνησαν Ἀθηναῖοι στρατηγὸν ἐπʼ Ἀμφίπολιν Ἰφικράτην, Ἀμφιπολιτῶν αὐτῶν ἐχόντων τότε τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὴν χώραν καρπουμένων.
28. When Iphicrates had come into this region—with a few ships at first, for the purpose of examining into the situation rather than of laying siege to the city— “Then,” said I, “your mother Eurydice sent for him, and according to the testimony of all who were present, she put your brother Perdiccas into the arms of Iphicrates, and set you upon his knees—for you were a little boy—and said, ‘Amyntas, the father of these little children, when he was alive, made you his son, and enjoyed the friendship of the city of Athens; we have a right therefore to consider you in your private capacity a brother of these boys, and in your public capacity a friend to us.’”
28. ἀφικομένου δʼ εἰς τοὺς τόπους Ἰφικράτους μετʼ ὀλίγων τὸ πρῶτον νεῶν, ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ μᾶλλον τῶν πραγμάτων ἢ πολιορκία τῆς πόλεως, ἐνταῦθα, ἔφην ἐγώ, μετεπέμψατο αὐτὸν Εὐρυδίκη ἡ μήτηρ ἡ σή, καὶ ὥς γε δὴ λέγουσιν οἱ παρόντες πάντες, Περδίκκαν μὲν τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν σὸν καταστήσασα εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τὰς Ἰφικράτους, σὲ δὲ εἰς τὰ γόνατα τὰ ἐκείνου θεῖσα παιδίον ὄντα, εἶπεν ὅτι Ἀμύντας ὁ πατὴρ τῶν παιδίων τούτων, ὅτʼ ἔζη, υἱὸν ἐποιήσατό σε, τῇ δὲ Ἀθηναίων πόλει οἰκείως ἐχρήσατο, ὥστε συμβαίνει σοι καὶ ἰδίᾳ τῶν παίδων τούτων γεγενῆσθαι ἀδελφῷ, καὶ δημοσίᾳ φίλῳ ἡμῖν εἶναι.
29. “After this she at once began to make earnest entreaty in your behalf and in her own, and for the maintenance of the throne—in a word for full protection. When Iphicrates had heard all this, he drove Pausanias out of Macedonia and preserved the dynasty for you.” Next I spoke about Ptolemaeus, who had been made regent, telling what an ungrateful and outrageous thing he had done: I explained how in the first place he continually worked against our city in the interest of Amphipolis, and when we were in controversy with the Thebans, made alliance with them; and then how Perdiccas, when he came to the throne, fought for Amphipolis against our city.
29. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἤδη δέησιν ἰσχυρὰν ἐποιεῖτο καὶ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ ὑπὲρ αὑτῆς καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ ὅλως ὑπὲρ τῆς σωτηρίας. ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα Ἰφικράτης ἐξήλασε Παυσανίαν ἐκ Μακεδονίας, καὶ τὴν δυναστείαν ὑμῖν ἔσωσε. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἶπον περὶ Πτολεμαίου, ὃς ἦν ἐπίτροπος καθεστηκὼς τῶν πραγμάτων, ὡς ἀχάριστον καὶ δεινὸν ἔργον διεπράξατο, διδάσκων ὅτι πρῶτον μὲν ὑπὲρ Ἀμφιπόλεως ἀντέπραττε τῇ πόλει, καὶ πρὸς Θηβαίους διαφερομένων Ἀθηναίων συμμαχίαν ἐποιήσατο, καὶ πάλιν ὡς Περδίκκας εἰς τὴν ἀρχὴν καταστὰς ὑπὲρ Ἀμφιπόλεως ἐπολέμησε τῇ πόλει.
30. And I showed that, wronged as you were, you maintained your friendly attitude; for I told how, when you had conquered Perdiccas in the war, under the generalship of Callisthenes, you made a truce with him, ever expecting to receive some just return. And I tried to remove the ill feeling that was connected with this affair by showing that it was not the truce with Perdiccas that led the people to put Callisthenes to death, but other causes. And again I did not hesitate to complain of Philip himself, blaming him for having taken up in his turn the war against our state.
30. καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἠδικημένων ὅμως φιλανθρωπίαν διεξῄειν, λέγων ὅτι κρατοῦντες τῷ πολέμῳ Περδίκκαν Καλλισθένους ἡγουμένου, ἀνοχὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐποιήσασθε, ἀεί τινος προσδοκῶντες τῶν δικαίων τεύξεσθαι. καὶ τὴν διαβολὴν ταύτην ἐπειρώμην λύειν, διδάσκων ὅτι Καλλισθένην ὁ δῆμος ἀπέκτεινεν, οὐ διὰ τὰς πρὸς Περδίκκαν ἀνοχάς, ἀλλὰ διʼ ἑτέρας αἰτίας. καὶ πάλιν οὐκ ὤκνουν κατʼ αὐτοῦ λέγειν Φιλίππου, ἐπιτιμῶν ὅτι τὴν ἐκδοχὴν ἐποιήσατο τοῦ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν πολέμου.
31. As proof of all my statements, I offered the letters of the persons in question, the decrees of the people, and Callisthenes’ treaty of truce. Now the facts about our original acquisition both of the district and of the place called Ennea Hodoi, and the story of the sons of Theseus, one of whom, Acamas, is said to have received this district as the dowry of his wife—all this was fitting to the occasion then, and was given with the utmost exactness, but now I suppose I must be brief; but those proofs which rested, not on the ancient legends, but on occurrences of our own time, these also I called to mind.
31. καὶ πάντων ὧν εἴποιμι μάρτυρας τὰς ἐκείνων ἐπιστολὰς παρειχόμην καὶ τὰ ψηφίσματα τοῦ δήμου καὶ τὰς Καλλισθένους ἀνοχάς. περὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς ἐξ ἀρχῆς κτήσεως τῆς χώρας, καὶ τῶν καλουμένων Ἐννέα ὁδῶν, καὶ περὶ τῶν Θησέως παίδων, ὧν Ἀκάμας λέγεται φερνὴν ἐπὶ τῇ γυναικὶ λαβεῖν τὴν χώραν ταύτην, τότε μὲν ἥρμοττέ τε λέγειν καὶ ἐρρήθη ὡς ἐνεδέχετο ἀκριβέστατα, νυνὶ δὲ ἴσως ἀνάγκη συντέμνειν τοὺς λόγους· ἃ δὲ ἦν τῶν σημείων οὐκ ἐν τοῖς ἀρχαίοις μύθοις, ἀλλʼ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν γεγενημένα, καὶ τούτων ἐπεμνήσθην.
32. For at a congress of the Lacedaemonian allies and the other Greeks, in which Amyntas, the father of Philip, being entitled to a seat, was represented by a delegate whose vote was absolutely under his control, he joined the other Greeks in voting to help Athens to recover possession of Amphipolis. As proof of this I presented from the public records the resolution of the Greek congress and the names of those who voted.
32. συμμαχίας γὰρ Λακεδαιμονίων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων συνελθούσης, εἷς ὢν τούτων Ἀμύντας ὁ Φιλίππου πατὴρ καὶ πέμπων σύνεδρον καὶ τῆς καθʼ αὑτὸν ψήφου κύριος ὤν, ἐψηφίσατο Ἀμφίπολιν τὴν Ἀθηναίων συνεξαιρεῖν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων Ἀθηναίοις. καὶ τούτων τὸ κοινὸν δόγμα τῶν Ἑλλήνων καὶ τοὺς ψηφισαμένους ἐκ τῶν δημοσίων γραμμάτων μάρτυρας παρειχόμην.
33. “Now,” said I, “a claim which Amyntas renounced in the presence of all the Greeks, and that not by words alone, but by his vote, that claim you his son have no right to advance. But if you argue that it is right for you to keep the place because you took it in war, if it is true that it was a war against us in which you took the city, you do hold it justly, by right of conquest; but if it was from the Amphipolitans that you took a city which belonged to the Athenians, it is not the property of the Amphipolitans that you are holding, but territory of Athens.”
