---
title: "On the False Embassy · Περὶ τῆς παραπρεσβείας"
author: "Demosthenes"
translator: "Charles Anthony Vince"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/
cite: "Demosthenes, tr. Charles Anthony Vince, On the False Embassy · Περὶ τῆς παραπρεσβείας. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/"
---

# On the False Embassy · Περὶ τῆς παραπρεσβείας

*Demosthenes, tr. Charles Anthony Vince*

Demosthenes accuses Aeschines of taking Philip’s bribes on the embassy of 346 BC.

> Greek: ed. Samuel Henry Butcher, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0014.tlg019, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Charles Anthony Vince, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0014.tlg019.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Sections 1–50](https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/1.md)
2. [Sections 51–97](https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/2.md)
3. [Sections 98–151](https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/3.md)
4. [Sections 152–201](https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/4.md)
5. [Sections 202–250](https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/5.md)
6. [Sections 251–295](https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/6.md)
7. [Sections 296–343](https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/7.md)

## 1. Sections 1–50

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. Citizens of Athens, I do not doubt that you are all pretty well aware that this trial has been the center of keen partisanship and active canvassing, for you saw the people who were accosting and annoying you just now at the casting of lots. But I have to make a request which ought to be granted without asking, that you will all give less weight to private entreaty or personal influence than to the spirit of justice and to the oath which you severally swore when you entered that box. You will reflect that justice and the oath concern yourselves and the commonwealth, whereas the importunity and party spirit of advocates serve the end of those private ambitions which you are convened by the laws to thwart, not to encourage for the advantage of evil-doers.

> Greek: 1. ὅση μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, σπουδὴ περὶ τουτονὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα καὶ παραγγελία γέγονε, σχεδὸν οἶμαι πάντας ὑμᾶς ᾐσθῆσθαι, ἑορακότας ἄρτι τοὺς ὅτʼ ἐκληροῦσθʼ ἐνοχλοῦντας καὶ προσιόντας ὑμῖν. δεήσομαι δὲ πάντων ὑμῶν, ἃ καὶ τοῖς μὴ δεηθεῖσι δίκαιόν ἐστιν ὑπάρχειν, μηδεμίαν μήτε χάριν μήτʼ ἄνδρα ποιεῖσθαι περὶ πλείονος ἢ τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὸν ὅρκον ὃν εἰσελήλυθεν ὑμῶν ἕκαστος ὀμωμοκώς, ἐνθυμουμένους ὅτι ταῦτα μέν ἐσθʼ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ ὅλης τῆς πόλεως, αἱ δὲ τῶν παρακλήτων αὗται δεήσεις καὶ σπουδαὶ τῶν ἰδίων πλεονεξιῶν εἵνεκα γίγνονται, ἃς ἵνα κωλύηθʼ οἱ νόμοι συνήγαγον ὑμᾶς, οὐχ ἵνα κυρίας τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι ποιῆτε.

[¶1] 2. Now I observe that men who enter public life with honest intentions, even after they have submitted to scrutiny, do still acknowledge a perpetual responsibility. But Aeschines, the defendant, reverses this practice. Before coming into court to justify his proceedings, he has put out of the way one of the men who called him to account, and the others he is constantly threatening. So he is trying to introduce into politics a most dangerous and deplorable practice; for if a man who has undertaken and administered any public function can get rid of accusers not by his honesty but by the fear he inspires, the people will soon lose all control of public affairs.

> Greek: 2. τοὺς μὲν οὖν ἄλλους, ὅσοι πρὸς τὰ κοινὰ δικαίως προσέρχονται, κἂν δεδωκότες ὦσιν εὐθύνας, τὴν ἀειλογίαν ὁρῶ προτεινομένους, τουτονὶ δʼ Αἰσχίνην πολὺ τἀναντία τούτου· πρὶν γὰρ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς ὑμᾶς καὶ λόγον δοῦναι τῶν πεπραγμένων τὸν μὲν ἀνῄρηκε τῶν ἐπὶ τὰς εὐθύνας ἐλθόντων, τοῖς δʼ ἀπειλεῖ περιιών, δεινότατον πάντων ἔθος εἰς τὴν πολιτείαν εἰσάγων καὶ ἀσυμφορώτατον ὑμῖν· εἰ γὰρ ὁ πράξας τι τῶν κοινῶν καὶ διοικήσας τῷ καθʼ ἑαυτὸν φόβῳ καὶ μὴ τῷ δικαίῳ κατασκευάσει μηδένʼ εἶναι κατήγορον αὑτοῦ, παντάπασιν ἄκυροι πάντων ὑμεῖς γενήσεσθε.

[¶2] 3. While I have entire confidence that I shall prove that this man is guilty of serious delinquencies, and that he deserves the most severe punishment, yet, in spite of that assurance, I have a misgiving, which I will explain to you quite frankly. It appears to me, men of Athens, that the trials which come before you are affected quite as much by the conditions of the hour as by the facts; and I am afraid that the long lapse of time since the embassy has inclined you to forget or to acquiesce in these iniquities.

> Greek: 3. τὸ μὲν οὖν ἐξελέγξειν πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ πεποιηκότα τουτονὶ καὶ τῆς ἐσχάτης ὄντα τιμωρίας ἄξιον θαρρῶ καὶ πάνυ πιστεύω· ὃ δὲ καίπερ ὑπειληφὼς ταῦτα φοβοῦμαι, φράσω πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ οὐκ ἀποκρύψομαι, ὅτι μοι δοκοῦσιν ἅπαντες οἱ παρʼ ὑμῖν ἀγῶνες οὐχ ἧττον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῶν καιρῶν ἢ τῶν πραγμάτων εἶναι, καὶ τὸ χρόνον γεγενῆσθαι μετὰ τὴν πρεσβείαν πολὺν δέδοικα, μή τινα λήθην ἢ συνήθειαν τῶν ἀδικημάτων ὑμῖν ἐμπεποιήκῃ.

[¶3] 4. I will, then, suggest a method by which you may nevertheless reach a just conclusion and give a righteous verdict today. By consideration among yourselves, gentlemen, you should form a true conception of what should be included in the vindication which the state requires of any ambassador. He is responsible then, in the first place, for the reports he has made; secondly, for the advice he has offered; thirdly, for his observance of your instructions; then there is the question of times and opportunities; and, to crown all, whether he has done his business corruptly or with integrity.

> Greek: 4. ὡς δή μοι δοκεῖτʼ ἂν ὅμως ἐκ τούτων καὶ γνῶναι τὰ δίκαια καὶ δικάσαι νυνί, τοῦθʼ ὑμῖν λέξω· εἰ σκέψαισθε παρʼ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, καὶ λογίσαισθε τίνων προσήκει λόγον παρὰ πρεσβευτοῦ λαβεῖν. πρῶτον μὲν τοίνυν ὧν ἀπήγγειλε, δεύτερον δʼ ὧν ἔπεισε, τρίτον δʼ ὧν προσετάξατʼ αὐτῷ, μετὰ ταῦτα τῶν χρόνων, ἐφʼ ἅπασι δὲ τούτοις, εἰ ἀδωροδοκήτως ἢ μὴ πάντα ταῦτα πέπρακται.

[¶4] 5. Why are these the topics of inquiry? Your conclusions are derived from the ambassador’s reports: you reach a right decision if they are true, a wrong decision if they are false. The advice of ambassadors you regard as the more trustworthy because it is given by men who presumably understand their own mission.

> Greek: 5. τί δήποτε τούτων; ὅτι ἐκ μὲν τῶν ἀπαγγελιῶν τὸ βουλεύσασθαι περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ὑμῖν ἐστίν· ἂν μὲν οὖν ὦσιν ἀληθεῖς, τὰ δέοντʼ ἔγνωτε, ἂν δὲ μὴ τοιαῦται, τἀναντία. τὰς δὲ συμβουλίας πιστοτέρας ὑπολαμβάνετʼ εἶναι τὰς τῶν πρέσβεων· ὡς γὰρ εἰδότων περὶ ὧν ἐπέμφθησαν ἀκούετε· οὐδὲν οὖν ἐξελέγχεσθαι δίκαιός ἐστιν ὁ πρεσβευτὴς φαῦλον οὐδʼ ἀσύμφορον ὑμῖν συμβεβουλευκώς.

[¶5] 6. No ambassador, then, ought ever to be convicted of defective or mischievous counsels. Thirdly, when he has been expressly instructed what to say and what to do by resolution of the Assembly, it is his duty to conduct his business according to such instructions. Very well; but how does the question of time arise? Because, men of Athens, in important transactions opportunities are often short-lived: once willfully surrendered and betrayed to the enemy, they cannot be recovered, do what you will.

> Greek: 6. καὶ μὴν περὶ ὧν γε προσετάξατʼ εἰπεῖν ἢ πρᾶξαι καὶ διαρρήδην ἐψηφίσασθε ποιῆσαι, προσήκει διῳκηκέναι. εἶεν· τῶν δὲ δὴ χρόνων διὰ τί; ὅτι πολλάκις, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, συμβαίνει πολλῶν πραγμάτων καὶ μεγάλων καιρὸν ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ γίγνεσθαι, ὃν ἄν τις ἑκὼν καθυφῇ τοῖς ἐναντίοις καὶ προδῷ, οὐδʼ ἂν ὁτιοῦν ποιῇ πάλιν οἷός τʼ ἔσται σῶσαι.

[¶6] 7. Next, as for the question of bribery or no bribery, of course you are agreed that it is a scandalous and abominable offence to accept money for acts injurious to the commonwealth. The author of the statute, however, made no such distinction; he forbade the acceptance of rewards absolutely, holding, as I suppose, that the man who takes them and is thereby corrupted can no longer be trusted by the state as a judge of sound policy.

> Greek: 7. ἀλλὰ μὴν ὑπέρ γε τοῦ προῖκʼ ἢ μή, τὸ μὲν ἐκ τούτων λαμβάνειν, ἐξ ὧν ἡ πόλις βλάπτεται, πάντες οἶδʼ ὅτι φήσαιτʼ ἂν εἶναι δεινὸν καὶ πολλῆς ὀργῆς ἄξιον· ὁ μέντοι τὸν νόμον τιθεὶς οὐ διώρισεν τοῦτο, ἀλλʼ ἁπλῶς εἶπε μηδαμῶς δῶρα λαμβάνειν, ἡγούμενος, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ, τὸν ἅπαξ λαβόντα καὶ διαφθαρένθʼ ὑπὸ χρημάτων οὐδὲ κριτὴν ἔτι τῶν συμφερόντων ἀσφαλῆ μένειν τῇ πόλει.

[¶7] 8. If, then, I can establish by clear proofs that the reports of the defendant, Aeschines, were entirely untruthful, and that he prevented the Assembly from hearing the truth from me; that his counsels were totally opposed to your true interests; that he disobeyed all your instructions when on embassy; that by his waste of time many important opportunities were lost to the city; and finally that for all these delinquencies he, as well as Philocrates, accepted presents and rewards; pronounce him guilty and exact a penalty adequate to his crimes. But if I fail to prove all these five charges, or any one of them, then call me an impostor, and acquit him.

> Greek: 8. ἂν μὲν τοίνυν ἐξελέγξω καὶ δείξω σαφῶς Αἰσχίνην τουτονὶ καὶ μηδὲν ἀληθὲς ἀπηγγελκότα καὶ κεκωλυκότʼ ἐμοῦ τὸν δῆμον ἀκοῦσαι τἀληθῆ, καὶ πάντα τἀναντία τῶν συμφερόντων συμβεβουλευκότα, καὶ μηδὲν ὧν προσετάξατʼ ἐν τῇ πρεσβείᾳ πεποιηκότα, καὶ ἀνηλωκότα τοὺς χρόνους ἐν οἷς πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων πραγμάτων καιροὶ προεῖνται τῇ πόλει, καὶ πάντων τούτων δῶρα καὶ μισθοὺς εἰληφότα μετὰ Φιλοκράτους, καταψηφίσασθʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ δίκην ἀξίαν τῶν ἀδικημάτων λάβετε· ἂν δὲ μὴ δείξω ταῦτα, ἢ μὴ πάντα, ἐμὲ μὲν φαῦλον ἡγεῖσθε τοῦτον δʼ ἄφετε.

[¶8] 9. I have many further charges to add, such as must excite universal abhorrence; but, by way of preface, I will first remind you of what doubtless most of you remember,—of the party with which Aeschines at first ranged himself in politics, and of the speeches which he thought fit to make in opposition to Philip. In this way I hope to satisfy you that his early acts and speeches supply abundant proof of his present corruption.

> Greek: 9. πολλὰ δὲ καὶ δεινὰ κατηγορεῖν ἔχων ἔτι πρὸς τούτοις ἕτερʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἐξ ὧν οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅστις ἂν οὐκ εἰκότως μισήσειεν αὐτόν, βούλομαι πρὸ πάντων ὧν μέλλω λέγειν μνημονεύοντας ὑμῶν οἶδʼ ὅτι τοὺς πολλοὺς ὑπομνῆσαι, τίνα τάξιν ἑαυτὸν ἔταξεν Αἰσχίνης ἐν τῇ πολιτείᾳ τὸ πρῶτον, καὶ τίνας λόγους κατὰ τοῦ Φιλίππου δημηγορεῖν ᾤετο δεῖν, ἵνʼ εἰδῆθʼ ὅτι τοῖς ὑφʼ ἑαυτοῦ πεπραγμένοις καὶ δεδημηγορημένοις ἐν ἀρχῇ μάλιστʼ ἐξελεγχθήσεται δῶρʼ ἔχων.

[¶9] 10. Aeschines, then, was the first man in Athens, as he claimed at the time in a speech, to perceive that Philip had designs against Greece, and was corrupting some of the magnates of Arcadia. It was he who, with Ischander, son of Neoptolemus, as his understudy, addressed the Council, and addressed the Assembly, on this subject, and persuaded them to send ambassadors to all the Greek states to convene a conference at Athens for the consideration of war with Philip. It was he who afterwards, on his return from Arcadia, gave a report of the fine long orations which he said he had delivered as your spokesman before the Ten Thousand at Megalopolis in reply to Philip’s champion Hieronymus, and he made a long story of the enormous harm which corrupt statesmen in the pay of Philip were doing not only to their own countries but to the whole of Greece.

> Greek: 10. ἔστι τοίνυν οὗτος ὁ πρῶτος Ἀθηναίων αἰσθόμενος Φίλιππον, ὡς τότε δημηγορῶν ἔφη, ἐπιβουλεύοντα τοῖς Ἕλλησι καὶ διαφθείροντά τινας τῶν ἐν Ἀρκαδίᾳ προεστηκότων, καὶ ἔχων Ἴσχανδρον τὸν Νεοπτολέμου δευτεραγωνιστήν, προσιὼν μὲν τῇ βουλῇ, προσιὼν δὲ τῷ δήμῳ περὶ τούτων, καὶ πείσας ὑμᾶς πανταχοῖ πρέσβεις πέμψαι τοὺς συνάξοντας δεῦρο τοὺς βουλευσομένους περὶ τοῦ πρὸς Φίλιππον πολέμου, καὶ ἀπαγγέλλων μετὰ ταῦθʼ ἥκων ἐξ Ἀρκαδίας τοὺς καλοὺς ἐκείνους καὶ μακροὺς λόγους, οὓς ἐν τοῖς μυρίοις ἐν Μεγάλῃ πόλει πρὸς Ἱερώνυμον τὸν ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου λέγοντα ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἔφη δεδημηγορηκέναι, καὶ διεξιὼν ἡλίκα τὴν Ἑλλάδα πᾶσαν, οὐχὶ τὰς ἰδίας ἀδικοῦσι μόνον πατρίδας οἱ δωροδοκοῦντες καὶ χρήματα λαμβάνοντες παρὰ Φιλίππου.

[¶10] 12. So on the strength of his policy at that time, and of the sample he had exhibited of his conduct, he was actually appointed as one of the ambassadors when you were induced by Aristodemus, Neoptolemus, Ctesiphon and others, who had brought entirely misleading reports from Macedonia, to send an embassy to negotiate peace with Philip. He was chosen, not as one who would make traffic of your interests, not as one who had any confidence in Philip, but as one of the party that was to keep an eye on the rest, for in view of his early speeches, and of his known hostility to Philip, it was natural that you should all have such an opinion of the man.

> Greek: 12. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ταῦτα πολιτευομένου τούτου τότε καὶ τοῦτο τὸ δεῖγμʼ ἐξενηνοχότος περὶ αὑτοῦ, τοὺς περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης πρέσβεις πέμπειν ὡς Φίλιππον ἐπείσθητε ὑπʼ Ἀριστοδήμου καὶ Νεοπτολέμου καὶ Κτησιφῶντος καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἐκεῖθεν ἀπαγγελλόντων οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ὑγιές, γίγνεται τῶν πρέσβεων τούτων εἷς καὶ οὗτος, οὐχ ὡς τῶν ἀποδωσομένων τὰ ὑμέτερα, οὐδʼ ὡς τῶν πεπιστευκότων τῷ Φιλίππῳ, ἀλλʼ ὡς τῶν φυλαξόντων τοὺς ἄλλους· διὰ γὰρ τοὺς προειρημένους λόγους καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Φίλιππον ἀπέχθειαν ταύτην εἰκότως περὶ αὐτοῦ πάντες εἴχετε τὴν δόξαν.

[¶11] 13. Then he came to me and proposed that we should act together on the embassy, being especially urgent that we should jointly keep watch upon that infamous scoundrel Philocrates. And until after our return from the first embassy I at least, men of Athens, had no suspicion that he was corrupt and had already sold himself. For apart from the speeches which, as I said, he had made on former occasions, he rose at the first of the two assemblies at which you discussed terms of peace, and began with an exordium which I believe I can repeat to you in the very words he used:

> Greek: 13. προσελθὼν τοίνυν ἐμοὶ μετὰ ταῦτα συνετάττετο κοινῇ πρεσβεύειν, καὶ ὅπως τὸν μιαρὸν καὶ ἀναιδῆ φυλάξομεν ἀμφότεροι, τὸν Φιλοκράτην, πολλὰ παρεκελεύσατο. καὶ μέχρι τοῦ δεῦρʼ ἐπανελθεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης πρεσβείας ἐμὲ γοῦν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, διεφθαρμένος καὶ πεπρακὼς ἑαυτὸν ἐλάνθανε. χωρὶς γὰρ τῶν ἄλλων ὧν, ὅπερ εἶπον, εἰρήκει πρότερον, ἀναστὰς τῇ προτέρᾳ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἐν αἷς περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐβουλεύεσθε, ἤρξατʼ ἀρχήν, ἣν ἐγὼ καὶ τοῖς ῥήμασιν οἶμαι τοῖς αὐτοῖς οἷσπερ οὗτος εἶπεν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀπομνημονεύσειν.

[¶12] 14. “If Philocrates, men of Athens, had given many days to studying how best he could thwart the peace, I do not think he could have found a better way than the present proposal. Such a peace as this I for one will never advise the city to make, so long as a single Athenian remains alive; yet I do say that we ought to make peace.” In such terms he spoke, concisely and with moderation.

> Greek: 14. εἰ πάνυ πολὺν ἔφη χρόνον ἐσκόπει Φιλοκράτης, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πῶς ἂν ἄριστʼ ἐναντιωθείη τῇ εἰρήνῃ, οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸν ἄμεινον εὑρεῖν οἶμαι ἢ τοιαῦτα γράφοντα. ἐγὼ δὲ ταύτην μὲν τὴν εἰρήνην, ἕως ἂν εἷς Ἀθηναίων λείπηται, οὐδέποτʼ ἂν συμβουλεύσαιμι ποιήσασθαι τῇ πόλει, εἰρήνην μέντοι φημὶ δεῖν ποιεῖσθαι. καὶ τοιούτους τινὰς εἶπε βραχεῖς καὶ μετρίους λόγους.

[¶13] 15. And then on the next day, when the peace was to be ratified, when I supported the resolutions of our allies, and did what I could to secure fair and equitable terms, and when the people sympathized with my purpose and refused to hear a word from the contemptible Philocrates, up jumped the very man who had made the speech I have quoted in the head of all of you only the day before, and addressed you in support of Philocrates, using language for which, as Heaven is my witness, he deserves to die many times over.