33. ὧν δὲ Ἀμύντας ἀπέστη ἐναντίον τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἁπάντων οὐ μόνον λόγοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψήφῳ, τούτων, ἔφην ἐγώ, σὲ τὸν ἐξ ἐκείνου γεγενημένον οὐκ ἔστι δίκαιον ἀντιποιεῖσθαι. εἰ δʼ ἀντιποιῇ κατὰ πόλεμον λαβὼν εἰκότως ἔχειν, εἰ μὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς πολεμήσας δοριάλωτον τὴν πόλιν εἷλες, κυρίως ἔχεις τῷ τοῦ πολέμου νόμῳ κτησάμενος· εἰ δʼ Ἀμφιπολίτας ἀφείλου τὴν Ἀθηναίων πόλιν, οὐχὶ τἀκείνων ἔχεις, ἀλλὰ τὴν Ἀθηναίων χώραν.
34. Now when I had said this and more beside, at last came Demosthenes’ turn to speak. All were intent, expecting to hear a masterpiece of eloquence. For, as we learned afterwards, his extravagant boasting had been reported to Philip and his court. So when all were thus prepared to listen, this creature mouthed forth a proem—an obscure sort of thing and as dead as fright could make it; and getting on a little way into the subject he suddenly stopped speaking and stood helpless; finally he collapsed completely.
34. ῥηθέντων δὲ καὶ τούτων καὶ ἑτέρων λόγων, ἤδη καθῆκεν εἰς Δημοσθένην τὸ τῆς πρεσβείας μέρος, καὶ πάντες προσεῖχον ὡς ὑπερβολάς τινας δυνάμεως ἀκουσόμενοι λόγων· καὶ γὰρ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν Φίλιππον, ὡς ἦν ὕστερον ἀκούειν, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἑταίρους ἐξήγγελτο ἡ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν ὑπερβολή. οὕτω δὲ ἁπάντων διακειμένων πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόασιν, φθέγγεται τὸ θηρίον τοῦτο προοίμιον σκοτεινόν τι καὶ τεθνηκὸς δειλίᾳ, καὶ μικρὸν προαγαγὼν ἄνω τῶν πραγμάτων, ἐξαίφνης ἐσίγησε καὶ διηπορήθη, τελευτῶν δὲ ἐκπίπτει ἐκ τοῦ λόγου.
35. Philip saw his plight and bade him take courage, and not to think, as though he were an actor on the stage, that his collapse was an irreparable calamity, but to keep cool and try gradually to recall his speech, and speak it off as he had prepared it. But he, having been once upset, and having forgotten what he had written, was unable to recover himself; nay, on making a second attempt, he broke down again. Silence followed; then the herald bade us withdraw.
35. ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ Φίλιππος ὡς διέκειτο, θαρρεῖν τε παρεκελεύετο καὶ μὴ νομίζειν, ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς θεάτροις, διὰ τοῦτό τι πεπονθέναι, ἀλλʼ ἡσυχῇ καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν ἀναμιμνῄσκεσθαι, καὶ λέγειν ὡς προείλετο. ὁ δʼ ὡς ἅπαξ ἐταράχθη καὶ τῶν γεγραμμένων διεσφάλη, οὐδʼ ἀναλαβεῖν αὑτὸν ἐδυνήθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάλιν ἐπιχειρήσας ταὐτὸν ἔπαθεν. ὡς δʼ ἦν σιωπή, μεταστῆναι ἡμᾶς ὁ κῆρυξ ἐκέλευσεν.
36. Now when we were by ourselves, our worthy colleague Demosthenes put on an exceedingly sour face and declared that I had ruined the city and the allies. And when not only I, but all the rest of the ambassadors were amazed, and asked him his reason for saying that, he asked me if I had forgotten the situation at Athens, and if I did not remember that the people were worn out and exceedingly anxious for peace.
36. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἐγενόμεθα, σφόδρα σκυθρωπάσας ὁ χρηστὸς οὑτοσὶ Δημοσθένης ἀπολωλεκέναι με ἔφη τὴν πόλιν καὶ τοὺς συμμάχους. ἐκπλαγέντος δὲ οὐκ ἐμοῦ μόνου, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν συμπρέσβεων ἁπάντων, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν πυνθανομένων διʼ ἣν ταῦτʼ εἶπεν, ἤρετό με εἰ τῶν Ἀθήνησι πραγμάτων ἐπιλέλησμαι, καὶ τὸν δῆμον καταπεπονημένον καὶ σφόδρα ἐπιθυμοῦντα εἰρήνης εἰ μὴ μέμνημαι.
37. “Or does your confidence rest,” said he, “on those fifty ships that have been voted but are never going to be manned? You have so exasperated Philip by the speech you have made that the effect of it could not possibly be to make peace out of war, but implacable war out of peace!” I was just beginning to answer him, when the attendants summoned us.
37. ἢ μέγα φρονεῖς, ἔφη, ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐψηφισμέναις μὲν πεντήκοντα ναυσίν, οὐδέποτε δὲ πληρωθησομέναις; οὕτω γὰρ ἠρέθικας Φίλιππον καὶ τοιαῦτα εἴρηκας, ἐξ ὧν οὐκ εἰρήνη γένοιτʼ ἂν ἐκ πολέμου, ἀλλʼ ἐξ εἰρήνης πόλεμος ἀκήρυκτος. ἀρχομένου δʼ ἐμοῦ πρὸς ταῦτα ἀντιλέγειν, ἐκάλουν ἡμᾶς οἱ ὑπηρέται.
38. When we had come in and taken our seats, Philip began at the beginning and undertook to make some sort of answer to every argument which we had advanced. Naturally he dwelt especially on my argument, for I think I may fairly say that I had omitted nothing that could be said; and again and again he mentioned my name in the course of his argument. But in reply to Demosthenes, who had made such a laughing.stock of himself, not one word was said on a single point, I believe. And you may be sure that this was pain and anguish to him.
38. ὡς δʼ εἰσήλθομεν καὶ ἐκαθεζόμεθα, ἐξ ἀρχῆς πρὸς ἕκαστον τῶν εἰρημένων ἐνεχείρει τι λέγειν ὁ Φίλιππος, πλείστην δὲ εἰκότως ἐποιήσατο διατριβὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους· ἴσως γὰρ οὐδὲν τῶν ἐνόντων εἰπεῖν, ὥς γε οἶμαι, παρέλιπον· καὶ πολλάκις μου τοὔνομα ἐν τοῖς λόγοις ὠνόμαζε· πρὸς δὲ Δημοσθένην τὸν οὕτω καταγελάστως ἀπαλλάξαντα οὐδʼ ὑπὲρ ἑνὸς οἶμαι διελέχθη. τοῦτο δὲ ἦν ἄρα ἀγχόνη καὶ λύπη τούτῳ.
39. But when Philip turned to expressions of friendship, and the bottom dropped out of the slander which this Demosthenes had previously uttered against me before our fellow ambassadors, that I was going to be the cause of disagreement and war, then indeed it was plain to see that he was altogether beside himself, so that even when we were invited to dinner he behaved with shameful rudeness.
39. ἐπειδὴ δὲ κατέστρεψεν εἰς φιλανθρωπίαν τοὺς λόγους, καὶ τὸ συκοφάντημα ὃ προειρήκει κατʼ ἐμοῦ πρὸς τοὺς συμπρέσβεις οὗτος, ὡς ἐσομένου πολέμου καὶ διαφορᾶς αἰτίου, διέπιπτεν αὐτῷ, ἐνταῦθα ἤδη καὶ παντελῶς ἐξιστάμενος αὑτοῦ καταφανὴς ἦν, ὥστε καὶ κληθέντων ἡμῶν ἐπὶ ξένια δεινῶς ἀσχημονεῖν.
40. When we set out on our return home after completing our mission, suddenly he began talking to each of us on the way in a surprisingly friendly manner. Why, up to that time I had never so much as known the meaning of words like “kerkops,” or the so-called “paipalema,” or “palimbolon” but now after acquiring him as expounder of the mysteries of all rascality, I am fully instructed.
40. ἀφορμώντων δʼ ἡμῶν οἴκαδε ἐκ τῆς πρεσβείας, ἐξαίφνης κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν παραδόξως ὡς φιλανθρώπως πρὸς ἕκαστον διελέγετο. ὅ τι μὲν οὖν ποτʼ ἦν ὁ κέρκωψ ἢ τὸ καλούμενον παιπάλημα ἢ τὸ παλίμβολον ἢ τὰ τοιαῦτα ῥήματα, οὐκ ᾔδειν πρότερον· νυνὶ δʼ ἐξηγητὴν τοῦτον λαβὼν τῆς ἁπάσης κακοηθείας μεμάθηκα.
41. and he would take each of us in turn to one side, and to one he would promise to open a subscription to help him in his private difficulties, and to another that he would get him elected general. As for me, he fol- lowed me about, congratulating me on my ability and praising my speech; so lavish was he in his compliments that I became sick and tired of him. And when we were all dining together at Larisa, he made fun of himself and the embarrassment which had come upon him in his speech, and he declared that Philip was the most wonderful man under the sun.
41. διαλαμβάνων γὰρ ἕκαστον ἡμῶν ἐν μέρει, τῷ μὲν ἔρανον συστήσειν ἐπηγγέλλετο καὶ βοηθήσειν τοῖς ἰδίοις, τὸν δὲ εἰς στρατηγίαν καταστήσειν· ἐμοὶ δὲ παρακολουθῶν καὶ τὴν φύσιν μακαρίζων καὶ τοὺς λόγους οὓς εἶπον ἐγκωμιάζων πολὺς ἦν τοῖς ἐπαίνοις καὶ ἐπαχθής. συνδειπνούντων δʼ ἡμῶν ἁπάντων ἐν Λαρίσῃ, αὑτὸν μὲν ἔσκωπτε καὶ τὴν ἀπορίαν τὴν ἐν τῷ λόγῳ συμβᾶσαν ἑαυτῷ, τὸν δὲ Φίλιππον τῶν ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον ἀνθρώπων ἔφη πάντων εἶναι δεινότατον.
42. When I had added my testimony, saying something like this, that Philip had shown excellent memory in his reply to what we had said, and when Ctesiphon, who was the oldest of us, speaking of his own advanced age and the number of his years, added that in all his many years he had never looked upon so charming and lovable a man, then this Sisyphus here clapped his hands and said, “But, Ctesiphon, it will never do for you to tell the people that, nor would our friend here,” meaning me, “venture to say to the Athenians that Philip is a man of good memory and great eloquence.”
42. συναποφηναμένου δὲ κἀμοῦ τι τοιοῦτον, ὡς καὶ μνημονικῶς εἴποι πρὸς τὰ παρʼ ἡμῶν ῥηθέντα, Κτησιφῶντος δέ, ὅσπερ ἦν ἡμῶν πρεσβύτατος, ὑπερβολήν τινα ἑαυτοῦ παλαιότητος καὶ πλήθους ἐτῶν εἰπόντος, καὶ προσθέντος, ὡς ἐν τοσούτῳ χρόνῳ οὐ πώποθʼ οὕτως ἡδὺν οὐδʼ ἐπαφρόδιτον ἄνθρωπον ἑωρακὼς εἴη, ἀνακροτήσας ὁ Σίσοφος ὅδε τὰς χεῖρας, ταῦτα μέντοι, ἔφη, ὦ Κτησιφῶν, οὔτʼ ἂν σὺ πρὸς τὸν δῆμον εἴποις, οὔτʼ ἂν οὗτος, ἐμὲ δὴ λέγων, τολμήσειεν εἰπεῖν πρὸς Ἀθηναίους, ὡς ὁ Φίλιππος δεινὸς εἰπεῖν καὶ μνημονικός.
43. And we innocently, not foreseeing the trick of which you shall hear presently, allowed him to bind us in a sort of agreement that we would say this to you. And he begged me earnestly not to fail to tell how Demosthenes also said something in support of our claim to Amphipolis.