> Greek: 15. ὁ δὲ ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν τῇ προτεραίᾳ πάντων ἀκουόντων ὑμῶν, εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν, ἐν ᾗ τὴν εἰρήνην ἔδει κυροῦσθαι, ἐμοῦ τῷ τῶν συμμάχων συνηγοροῦντος δόγματι καὶ τὴν εἰρήνην ὅπως ἴση καὶ δικαία γενήσεται πράττοντος, καὶ ὑμῶν βουλομένων ταῦτα καὶ οὐδὲ φωνὴν ἐθελόντων ἀκούειν τοῦ καταπτύστου Φιλοκράτους, ἀναστὰς ἐδημηγόρει καὶ συνηγόρει ʼκείνῳ πολλῶν ἀξίους, ὦ Ζεῦ καὶ πάντες θεοί, θανάτων λόγους, ὡς οὔτε τῶν προγόνων ὑμᾶς μεμνῆσθαι δέοι οὔτε τῶν τὰ τρόπαια καὶ τὰς ναυμαχίας λεγόντων ἀνέχεσθαι, νόμον τε θήσειν καὶ γράψειν μηδενὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὑμᾶς βοηθεῖν, ὃς ἂν μὴ πρότερος βεβοηθηκὼς ὑμῖν ᾖ.

[¶14] 16. He told you that you ought to forget the achievements of your forefathers; that you should not tolerate all that talk about old trophies and sea-fights; and that he would draft and enact a law forbidding aid to any Greeks who had not previously brought aid to you. This speech the shameless reprobate found courage to make while the ambassadors, whom you summoned from the Greek cities at his own suggestion, before he had sold himself, were standing at his elbow and listening to what he said. Well, you appointed him a second time, men of Athens, as an envoy to receive the oath of ratification; and I shall shortly have to tell you how he again wasted time, mishandled all the affairs of the commonwealth, and repeatedly fell out with me in regard to them when I tried to stand in his way. However, by reason of the persistent misconduct of these men, and their disobedience to instructions, we came back from the embassy for the oaths—that is the embassy which is the subject of the present scrutiny—without having realized any single one, great or small, of the advantages which were promised or expected when you approved the peace,—with nothing but deception and disappointment. Then we repaired to the Council. There are many eye-witnesses of what I am about to relate, for the Council-house was thronged with spectators.

> Greek: 16. καὶ ταῦθʼ ὁ σχέτλιος καὶ ἀναιδὴς οὗτος ἐτόλμα λέγειν ἐφεστηκότων τῶν πρέσβεων καὶ ἀκουόντων, οὓς ἀπὸ τῶν Ἑλλήνων μετεπέμψασθε ὑπὸ τούτου πεισθέντες, ὅτʼ οὔπω πεπρακὼς αὑτὸν ἦν. ὃν μὲν οὖν τρόπον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, χειροτονησάντων ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὅρκους αὐτὸν πάλιν τούς τε χρόνους κατέτριψε καὶ τὰ πράγματα πάντʼ ἐλυμήνατο τὰ τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ὅσαι περὶ τούτων ἐμοὶ πρὸς τοῦτον ἀπέχθειαι συνέβησαν βουλομένῳ κωλύειν, αὐτίκʼ ἀκούσεσθε. ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ πάλιν ἥκομεν ἐκ τῆς πρεσβείας ταύτης τῆς ἐπὶ τοὺς ὅρκους, ἧσπερ εἰσὶν αἱ νῦν εὔθυναι, οὔτε μικρὸν οὔτε μέγʼ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν εὑρημένοι τῶν ὅτε τὴν εἰρήνην ἐποιεῖσθε λεχθέντων καὶ προσδοκηθέντων, ἀλλὰ πάντʼ ἐξηπατημένοι, καὶ τούτων ἕτερʼ αὖθις αὖ πεπραχότων καὶ παρʼ αὐτὸ τὸ ψήφισμα πεπρεσβευκότων, προσῇμεν τῇ βουλῇ. καὶ ταυτὶ πολλοὶ συνίσασιν ἃ μέλλω λέγειν· τὸ γὰρ βουλευτήριον μεστὸν ἦν ἰδιωτῶν.

[¶15] 18. I came forward and reported the whole truth to the Council. I denounced these men, and told the whole story, point by point, beginning with those earlier hopes created by the reports of Ctesiphon and Aristodemus, going on to the more recent orations of Aeschines at the approval of the peace, and showing to what straits they had reduced the city. There remained the question of the Phocians and Thermopylae, and we must not—such was my advice—we must not repeat our experience, and throw them overboard, and so, in reliance upon a succession of idle hopes and assurances, allow ourselves to fall into the last extremity of disaster. I convinced the Council;

> Greek: 18. παρελθὼν δʼ ἐγὼ πάντα τἀληθῆ πρὸς τὴν βουλὴν ἀπήγγειλα, καὶ κατηγόρησα τούτων, καὶ ἀνηριθμησάμην ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων ἐλπίδων ἐκείνων ὧν ὁ Κτησιφῶν καὶ ὁ Ἀριστόδημος ἀπήγγειλαν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα, ὅτε τὴν εἰρήνην ἐποιεῖσθε, ἃ οὗτος ἐδημηγόρησε καὶ εἰς ἃ προήχασι τὴν πόλιν, καὶ περὶ τῶν ὑπολοίπων (ταῦτα δʼ ἦν Φωκεῖς καὶ Πύλαι) μὴ προέσθαι συνεβούλευον, μηδὲ ταὐτὰ παθεῖν, μηδʼ ἀναρτωμένους ἐλπίσιν ἐξ ἐλπίδων καὶ ὑποσχέσεσιν εἰς τοὔσχατον ἐλθεῖν τὰ πράγματʼ ἐᾶσαι. καὶ ἔπεισα ταῦτα τὴν βουλήν.

[¶16] 19. but when the Assembly met, and we had to address the whole body of citizens, Aeschines took the first turn of all of us. And here I most earnestly entreat you to verify my account by your own recollections; for I am now relating transactions which ultimately brought your affairs to complete and final ruin. He utterly ignored the duty of giving a report of the doings of the embassy. He never mentioned the speeches made to the Council, or told you whether he disputed the truth of my statement. But he made such a fine speech, so full of big promises, that he carried you all away with him.

> Greek: 19. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἧκεν ἡ ἐκκλησία καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔδει λέγειν, παρελθὼν Αἰσχίνης οὑτοσὶ πρῶτος ἡμῶν ἁπάντων (καὶ πρὸς Διὸς καὶ θεῶν πειρᾶσθε συνδιαμνημονεύειν ἂν ἀληθῆ λέγω· τὰ γὰρ πάντα τὰ πράγματα λυμηνάμενʼ ὑμῶν καὶ διαφθείρανθʼ ὅλως ταῦτʼ ἐστὶν ἤδη) τοῦ μὲν ἀπαγγέλλειν τι τῶν πεπρεσβευμένων ἢ περὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ βουλῇ ῥηθέντων, εἰ ἄρʼ ἠμφεσβήτει μὴ ἀληθῆ λέγειν ἐμέ, μνησθῆναι πάμπληθες ἀπέσχεν, εἶπε δὲ τοιούτους λόγους καὶ τηλικαῦτα καὶ τοσαῦτʼ ἔχοντας ἀγαθά, ὥσθʼ ἅπαντας ὑμᾶς λαβὼν ᾤχετο.

[¶17] 20. For he declared that he had completely converted Philip to the interests of Athens in respect of the Amphictyonic question and of everything else. He went through a long diatribe against the Thebans, which he said he had addressed to Philip himself, recapitulating the main points. He offered you a calculation that, thanks to his diplomacy, without leaving your homes, without any campaigning or worry, within two or three days you would hear the news of the beleaguerment of Thebes, independently of the rest of Boeotia, of the repopulation of Thespiae and Plataea, and of the recovery of Apollo’s treasure, not from the Phocians, but from the Thebans, who had planned the seizure of the temple.

> Greek: 20. ἔφη γὰρ ἥκειν πεπεικὼς Φίλιππον ἅπανθʼ ὅσα συμφέρει τῇ πόλει, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἐν Ἀμφικτύοσι καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων, καὶ διεξῆλθε λόγον μακρὸν ὑμῖν, ὃν κατὰ Θηβαίων εἰπεῖν πρὸς Φίλιππον ἔφη, καὶ τὰ κεφάλαιʼ ἀπήγγελλε πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἀπελογίζετʼ ἐκ τῶν αὑτῷ πεπρεσβευμένων δυοῖν ἢ τριῶν ἡμερῶν ὑμᾶς, μένοντας οἴκοι καὶ οὐ στρατευομένους οὐδʼ ἐνοχλουμένους, Θήβας μὲν πολιορκουμένας αὐτὰς καθʼ αὑτὰς χωρὶς τῆς ἄλλης Βοιωτίας ἀκούσεσθαι, Θεσπιὰς δὲ καὶ Πλαταιὰς οἰκιζομένας, τῷ θεῷ δὲ τὰ χρήματʼ εἰσπραττόμενʼ οὐ παρὰ Φωκέων, ἀλλὰ παρὰ Θηβαίων τῶν βουλευσάντων τὴν κατάληψιν τοῦ ἱεροῦ·

[¶18] 21. It was himself, he added, who had instructed Philip that those who contrived the project were quite as sacrilegious as the men by whose hands it was executed; and therefore the Thebans had set a price on his head!

> Greek: 21. διδάσκειν γὰρ αὐτὸς ἔφη τὸν Φίλιππον ὅτι οὐδὲν ἧττον ἠσεβήκασιν οἱ βεβουλευκότες τῶν ταῖς χερσὶ πραξάντων, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο χρήμαθʼ ἑαυτῷ τοὺς Θηβαίους ἐπικεκηρυχέναι.

[¶19] 22. He had even heard some Euboeans, who were thoroughly frightened by the friendship that had been cemented between Philip and Athens, utter these very words: “Gentlemen of the Embassy, we know all about the terms on which you have concluded peace with Philip, and we are aware that you have given up Amphipolis to him, and that he has agreed to hand over Euboea to you.” He had also, he said, settled another matter, but he thought it better not to mention it just yet—some of his colleagues were already so jealous of him. This was a veiled allusion to Oropus.