43. ἀναισθήτως δὲ ἡμῶν ἐχόντων καὶ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν οὐ προορωμένων, ἣν αὐτίκα ἀκούσεσθε, εἰς συνθήκην τινὰ ἡμᾶς κατέκλῃσεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ταῦτʼ ἐρεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς. ἐμοῦ δὲ καὶ δέησιν ἰσχυρὰν ἐδεήθη μὴ παραλιπεῖν, ἀλλʼ εἰπεῖν, ὡς ὑπὲρ Ἀμφιπόλεώς τι καὶ Δημοσθένης εἴποι.
44. Now up to this point I am supported by the testimony of my colleagues in the embassy, whom he has reviled and slandered from beginning to end of his accusation. But his words on the platform in your presence you yourselves have heard; so it will not be possible for me to misrepresent them. And I beg of you to continue to hear patiently the rest of my narrative. I do not forget that each of you is anxious to hear the story of Cersobleptes and the charges made about the Phocians, and I am eager to get to those subjects; but you will not be as well able to follow them unless you shall first hear all that preceded. And if, in my peril, you allow me to speak as I wish, you will be able to save me, if I am innocent, and that on good and sufficient grounds; and you will also have before you the facts that are acknowledged as you proceed to examine the points that are in dispute.
44. μέχρι μὲν οὖν τούτων οἱ συμπρέσβεις εἰσί μοι μάρτυρες, οὓς προπηλακίζων οὗτος καὶ διαβάλλων ἐν τῇ κατηγορίᾳ διατετέλεκε· τῶν δʼ ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος παρʼ ὑμῖν λόγων ὑμεῖς ἀκηκόατε, ὥστε οὐκ ἐνέσται μοι ψεύδεσθαι. δέομαι δὲ ὑμῶν προσεπιπονῆσαι ἀκούοντας καὶ τὴν λοιπὴν διήγησιν. ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ἕκαστος ὑμῶν ποθεῖ τὰ περὶ Κερσοβλέπτην ἀκούειν καὶ τὰς περὶ Φωκέων αἰτίας, σαφῶς οἶδα, καὶ πρὸς ταῦτα σπεύδω· ἀλλʼ ἐὰν μὴ τὰ πρὸ τούτων ἀκούσητε, οὐδʼ ἐκείνοις ὁμοίως παρακολουθήσετε. ἐὰν δʼ ἐμοὶ τῷ κινδυνεύοντι εἰπεῖν δῶτε ὡς βούλομαι, καὶ σῶσαί με, εἰ μηδὲν ἀδικῶ, δυνήσεσθε, ἱκανὰς εἰληφότες ἀφορμάς, καὶ θεάσεσθε ἐκ τῶν ὁμολογουμένων καὶ τἀντιλεγόμενα.
45. On our return, then, after we had rendered to the senate a brief report of our mission and had delivered the letter from Philip, Demosthenes praised us to his colleagues in the senate, and he swore by Hestia, goddess of the senate, that he congratulated the city on having sent such men on the embassy, men who in honesty and eloquence were worthy of the state.
45. ὡς γὰρ δεῦρʼ ἤλθομεν καὶ πρὸς τὴν βουλὴν ἐπὶ κεφαλαίων τὴν πρεσβείαν ἀπηγγείλαμεν, καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἀπέδομεν τὴν παρὰ Φιλίππου, ἐπαινέτης ἦν ἡμῶν Δημοσθένης πρὸς τοὺς συμβουλευτάς, καὶ τὴν Ἑστίαν ἐπώμοσε τὴν βουλαίαν συγχαίρειν τῇ πόλει, ὅτι τοιούτους ἄνδρας ἐπὶ τὴν πρεσβείαν ἐξέπεμψεν, οἳ καὶ τῇ πίστει καὶ λέγοντες ἦσαν ἄξιοι τῆς πόλεως.
46. In referring to me he said something like this: that I had not disappointed the hopes of those who elected me to the embassy. And to cap it all he moved that each of us be crowned with a garland of wild olive because of our loyalty to the people, and that we be invited to dine on the morrow in the Prytaneum. To prove that I have spoken to you nothing but the truth, please let the clerk take the decree, and let him read the testimony of my colleagues in the embassy.
46. ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ δὲ εἶπέ τι τοιοῦτον, ὡς οὐ ψευσαίμην τὰς τῶν ἑλομένων με ἐπὶ τὴν πρεσβείαν ἐλπίδας. τέλος δὲ πάντων· ἔγραψε γὰρ ἡμᾶς στεφανῶσαι θαλλοῦ στεφάνῳ ἕκαστον εὐνοίας ἕνεκα τῆς εἰς τὸν δῆμον, καὶ καλέσαι ἐπὶ δεῖπνον εἰς τὸ πρυτανεῖον εἰς αὔριον. ὅτι δʼ οὐδὲν ψεῦδος εἴρηκα πρὸς ὑμᾶς, λαβέτω μοι τὸ ψήφισμα ὁ γραμματεύς, καὶ τὰς τῶν συμπρέσβεων μαρτυρίας ἀναγνώτω.
47. The Decree. The Testimony Now when we presented the report of our embassy before the assembly, Ctesiphon came for ward first and spoke, including in his account the points that he was to make according to his agreement with Demosthenes, I mean about Philip’s social accomplishments, his personal appearance, and his doughty deeds at the cups. Next Philocrates and Dercylus spoke briefly; then I came forward.
47. Ψήφισμα Μαρτυρίαι ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἀπηγγέλλομεν τὴν πρεσβείαν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ, εἶπε παρελθὼν πρῶτος ἡμῶν Κτησιφῶν ἄλλους τέ τινας λόγους καὶ τοὺς πρὸς Δημοσθένην αὐτῷ συγκειμένους ἐρεῖν, περί τε τῆς ἐντεύξεως τῆς Φιλίππου καὶ τῆς ἰδέας αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἐν τοῖς πότοις ἐπιδεξιότητος. καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον Φιλοκράτους εἰπόντος μικρὰ καὶ Δερκύλου, παρῆλθον ἐγώ.
48. After giving an account of our mission in general, I went on to say, according to the agreement with my colleagues on the embassy, that Philip showed both memory and eloquence when he spoke. And I did not forget what Demosthenes had asked me to mention, namely, that we had agreed that he was to speak about Amphipolis, in case any point should have been passed over by the rest of us.
48. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν ἄλλην διεξῆλθον πρεσβείαν, ἀπήντησα καὶ πρὸς τὸν λόγον ὃν ἐν τοῖς συμπρέσβεσι διωμολογησάμην, εἰπὼν ὅτι καὶ μνημονικῶς καὶ δυνατῶς ὁ Φίλιππος εἴποι· καὶ τὴν δέησιν οὐκ ἐπελαθόμην τὴν Δημοσθένους, ὅτι ταχθείη λέγειν, ἐάν τι παραλίπωμεν ἡμεῖς, ὑπὲρ Ἀμφιπόλεως.
49. After we had spoken, last of all Demosthenes arose, and with that imposing air of his, and rubbing his forehead, when he saw that the people approved my report and were satisfied with it, he said that he was amazed at both parties, as well the listeners as the ambassadors, for they were carelessly wasting time—the listeners wasting the time for taking counsel, the ambassadors the time for giving it, all of them amusing themselves with foreign gossip, when they ought to be giving attention to our own affairs; for nothing, he said, was easier than to render account of an embassy.
49. ἐφʼ ἅπασι δʼ ἡμῖν ἀνίσταται τελευταῖος Δημοσθένης, καὶ τερατευσάμενος, ὥσπερ εἴωθε, τῷ σχήματι καὶ τρίψας τὴν κεφαλήν, ὁρῶν ἐπισημαινόμενον τὸν δῆμον καὶ ἀποδεδεγμένον τοὺς παρʼ ἐμοῦ λόγους, ἀμφοτέρων ἔφη θαυμάζειν, καὶ τῶν ἀκουόντων καὶ τῶν πρεσβευσάντων, ὅταν παρέντες τὸν χρόνον, οἱ μὲν τὸν τοῦ βουλεύεσθαι, οἱ δὲ τὸν τοῦ συμβουλεύειν, ἀποδιατρίβωσι τὴν ὑπερόριον λαλιὰν ἀγαπῶντες ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις πράγμασιν· οὐδὲν γὰρ εἶναι ῥᾷον ἢ πρεσβείαν ἀπαγγεῖλαι.