> Greek: 22. ἀκούειν δὲ καὶ τῶν Εὐβοέων ἐνίων ἔφη πεφοβημένων καὶ τεταραγμένων τὴν πρὸς τὴν πόλιν οἰκειότητα Φιλίππῳ γεγενημένην, ὅτι οὐ λελήθαθʼ ἡμᾶς, ὦ ἄνδρες πρέσβεις, ἐφʼ οἷς πεποίησθε τὴν εἰρήνην πρὸς Φίλιππον, οὐδʼ ἀγνοοῦμεν ὅτι ὑμεῖς μὲν Ἀμφίπολιν δεδώκατʼ ἐκείνῳ, Φίλιππος δʼ ὑμῖν Εὔβοιαν ὡμολόγηκεν παραδώσειν. εἶναι μέντοι τι καὶ ἄλλο διῳκημένον αὑτῷ, οὐ μήν πω τοῦτο βούλεσθαι λέγειν· καὶ γὰρ νῦν φθονεῖν τινὰς αὑτῷ τῶν συμπρέσβεων. ὑπῃνίττετο δʼ οὕτω καὶ παρεδήλου τὸν Ὠρωπόν.

[¶20] 23. And so, in all the glory of these disclosures, with everybody regarding him as a grand speaker and a marvellous man, he descended from the tribune in his most majestic manner. Then I rose, and said that the whole story was news to me. I attempted to repeat the statement I had made to the Council; but Aeschines and Philocrates posted themselves one on either side of me—shouting, interrupting, and finally jeering. You were all laughing; you would not listen to me, and you did not want to believe anything except what Aeschines had reported.

> Greek: 23. εὐδοκιμῶν δʼ ἐπὶ τούτοις εἰκότως, καὶ δοκῶν καὶ ῥήτωρ ἄριστος εἶναι καὶ ἀνὴρ θαυμαστός, κατέβη μάλα σεμνῶς. ἀναστὰς δʼ ἐγὼ ταῦτά τʼ οὐκ ἔφην εἰδέναι καὶ ἅμʼ ἐπειρώμην τι λέγειν τούτων ὧν εἰς τὴν βουλὴν ἀπήγγειλα. καὶ παραστὰς ὁ μὲν ἔνθεν, ὁ δʼ ἔνθεν, οὑτοσὶ καὶ Φιλοκράτης, ἐβόων, ἐξέκρουόν με, τελευτῶντες ἐχλεύαζον. ὑμεῖς δʼ ἐγελᾶτε, καὶ οὔτʼ ἀκούειν ἠθέλετʼ οὔτε πιστεύειν ἐβούλεσθʼ ἄλλα πλὴν ἃ οὗτος ἀπηγγέλκει.

[¶21] 24. And I must say that your feeling was quite natural. For how could anyone, filled with anticipation of those wonderful benefits, be patient of a speaker who told you that you would never get them, and even denounced the conduct of the benefactors? At the moment, I imagine, everything else was thrown into the shade by the hopes and expectations that were suggested to you; contradiction seemed to be mere annoyance and malice; and these great achievements were thought amazingly fine and most beneficial to the commonwealth.

> Greek: 24. καὶ νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς εἰκός τι παθεῖν ἔμοιγε δοκεῖτε· τίς γὰρ ἂν ἠνέσχετο, τηλικαῦτα καὶ τοσαῦτʼ ἔσεσθαι προσδοκῶν ἀγαθά, ἢ ταῦθʼ ὡς οὐκ ἔσται λέγοντός τινος, ἢ κατηγοροῦντος τῶν πεπραγμένων τούτοις; πάντα γὰρ τἄλλʼ, οἶμαι, τότε δεύτερʼ ἦν τῶν ὑποκειμένων προσδοκιῶν καὶ τῶν ἐλπίδων, οἱ δʼ ἀντιλέγοντες ὄχλος ἄλλως καὶ βασκανία κατεφαίνετο, ταῦτα δὲ θαυμάσιʼ ἡλίκα καὶ συμφέροντʼ ἐδόκει πεπρᾶχθαι τῇ πόλει.

[¶22] 25. Why have I begun by reviving these memories and quoting those old speeches? My first and chief object, men of Athens, is that, when you hear me relate some performance that seems to you atrocious and incredible, no one may ask in surprise: “Then why did you not speak out and give us this information instantly?”

> Greek: 25. τοῦ χάριν δὴ ταῦθʼ ὑπέμνησα πρῶτα νῦν ὑμᾶς καὶ διεξῆλθον τούτους τοὺς λόγους; ἑνὸς μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μάλιστα καὶ πρώτου, ἵνα μηδεὶς ὑμῶν, ἐπειδάν τι λέγοντος ἀκούῃ μου τῶν πεπραγμένων, καὶ δοκῇ δεινὸν αὐτῷ καὶ ὑπερβάλλον εἶναι, εἶτα τότʼ οὐκ ἔλεγες παραχρῆμα ταῦτʼ οὐδʼ ἐδίδασκες ἡμᾶς;

[¶23] 26. but that, by recalling the assurances by which on every occasion these men stopped others from getting your attention, and that magnificent promise of Aeschines, you may realize that you have to thank him for this crowning injury,—that you were precluded from learning the truth promptly and at the proper time, being cheated by hopes and impostures and vain assurances.

> Greek: 26. θαυμάζῃ, ἀλλὰ μεμνημένοι τὰς ὑποσχέσεις τὰς τούτων, ἃς ἐφʼ ἑκάστων ποιούμενοι τῶν καιρῶν ἐξέκλειον λόγου τυγχάνειν τοὺς ἄλλους, καὶ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τὴν τούτου ταύτην τὴν καλήν, εἰδῆθʼ ὅτι πρὸς ἅπασι τοῖς ἄλλοις καὶ τοῦτʼ ἠδίκησθʼ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι τἀληθῆ παραχρῆμα καὶ ἡνίκʼ ἔδει πυνθάνεσθαι διεκωλύθητʼ ἐλπίσι καὶ φενακισμοῖς καὶ ὑποσχέσεσιν ἐξαπατώμενοι.

[¶24] 27. That, I say, is my first and main purpose in this narration. What is my second purpose? It is one of no less importance. I want you to remind yourselves of that policy of precaution and distrust of Philip which this man deliberately chose when he was still unbribed, and to compare the confidence and friendship that afterwards sprang up so suddenly; and then, if the fair reports he laid before you have really proved true, and if all the results have been fortunate, to admit the view that that friendship was formed for truth’s sake and in the best interests of the city; but, if the sequel has given the lie to all his predictions, if it has involved the city in much dishonor and in grievous perils, then be assured that his own sordid greed has prompted this change of front, because he has sold the truth for a bribe.

> Greek: 27. πρώτου μὲν τούτου καὶ μάλισθʼ, ὅπερ εἶπον, εἵνεκα ταῦτα διεξῆλθον, δευτέρου δὲ τίνος καὶ οὐδὲν ἐλάττονος ἢ τούτου; ἵνα τὴν ὅτʼ ἀδωροδόκητος ὑπῆρχε προαίρεσιν αὐτοῦ τῆς πολιτείας ἀναμνησθέντες, ὡς προβεβλημένη καὶ ἄπιστος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Φίλιππον, τὴν μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἐξαίφνης γεγονυῖαν πίστιν καὶ φιλίαν σκέψησθε, εἶτʼ εἰ μὲν ἐκβέβηκεν ὅσʼ ἀπήγγειλε πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὗτος καὶ καλῶς ἔχει τὰ πεπραγμένα, διὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ τὸ συμφέρον τῇ πόλει γεγενῆσθαι νομίσητε, εἰ δὲ πάντα τἀναντίʼ ὧν οὗτος εἶπε πέπρακται, καὶ πολλὴν αἰσχύνην καὶ μεγάλους κινδύνους ταῦτʼ ἔχει τῇ πόλει, διὰ τὴν αἰσχροκέρδειαν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τὸ χρημάτων ἀποδόσθαι τἀληθῆ μεταβεβλημένον αὐτὸν εἰδῆτε.

[¶25] 29. Having allowed myself to refer to those old speeches, I wish to relate first of all how these men took the business of the Phocians out of your hands. Gentlemen of the jury, I hope that none of you will regard my charges and accusations as too big for the calibre of the defendant, measuring him against the magnitude of the transactions. Reflect rather that, if any man soever, placed by you in the position he filled, and trusted to deal with the occasions that arose, had taken hire, and had sought to deceive and mislead you as Aeschines did, he would have brought about exactly the same disaster as Aeschines.

> Greek: 29. βούλομαι δʼ, ἐπειδήπερ εἰς τούτους προήχθην τοὺς λόγους, ὃν τρόπον τὰ περὶ τοὺς Φωκέας πράγμαθʼ ὑμῶν παρείλοντο, πρῶτον εἰπεῖν ἁπάντων. δεῖ δὲ μηδένʼ ὑμῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, εἰς τὸ τῶν πραγμάτων μέγεθος βλέψαντα μείζους τὰς κατηγορίας καὶ τὰς αἰτίας τῆς τούτου δόξης νομίσαι, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ὁρᾶν, ὅτι ὅντινʼ ἂν ὑμεῖς εἰς ταύτην τὴν τάξιν κατεστήσατε καὶ τῶν συμβάντων καιρῶν ἐποιήσατε κύριον, οὗτος, εἴπερ ὥσπερ οὗτος ἐβουλήθη μισθώσας αὑτὸν ἐξαπατᾶν ὑμᾶς καὶ φενακίζειν, τῶν ἴσων αἴτιος ἦν ἂν κακῶν ὅσωνπερ καὶ οὗτος.

[¶26] 30. For though you often employ insignificant men for public business, it does not follow that those affairs are insignificant for which the rest of the world acknowledges our competence. Assuredly not. Again, it was Philip, of course, who really destroyed the Phocians; but these men co-operated. The question on which you are to fix your minds is whether they purposely wasted and threw away any chances that came to the embassy of saving the Phocians. I do not suggest that Aeschines destroyed the Phocians all by himself. How could he?

> Greek: 30. οὐ γὰρ εἰ φαύλοις χρῆσθʼ ὑμεῖς εἰς τὰ κοινὰ πολλάκις ἀνθρώποις, καὶ τὰ πράγματʼ ἐστὶ φαῦλα ὧν ἡ πόλις ἀξιοῦται παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις, οὐδὲ πολλοῦ δεῖ. εἶτα καὶ Φωκέας ἀπολώλεκεν μέν, οἶμαι, Φίλιππος, συνηγωνίσαντο δʼ οὗτοι· τοῦτο δὴ δεῖ σκοπεῖν καὶ ὁρᾶν, εἰ ὅσα τῆς Φωκέων σωτηρίας ἐπὶ τὴν πρεσβείαν ἧκε, ταῦθʼ ἅπαντʼ ἀπώλεσαν οὗτοι καὶ διέφθειραν ἑκόντες, οὐχ ὡς ὅδε Φωκέας ἀπώλεσεν καθʼ ἑαυτόν. πόθεν;

[¶27] 31. Give me the resolution which the Council adopted on my report, and the evidence of the member who moved it on that occasion. These documents will satisfy you that I did not hold my peace then, to run away from my actions now,—for I was laying my complaint, and trying to forecast results, at the first opportunity; and also that the Council, not being debarred from hearing the truth from me, did not give these men either a vote of thanks, or an invitation to the public dinner in the Town Hall. We are told that these compliments had never before been withheld from any ambassadors since the foundation of Athens—not even from Timagoras, whom the Assembly condemned to death. These men, however, had to go without them.

> Greek: 31. δὸς δέ μοι τὸ προβούλευμα, ὃ πρὸς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀπαγγελίαν ἐψηφίσαθʼ ἡ βουλή, καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν τὴν τοῦ γράψαντος αὐτὸ τότε, ἵνʼ εἰδῆθʼ ὅτι ἐγὼ μὲν οὐ τότε σιγήσας νῦν ἀφίσταμαι τῶν πεπραγμένων, ἀλλʼ εὐθὺς κατηγόρουν καὶ προεώρων τὰ μέλλοντα, ἡ βουλὴ δέ, ἡ μὴ κωλυθεῖσʼ ἀκοῦσαι τἀληθῆ παρʼ ἐμοῦ, οὔτʼ ἐπῄνεσε τούτους οὔτʼ εἰς τὸ πρυτανεῖον ἠξίωσεν καλέσαι. καίτοι τοῦτʼ, ἀφʼ οὗ γέγονεν ἡ πόλις, οὐδεὶς πώποτέ φησι παθεῖν οὐδένας πρέσβεις, οὐδὲ Τιμαγόραν, οὗ θάνατον κατεχειροτόνησεν ὁ δῆμος.

[¶28] 32. Read first the deposition, and then the resolution, to the jury. (The Deposition and the Resolution are read) Here is no commendation, no invitation from the Council to the ambassadors to dine in the Town Hall. If Aeschines says that such a thing exists, let him produce and exhibit it, and I will sit down. But no; there is none. Now, if all the envoys acted alike, the Council was right in thanking nobody,—for we had all in very truth behaved scandalously indeed. But if some acted rightly and others wrongly, the well-conducted, it would seem, must submit to a discourtesy provoked by those who had played the rogue.

> Greek: 32. ἀλλʼ οὗτοι πεπόνθασιν. λέγε δʼ αὐτοῖς πρῶτον τὴν μαρτυρίαν, εἶτα τὸ προβούλευμα. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ. ΠΡΟΒΟΥΛΕΥΜΑ. ἐνταῦθʼ οὔτʼ ἔπαινος οὔτε κλῆσις εἰς τὸ πρυτανεῖόν ἐστι τῶν πρέσβεων ὑπὸ τῆς βουλῆς. εἰ δέ φησιν οὗτος, δειξάτω καὶ παρασχέσθω, κἀγὼ καταβαίνω. ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔστιν. εἰ μὲν τοίνυν ταὐτὰ πάντες ἐπρεσβεύομεν, δικαίως οὐδένʼ ἐπῄνεσεν ἡ βουλή· δεινὰ γὰρ τὰ πεπραγμένα πᾶσιν· εἰ δʼ οἱ μὲν τὰ δίκαιʼ ἔπραττον ἡμῶν, οἱ δὲ τἀναντία, διὰ τοὺς πεπονηρευμένους, ὡς ἔοικε, τοῖς ἐπιεικέσι συμβεβηκὸς ἂν εἴη ταύτης τῆς ἀτιμίας μετεσχηκέναι.

[¶29] 33. How then can you find an easy answer to the question, Who was the rogue? Consult your own recollections, and mark who denounced the transactions at the outset. For it is clear that, if the evil-doer could hold his peace, escape immediate detection, and never afterwards allow himself to be called to account, that was good enough for him; whereas the man with a good conscience bethought himself that it would be very hard if by keeping silence he should become a reputed accomplice in scandalous and wicked actions. Well then, it was I who denounced these men from the outset, and none of them denounced me.

> Greek: 33. πῶς οὖν ῥᾳδίως πάντες εἴσεσθε τίς ποτʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ πονηρός; ἀναμνήσθητε παρʼ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς τίς ἐσθʼ ὁ κατηγορῶν τῶν πεπραγμένων ἐξ ἀρχῆς. δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι τῷ μὲν ἠδικηκότι σιγᾶν ἐξήρκει καὶ διακρουσαμένῳ τὸν παρόντα χρόνον μηκέτʼ εἰς λόγον περὶ τῶν πεπραγμένων αὑτὸν καθιστάναι, τῷ δὲ μηδὲν ἑαυτῷ συνειδότι δεινὸν εἰσῄει, εἰ [δεινῶν καὶ] πονηρῶν ἔργων δόξει κοινωνεῖν τῷ σιωπῆσαι. εἰμὶ τοίνυν ὁ κατηγορῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐγὼ τούτων, τούτων δʼ οὐδεὶς ἐμοῦ.

[¶30] 34. Well, the Council adopted this resolution. When the Assembly met, Philip was already at Thermopylae. For that is the beginning of their misdeeds; they had surrendered control to Philip and then,—although the right course for you was, first to hear the facts, next to decide, and finally to carry out your decision,—you heard nothing until he was already on the spot, and it was no easy matter to advise you what to do.

> Greek: 34. ἡ μὲν τοίνυν βουλὴ ταῦτα προὐβεβουλεύκει, τῆς δʼ ἐκκλησίας γιγνομένης καὶ τοῦ Φιλίππου παρόντος ἐν Πύλαις ἤδη—ἦν γὰρ τοῦτο πρῶτον ἁπάντων τῶν ἀδικημάτων, τὸ τὸν Φίλιππον ἐπιστῆσαι τοῖς πράγμασι τούτοις καὶ δέον ὑμᾶς ἀκοῦσαι περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων, εἶτα βουλεύσασθαι, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ πράττειν ὅ τι δόξαι, ἅμʼ ἀκούειν κἀκεῖνον παρεῖναι καὶ μηδʼ ὅ τι χρὴ ποιεῖν ῥᾴδιον εἰπεῖν εἶναι.

[¶31] 35. Further, no one read the resolution to the Assembly, and the people never heard it. However, Aeschines rose and delivered that oration which I have already described, about the wonderful advantages he had induced Philip to grant to you, and the price set on his head by the Thebans in consequence; and so, although you were at first alarmed at Philip’s approach, and indignant that the ambassadors had given you no warning, you became as mild as lambs, expecting to get all that you desired, and refused to hear a word from me or anyone else.

> Greek: 35. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις τοῦτο μὲν οὐδεὶς ἀνέγνω τῷ δήμῳ τὸ προβούλευμα, οὐδʼ ἤκουσεν ὁ δῆμος, ἀναστὰς δʼ οὗτος ἐδημηγόρει ταῦθʼ ἃ διεξῆλθον ἄρτι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐγώ, τὰ πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλʼ ἀγαθά, ἃ πεπεικὼς ἔφη τὸν Φίλιππον ἥκειν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο χρήμαθʼ ἑαυτῷ τοὺς Θηβαίους ἐπικεκηρυχέναι. ὥσθʼ ὑμᾶς, ἐκπεπληγμένους τῇ παρουσίᾳ τὸ πρῶτον τῇ τοῦ Φιλίππου καὶ τούτοις ὀργιζομένους ἐπὶ τῷ μὴ προηγγελκέναι, πραοτέρους γενέσθαι τινός, πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἐβούλεσθʼ ὑμῖν ἔσεσθαι προσδοκήσαντας, καὶ μηδὲ φωνὴν ἐθέλειν ἀκούειν ἐμοῦ μηδʼ ἄλλου μηδενός.

[¶32] 36. Then the letter from Philip was read. It had been composed by Aeschines without our knowledge, and was in fact a downright, explicit written defence of the errors these men had committed. For it alleges that Philip stopped them when they wanted to visit the towns and receive the oaths, and that he detained them in order that they might help him to reconcile the Halians with the Pharsalians; Philip takes on his own shoulders the burden of all their delinquencies:

> Greek: 36. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἀνεγιγνώσκεθʼ ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἡ παρὰ τοῦ Φιλίππου, ἣν οὗτος ἔγραψʼ ἀπολειφθεὶς ἡμῶν, ἄντικρυς οὕτως καὶ διαρρήδην ἀπολογία γεγραμμένη τῶν τούτοις ἡμαρτημένων. καὶ γὰρ ὡς αὐτὸς κατεκώλυσεν αὐτοὺς βουλομένους ἐπὶ τὰς πόλεις ἰέναι καὶ τοὺς ὅρκους ἀπολαμβάνειν, ἔνεστι, καὶ ὡς, ἵνα συνδιαλλάττωσιν αὐτῷ τοὺς Ἁλέας πρὸς τοὺς Φαρσαλίους, κατέσχεν αὐτούς· καὶ πάντʼ ἀναδεχόμενος καὶ εἰς αὑτὸν ποιούμενος τὰ τούτων ἁμαρτήματʼ ἐστίν.

[¶33] 37. but of the Phocians and the Thespians, and of all the promises reported to you by Aeschines,—not a word! The job was not managed in this fashion by mere accident. For derelictions of duty, for which they ought to have been brought to justice, and for their failure to do their work according to your instructions, Philip takes all the blame. He tells you it was his fault,—and of course you were never likely to have any opportunity of punishing him!

> Greek: 37. ὑπὲρ δὲ Φωκέων καὶ Θεσπιῶν ἢ ὧν οὗτος ἀπήγγελλε πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μικρόν. καὶ τοῦτʼ οὐκ ἀπὸ ταὐτομάτου τοῦτον ἐπράχθη τὸν τρόπον, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ μὲν ὧν παρὰ τούτων ὑμᾶς ἔδει δίκην λαμβάνειν οὐ πεποιηκότων οὐδὲ διῳκηκότων οὐδὲν ὧν ὑμεῖς προσετάξατʼ ἐν τῷ ψηφίσματι, ἐκεῖνος ἐκδέχεται τὴν αἰτίαν [καί φησιν αὐτὸς αἴτιος γεγενῆσθαι], ὃν οὐκ ἐμέλλεθʼ ὑμεῖς, οἶμαι, δυνήσεσθαι κολάσαι·

[¶34] 38. On the other hand, all the matters in which he was trying to cheat you and overreach you were left for Aeschines to report by word of mouth, so that you might never have it in your power to incriminate Philip or throw any blame on him, as the assertions were not to be found in the letter or in any other direct communication of his. Read to the jury the letter written by Aeschines and dispatched by Philip. You will observe that it agrees exactly with my description. Read. (The Letter is read) You hear the letter, men of Athens,—such a nice, courteous letter!

> Greek: 38. ἃ δʼ ἐκεῖνος ἐξαπατῆσαι καὶ προλαβεῖν τῆς πόλεως ἐβούλετο, οὗτος ἀπήγγειλεν, ἵνα μηδʼ ἐγκαλέσαι μηδὲ μέμψασθαι μηδὲν ὕστερον ὑμεῖς ἔχοιτε Φιλίππῳ, μήτʼ ἐν ἐπιστολῇ μήτʼ ἄλλοθι μηδαμοῦ τῶν παρʼ ἐκείνου τούτων ἐνόντων. λέγε δʼ αὐτοῖς αὐτὴν τὴν ἐπιστολήν, ἣν ἔγραψε μὲν οὗτος, ἔπεμψε δʼ ἐκεῖνος· καὶ σκοπεῖθʼ ὅτι τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον, ὃν διεξελήλυθʼ ἐγώ. λέγε. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ.

[¶35] 39. But about the Phocians, about the Thebans, about everything that Aeschines reported—not a scrape of the pen! There is nothing in it that is honest, as you shall see at once. For he tells you that he detained them that they might help him to reconcile the Halians. Well, the reconciliation of the Halians consisted in their being cast out of their homes, and their country devastated. As for the prisoners, this man, who wanted to know what he could do to oblige you, declares that the idea of getting them liberated never entered his head.

> Greek: 39. ἀκούετʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ὡς καλὴ καὶ φιλάνθρωπος. περὶ δὲ Φωκέων ἢ Θηβαίων ἢ τῶν ἄλλων ὧν οὗτος ἀπήγγειλεν, οὐδὲ γρῦ. ταύτης τοίνυν οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἐσθʼ ὑγιές. καὶ τοῦτʼ αὐτίκα δὴ μάλʼ ὑμεῖς ὄψεσθε. οἱ μὲν γὰρ Ἁλεῖς, οὓς ἵνα συνδιαλλάττωσι κατασχεῖν φησι τούτους, τοιαύτης τετυχήκασι διαλλαγῆς ὥστʼ ἐξελήλανται καὶ ἀνάστατος ἡ πόλις αὐτῶν γέγονε· τοὺς δʼ αἰχμαλώτους ὁ σκοπῶν τί ἂν ὑμῖν χαρίσαιτο οὐδένʼ ἐνθυμηθῆναί φησι λύσασθαι.

[¶36] 40. You know that evidence has already been given before the Assembly,—and that evidence shall now be repeated,—that I had started with a talent in my pocket for their ransom; and therefore, to rob me of a patriotic act, Aeschines persuaded Philip to write these words. Now for the most important point. The man who, in the first letter, which we brought home, wrote these words: “I would write more explicitly of the benefits I intend to confer on you, if I were certain that the alliance will be made,”—this man, now that the alliance has been made, says that he does not know how he can gratify you. Not know the very thing he promised! Why, he must have known it, unless he was hoodwinking us throughout. To prove, however, that he did so write at that time, please take and read the actual passage from the first letter,—beginning here. Read. (The Excerpt is read) You see that, before he got his peace, he covenanted that, if you should make alliance with him as well, he would specify in writing the great benefits that he would confer on Athens.

> Greek: 40. μεμαρτύρηται δὲ δήπουθεν ὑμῖν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ πολλάκις, ὡς ἐγὼ τάλαντον ἔχων ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ᾠχόμην, καὶ νῦν δὲ μαρτυρηθήσεται· διὸ καὶ τὴν ἐμὴν φιλοτιμίαν οὗτος ἀφαιρούμενος τοῦτʼ ἔπεισεν ἐκεῖνον ἐγγράψαι. ὃ τοίνυν μέγιστον ἁπάντων· ὁ γὰρ εἰς τὴν προτέραν γράψας ἐπιστολήν, ἣν ἠνέγκαμεν ἡμεῖς, ὅτι ἔγραφον δʼ ἂν καὶ διαρρήδην ἡλίχʼ ὑμᾶς εὖ ποιήσω, εἰ εὖ ᾔδειν καὶ τὴν συμμαχίαν μοι γενησομένην, γεγονυίας τῆς συμμαχίας οὔ φησιν εἰδέναι τί ἂν ποιῶν χαρίσαιτο, οὐδʼ ὃ αὐτὸς ὑπέσχετο· τοῦτο γὰρ ᾔδει δηλονότι, εἴπερ μὴ ἐφενάκιζεν. ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι ταῦθʼ οὕτω τότʼ ἔγραψε, λέγε μοι λαβὼν ἐκ τῆς προτέρας ἐπιστολῆς αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ἐνθένδε.λέγε. ΕΞ ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗΣ.

[¶37] 41. But now that both peace and alliance are concluded, he says that he does not know what he can do to oblige you, but that, if you will tell him, he will do anything “that is consistent with his own honor and reputation”—taking refuge in this saving clause, and leaving himself a loophole in case you make any proposal or are induced to ask any favor.

> Greek: 41. οὐκοῦν πρὶν μὲν εἰρήνης τυχεῖν, εἰ καὶ συμμαχία προσγένοιτʼ αὐτῷ, γράψειν ὡμολόγει ἡλίκα τὴν πόλιν εὖ ποιήσει· ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἀμφότερʼ αὐτῷ γέγονεν, οὐκ εἰδέναι φησὶ τί ἂν ποιῶν χαρίσαιτο, ἂν δʼ ὑμεῖς λέγητε, ποιήσειν ὃ μήτʼ αἰσχύνην μήτʼ ἀδοξίαν αὐτῷ φέρει, εἰς ταύτας τὰς προφάσεις καταφεύγων, κἂν ἄρʼ εἴπητέ τι καὶ προαχθῆθʼ ὑμεῖς ἐπαγγείλασθαι, ἀναχώρησιν ἑαυτῷ καταλείπων.

[¶38] 42. All this chicanery, and much besides, might have been instantly detected, and you might have been informed and spared the sacrifice of your interests, if you had not been cheated out of the truth by that story of Thespiae and Plataea and the imminent punishment of the Thebans. Yet if Philip’s promises were merely for show, and if the city was to be deluded, it was right to mention them; if, on the other hand, they were really to be fulfilled, it was best to say nothing about them. For if the project was so far matured that the Thebans could gain nothing by hearing of it, why has it not been executed? But if it has been thwarted because they had news of it in time, who let the secret out?

> Greek: 42. ταῦτα τοίνυν καὶ πόλλʼ ἕτερʼ ἐνῆν παραχρῆμα τότʼ εὐθὺς ἐξελέγχειν καὶ διδάσκειν ὑμᾶς καὶ μὴ προέσθαι τὰ πράγματʼ ἐᾶν, εἰ μὴ Θεσπιαὶ καὶ Πλαταιαὶ καὶ τὸ Θηβαίους αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα δώσειν δίκην ἀφείλετο τὴν ἀλήθειαν. καίτοι ταῦτα, εἰ μὲν ἀκοῦσαι μὲν ἔδει φενακισθῆναι δὲ τὴν πόλιν, ὀρθῶς ἐλέγετο, εἰ δὲ πραχθῆναι τῷ ὄντι, σιωπᾶσθαι συνέφερεν. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐνταῦθʼ ἦν ἤδη τὰ πράγμαθʼ ὥστε μηδʼ αἰσθομένοις τοῖς Θηβαίοις πλέον εἶναι μηδέν, τί οὐ γέγονεν; εἰ δὲ παρὰ τὸ προαισθέσθαι κεκώλυται, τίς ὁ ἐκλαλήσας; οὐχ οὗτος;

[¶39] 43. Aeschines? Oh no; it was never meant to come off, and he neither wanted it nor expected it; let him be quit of the imputation of blabbing! The truth is that his purpose required that you should be hoodwinked by that talk; that you should refuse to hear the truth from me and should stay at home; and that they should triumphantly carry a decree ensuring the destruction of the Phocians. That is why this tissue of lies was woven; that is why it was made the theme of a popular harangue.

> Greek: 43. ἀλλʼ οὔτʼ ἔμελλεν οὔτʼ ἐβουλήθη ταῦτʼ οὐδʼ ἤλπισεν οὗτος, ὥστε τοῦ γʼ ἐκλελαληκέναι μηδʼ αἰτίαν ἐχέτω· ἀλλὰ φενακισθῆναι τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις ὑμᾶς ἔδει, καὶ ἐμοῦ τἀληθῆ μὴ ʼθελῆσαι ἀκοῦσαι, καὶ αὐτοὺς οἴκοι καταμεῖναι, καὶ ψήφισμα νικῆσαι τοιοῦτο διʼ οὗ Φωκεῖς ἀπολοῦνται. διὰ ταῦτʼ ἐσπαθᾶτο ταῦτα καὶ διὰ ταῦτʼ ἐδημηγορεῖτο.

[¶40] 44. Now when I heard him making all these fine promises, and knew to a certainty that he was lying,—but let me tell you why I knew. First, because, when Philip was on the point of swearing the oath of ratification, the Phocians were expressly excluded from the treaty by these men and that exclusion should have been passed over in silence, if the Phocians were to be delivered; and secondly because none of the ambassadors from Philip, nor Philip’s own letter, but only Aeschines, mentioned the promises.

> Greek: 44. ἀκούων τοίνυν ἐγὼ τηλικαῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἐπαγγελλομένου τούτου, καὶ ἀκριβῶς εἰδὼς ὅτι ψεύδεται, —καὶ ὅθεν, φράσω πρὸς ὑμᾶς, πρῶτον μὲν ἐκ τοῦ, ὅτε τοὺς ὅρκους ἔμελλε Φίλιππος ὀμνύναι τοὺς περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης, ἐκσπόνδους ἀποφανθῆναι τοὺς Φωκέας ὑπὸ τούτων, ὃ σιωπᾶν καὶ ἐᾶν εἰκὸς ἦν, εἴπερ ἔμελλον σῴζεσθαι· ἔπειτʼ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ τοὺς παρὰ τοῦ Φιλίππου πρέσβεις ταῦτα λέγειν μηδὲ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τὴν Φιλίππου, ἀλλὰ τοῦτον—ἐκ τούτων οὖν τεκμαιρόμενος, ἀναστὰς καὶ παρελθὼν ἐπειρώμην μὲν ἀντιλέγειν, ὡς δʼ ἀκούειν οὐκ ἠθέλετε, ἡσυχίαν ἔσχον, τοσοῦτο μόνον διαμαρτυράμενος (καὶ πρὸς Διὸς καὶ θεῶν ἀναμιμνῄσκεσθε) ὅτι ταῦτʼ οὔτʼ οἶδʼ οὔτε κοινωνῶ, προσέθηκα δʼ ὡς οὐδὲ προσδοκῶ.

[¶41] 45. So drawing my conclusions, I rose and presented myself, and made an attempt to reply. When you refused me a hearing, I held my peace, except that I protested—and I entreat that you will recall this—that I had no knowledge of the promises, nothing to do with them, and, I added, no faith in them. At the words “no faith in them,” you became exasperated; and I proceeded: “If any of these promises come true, men of Athens, be sure you give thanks and honors and decorations to these gentlemen; but not to me. If, however, things turn out otherwise, see that it is on them that you vent your wrath. I stand aside.”

> Greek: 45. τραχέως δʼ ὑμῶν τῷ μηδὲ προσδοκᾶν σχόντων, καὶ ὅπως γʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἔφην, ἄν τι τούτων γίγνηται, τούτους ἐπαινέσεσθε καὶ τιμήσετε καὶ στεφανώσετε, ἐμὲ δὲ μή· καὶ μέντοι κἄν τι τῶν ἐναντίων, ὅπως τούτοις ὀργιεῖσθε· ἐγὼ δʼ ἀφίσταμαι.

[¶42] 46. “Not now,” said Aeschines, interrupting me, “do not stand aside now; only do not put in your claim then.” “Agreed;” said I, “if I do, I shall be in the wrong.” Then Philocrates rose, and said, in a very supercilious manner: “No wonder Demosthenes and I disagree, men of Athens. He drinks water; I drink wine.” And then you all laughed.

> Greek: 46. μὴ νῦν, ὑπολαβὼν Αἰσχίνης οὑτοσί, μὴ νῦν ἀφίστασο, ἔφη, ἀλλʼ ὅπως τότε μὴ προσποιήσει. νὴ Δίʼ, ἢ ἀδικήσω γʼ, ἔφην. ἐπαναστὰς δʼ ὁ Φιλοκράτης μάλʼ ὑβριστικῶς οὐδὲν, ἔφη, θαυμαστόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μὴ ταὔτʼ ἐμοὶ καὶ Δημοσθένει δοκεῖν· οὗτος μὲν γὰρ ὕδωρ, ἐγὼ δʼ οἶνον πίνω. καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐγελᾶτε.

[¶43] 47. Now look at the decree, which Philocrates afterwards drafted and handed to the clerk. It sounds well enough to the ear; but if you will take into account the occasion on which it was proposed, and the promises which Aeschines was making at the time, it will be clear that they were simply handing over the Phocians to Philip and the Thebans—I might almost say, with shackles on their wrists. Read the decree. (The Decree is read) You observe, men of Athens, how full the decree is of compliments and fine phrases; that it provides that the peace, and also the alliance, made with Philip shall be extended to his posterity; and that thanks are given to Philip for his promise of just dealings.

> Greek: 47. σκέψασθε δὴ τὸ ψήφισμα, ὃ δίδωσι γράψας μετὰ ταῦθʼ ὁ Φιλοκράτης· ἀκοῦσαι μὲν γὰρ οὑτωσὶ παγκάλως ἔχει· ἐπειδὰν δὲ τοὺς καιροὺς συλλογίσηταί τις ἐφʼ ὧν ἐγράφη, καὶ τὰς ὑποσχέσεις ἃς οὗτος ὑπισχνεῖτο τότε, οὐδὲν ἄλλο φανήσονται πλὴν παραδόντες Φιλίππῳ καὶ Θηβαίοις Φωκέας, μόνον οὐκ ὀπίσω τὼ χεῖρε δήσαντες. λέγε τὸ ψήφισμα. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ.

[¶44] 48. But it was not Philip who had made any promises; so far from promising he says that he does not know what to do to oblige you. It was Aeschines who was Philip’s spokesman and gave undertakings. Then Philocrates, taking advantage of your ready acceptance of Aeschines’ words, inserts in the decree a clause providing that, if the Phocians should not do what was right and give up the temple to the Amphictyonic Council, the Athenian people should send a force to coerce the recalcitrants.

> Greek: 48. ὁρᾶτʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὸ ψήφισμα, ὅσων ἐπαίνων καὶ ὅσης εὐφημίας μεστόν ἐστι, καὶ τὴν εἰρήνην εἶναι τὴν αὐτὴν ἥνπερ Φιλίππῳ καὶ τοῖς ἐγγόνοις, καὶ τὴν συμμαχίαν, καὶ ἐπαινέσαι δὲ Φίλιππον, ὅτι ἐπαγγέλλεται τὰ δίκαια ποιήσειν. ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἐκεῖνός γʼ ἐπηγγέλλετο, ἀλλὰ τοσούτου γʼ ἔδει [ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι] ὥστʼ οὐδʼ εἰδέναι φησὶ τί ἂν ποιῶν ὑμῖν χαρίσαιτο. ἀλλʼ οὗτος ἦν ὁ λέγων ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑπισχνούμενος. πρὸς δὲ τοὺς παρὰ τούτου λόγους ὡρμηκότας λαβὼν ὑμᾶς ὁ Φιλοκράτης ἐγγράφει τοῦτʼ εἰς τὸ ψήφισμα, ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ποιῶσι Φωκεῖς ἃ δεῖ καὶ παραδιδῶσι τοῖς Ἀμφικτύοσιν τὸ ἱερόν, ὅτι βοηθήσει ὁ δῆμος ὁ Ἀθηναίων ἐπὶ τοὺς διακωλύοντας ταῦτα γίγνεσθαι.

[¶45] 50. And so, men of Athens, as you stayed at home instead of taking the field, as the Lacedaemonians had discerned Philip’s treachery and withdrawn, and as no members of the Council were on the spot except the Thessalians and the Thebans, he really has proposed, with the utmost civility, to hand the temple over to them. The wording is, “to the Amphictyons;” but what Amphictyons? There were none there except Thessalians and Thebans. He makes no such proposal as that the Amphictyonic Council should be convened, or that operations should be suspended until it meets, or that Proxenus should march against the Phocians, or that the Athenians should take the field.

> Greek: 50. οὐκοῦν, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μενόντων μὲν ὑμῶν οἴκοι καὶ οὐκ ἐξεληλυθότων, ἀπεληλυθότων δὲ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων καὶ προῃσθημένων τὴν ἀπάτην, οὐδενὸς δʼ ἄλλου παρόντος τῶν Ἀμφικτυόνων πλὴν Θετταλῶν καὶ Θηβαίων, εὐφημότατʼ ἀνθρώπων τούτοις παραδοῦναι γέγραφεν τὸ ἱερὸν γράψας τοῖς Ἀμφικτύοσιν παραδοῦναι (ποίοις; οὐ γὰρ ἦσαν αὐτόθι πλὴν Θηβαῖοι καὶ Θετταλοί), ἀλλʼ οὐ συγκαλέσαι δὲ τοὺς Ἀμφικτύονας, οὐδʼ ἐπισχεῖν ἕως ἂν συλλεγῶσιν, οὐδὲ βοηθεῖν Πρόξενον εἰς Φωκέας, οὐδʼ ἐξιέναι Ἀθηναίους, οὐδὲ τοιοῦτʼ οὐδέν.

## 2. Sections 51–97

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/2/#p-N

[¶0] 51. Philip, however, did send you two letters of summons. Yes, but not with the intention that you should take the field. That is certain; otherwise he would not have destroyed your opportunity of going out before he summoned you, nor would he have detained me when I wanted to sail home, nor ordered Aeschines to make statements calculated to deter you from going out. No, his object was that you, in the belief that he would do all that you wanted, should make no decree prejudicial to him, and the Phocians might not stand their ground and hold out in reliance upon hopes afforded by you, but might make unconditional surrender to him in sheer desperation. Read Philip’s actual letters. (The two Letters are read) These letters, then, do summon you,—yes, indeed, at last!

> Greek: 51. καίτοι καὶ ἐπιστολὰς ἔπεμψʼ ὁ Φίλιππος δύο καλούσας ὑμᾶς, οὐχ ἵνʼ ἐξέλθητε· πώμαλα· οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτε τοὺς χρόνους ἀνελών, ἐν οἷς ἐδυνήθητʼ ἂν ἐξελθεῖν, τηνικαῦτʼ ἐκάλει· οὐδʼ ἂν ἐμέ, ἡνίκα δεῦρʼ ἀποπλεῖν ἐβουλόμην, κατεκώλυεν· οὐδὲ τοιαῦτα λέγειν τούτῳ προσέταττεν, ἐξ ὧν ἥκισθʼ ὑμεῖς ἐμέλλετʼ ἐξιέναι· ἀλλʼ ἵνα, ἃ ἐβούλεσθʼ οἰόμενοι πράξειν αὐτόν, μηδὲν ἐναντίον ψηφίσησθʼ αὐτῷ, μηδʼ ἀμύναιντο μηδʼ ἀντέχοιεν οἱ Φωκεῖς ἐπὶ ταῖς παρʼ ὑμῶν [ὑπέχοντες] ἐλπίσιν, ἀλλʼ ἀπογνόντες ἅπανθʼ αὑτοὺς ἐγχειρίσαιεν. λέγε δʼ αὐτοῖς αὐτὰς τὰς ἐπιστολὰς τὰς τοῦ Φιλίππου. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΑΙ.

[¶1] 52. But if there had been any honesty in the letters, it was clearly the duty of these men to exhort you to take the field, and to propose that Proxenus, whom they knew to be in those parts, should at once march to the aid of Philip. Their actual policy was very different. Naturally; for they did not apply their minds to the phrasing of the letter; they were in the secret of the intention with which it was written, and with that intention they concurred and cooperated.

> Greek: 52. αἱ μὲν τοίνυν ἐπιστολαὶ καλοῦσιν αὗται, καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἤδη γε· τούτοις δʼ, εἴπερ ἦν ὑγιές τι τούτων, τί ἄλλο προσῆκεν ἢ συνειπεῖν ὅπως ἐξέλθηθʼ ὑμεῖς, καὶ τὸν Πρόξενον ὃν περὶ τοὺς τόπους ᾔδεσαν ὄντα γράφειν εὐθέως βοηθεῖν; πάντα τοίνυν τἀναντία τούτων φαίνονται πεποιηκότες. εἰκότως· οὐ γὰρ οἷς ἐπέστελλε προσεῖχον τὸν νοῦν, ἀλλʼ ἃ φρονῶν ταῦτʼ ἔγραφεν συνῄδεσαν· τούτοις οὖν συνέπραττον καὶ τούτοις συνηγωνίζοντο.

[¶2] 53. When therefore the Phocians learned your policy from the proceedings of the Assembly, received the decree of Philocrates, and were informed of the report and promises of Aeschines, their ruin was complete. Just consider. There were some men in Phocis, sensible men, who had no confidence in Philip. They were induced to trust him. Why? Because they conceived that, though Philip had deceived them ten times over, he would never have dared to deceive Athenians and envoys of the Athenian people, that the report of Aeschines was true, and that destruction had overtaken not themselves but the Thebans.

> Greek: 53. οἱ μὲν τοίνυν Φωκεῖς, ὡς τὰ παρʼ ὑμῶν ἐπύθοντʼ ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τό τε ψήφισμα τοῦτʼ ἔλαβον τὸ τοῦ Φιλοκράτους καὶ τὴν ἀπαγγελίαν ἐπύθοντο τὴν τούτου καὶ τὰς ὑποσχέσεις, κατὰ πάντας τοὺς τρόπους ἀπώλοντο. σκοπεῖτε γάρ. ἦσαν ἀπιστοῦντές τινες αὐτόθι τῷ Φιλίππῳ καὶ νοῦν ἔχοντες· οὗτοι πιστεύειν ὑπήχθησαν. διὰ τί; ὅτι ἡγοῦντο, οὐδʼ εἰ δεκάκις Φίλιππος αὐτοὺς ἐξηπάτα, οὐδέποτʼ ἂν τούς γʼ Ἀθηναίων πρέσβεις Ἀθηναίους ἐξαπατᾶν τολμῆσαι, ἀλλʼ εἶναι ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ ἃ οὗτος ἀπήγγελλε πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ τοῖς Θηβαίοις ἥκειν, οὐχ αὑτοῖς ὄλεθρον.

[¶3] 54. There were others who were ready at all hazards to hold out to the end; but even they were mollified by the persuasion that Philip was their friend, and that, if they refused compliance, you, from whom they were expecting succor, would turn against them. A third party supposed that you regretted your treaty of peace with Philip; but they were now informed that you had actually decreed an extension of the treaty to Philip’s descendants, and so they abandoned all hope of your assistance. And that is why these men packed all those provisions into one decree.

> Greek: 54. ἦσαν ἄλλοι τινὲς οἳ πάσχειν ὁτιοῦν καὶ ἀμύνεσθαι δεῖν ᾤοντο· ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτους μαλακοὺς ἐποίησε τὸ τὸν Φίλιππον ὑπάρχειν αὐτοῖς πεισθῆναι, καὶ τὸ ταῦτʼ εἰ μὴ ποιήσουσιν ὑμᾶς ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἥξειν, οὓς βοηθήσειν αὑτοῖς ἤλπιζον ἐκεῖνοι. ἀλλὰ καὶ μεταμέλειν ὑμῖν ᾤοντό τινες πεποιημένοις τὴν πρὸς Φίλιππον εἰρήνην· τούτοις ὅτι καὶ τοῖς ἐγγόνοις τὴν αὐτὴν ἐψηφίσασθʼ ἐπέδειξαν, ὥστε πανταχῇ τὰ παρʼ ὑμῶν ἀπογνωσθῆναι. διόπερ ταῦτα πάντʼ εἰς ἓν ψήφισμα συνεσκεύασαν.

[¶4] 55. In my judgement they could not have done you a more grievous injury. To turn their treaty of peace with a mortal man, a mere potentate of occasion, into a covenant of immortal ignominy for the commonwealth; to strip their city of all she had, even of the largess of her good fortune; in the veriest extravagance of malice to heap injuries not only on the Athenians of today but upon all who shall hereafter be Athenians,—is not that an appalling iniquity?

> Greek: 55. ὃ καὶ μέγιστον ἔμοιγε δοκοῦσιν ἁπάντων ὑμᾶς ἠδικηκέναι· τὸ γὰρ πρὸς ἄνδρα θνητὸν καὶ διὰ καιρούς τινας ἰσχύοντα γράφοντας εἰρήνην ἀθάνατον συνθέσθαι τὴν κατὰ τῆς πόλεως αἰσχύνην, καὶ ἀποστερῆσαι μὴ μόνον τῶν ἄλλων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν παρὰ τῆς τύχης εὐεργεσιῶν τὴν πόλιν, καὶ τοσαύτῃ περιουσίᾳ χρήσασθαι πονηρίας ὥστε μὴ μόνον τοὺς ὄντας Ἀθηναίους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ὕστερόν ποτε μέλλοντας ἔσεσθαι πάντας ἠδικηκέναι, πῶς οὐχὶ πάνδεινόν ἐστι;

[¶5] 56. Never would you have consented to add to the treaty by afterthought the words “and to his posterity,” but for your confidence in the promises alleged by Aeschines. In those promises the Phocians confided,—and perished! They surrendered themselves to Philip; of their own accord they put their cities at his mercy; and their treatment has exactly contradicted all the assurances of Aeschines.

> Greek: 56. τοῦτο τοίνυν οὐδέποθʼ ὑμεῖς ὑπεμείνατʼ ἂν [ὕστερον] προσγράψαι πρὸς τὴν εἰρήνην, τὸ καὶ τοῖς ἐγγόνοις, εἰ μὴ ταῖς παρʼ Αἰσχίνου ῥηθείσαις ὑποσχέσεσιν τότʼ ἐπιστεύσατε, αἷσπερ οἱ Φωκεῖς πιστεύσαντες ἀπώλοντο. καὶ γάρ τοι παραδόντες αὑτοὺς Φιλίππῳ καὶ ἑκόντες ἐγχειρίσαντες ἐκείνῳ τὰς πόλεις ἁπάντων τῶν ἐναντίων ὧν πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὗτος ἀπήγγειλʼ ἔτυχον.

[¶6] 57. To give you the clearest proof that that destruction was effected in this way by the contrivance of these men, I will submit a reckoning of the dates of the several transactions. If any of the defendants challenges my calculation, let him stand up and speak in the time allotted to me. Now the treaty was made on the nineteenth of Elaphebolion, and we were abroad receiving the oaths for three entire months. During the whole of that time the Phocians were safe.

> Greek: 57. ἵνα δʼ εἰδῆτε σαφῶς ὅτι ταῦθʼ οὕτω καὶ διὰ τούτους ἀπόλωλε, τοὺς χρόνους ὑμῖν λογιοῦμαι καθʼ οὓς ἐγίγνεθʼ ἕκαστα. περὶ ὧν δʼ ἄν τις ἀντιλέγῃ τούτων, ἀναστὰς ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ ὕδατι εἰπάτω. ἡ μὲν τοίνυν εἰρήνη ἐλαφηβολιῶνος ἐνάτῃ ἐπὶ δέκα ἐγένετο, ἀπεδημήσαμεν δʼ ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ τοὺς ὅρκους τρεῖς μῆνας ὅλους· καὶ τοῦτον ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον ἦσαν οἱ Φωκεῖς σῷοι.

[¶7] 58. We returned from the oath-taking embassy on the thirteenth of Scirophorion, when Philip was already at Thermopylae and making promises to the Phocians which they were not disposed to believe. The proof of that is that otherwise they would not have resorted to you. Then the Assembly, at which these men brought the whole business to ruin with their lies and cajolery, was held on the sixteenth of Scirophorion.

> Greek: 58. ἥκομεν δὲ δεῦρʼ ἀπὸ τῆς πρεσβείας τῆς ἐπὶ τοὺς ὅρκους τρίτῃ ἐπὶ δέκα τοῦ σκιροφοριῶνος μηνός, καὶ παρῆν ὁ Φίλιππος ἐν Πύλαις ἤδη καὶ τοῖς Φωκεῦσιν ἐπηγγέλλετο ὧν οὐδὲν ἐπίστευον ἐκεῖνοι. σημεῖον δέ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν δεῦρʼ ἧκον ὡς ὑμᾶς. ἡ δʼ ἐκκλησία μετὰ ταῦτα, ἐν ᾗ πάντα τὰ πράγματʼ ἀπώλεσαν οὗτοι ψευσάμενοι καὶ φενακίσαντες ὑμᾶς, τῇ ἕκτῃ ἐπὶ δέκα ἐγίγνετο τοῦ σκιροφοριῶνος.

[¶8] 59. Now I calculate that the news from Athens reached the Phocians on the fourth day after that date, for there were Phocian envoys in the city, and they were interested in knowing what report these men would submit and what decree you would adopt. Therefore the twentieth was the day on which we reckon that the Phocians received the news, that is, the fourth day after the sixteenth. Then followed the twenty-first, twenty-second, twenty-third; and on the twenty-third the convention was made, and the fortunes of Phocis perished and came to an end.

> Greek: 59. ἀπὸ τοίνυν ταύτης πεμπταῖα λογίζομαι τὰ παρʼ ὑμῶν ἐν τοῖς Φωκεῦσι γενέσθαι· παρῆσαν γὰρ οἱ τῶν Φωκέων πρέσβεις ἐνθάδε, καὶ ἦν αὐτοῖς καὶ τί ἀπαγγελοῦσιν οὗτοι καὶ τί ψηφιεῖσθʼ ὑμεῖς ἐπιμελές. οὐκοῦν εἰκάς, ᾗ τίθεμεν πυθέσθαι τοὺς Φωκέας τὰ παρʼ ὑμῶν· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς ἕκτης εἰς ταύτην πέμπτη γίγνεται. ὑστέρα τοίνυν δεκάτη, ἐνάτη, ὀγδόη· ταύτῃ ἐγίγνονθʼ αἱ σπονδαί, καὶ πάντα τἀκεῖ πράγματʼ ἀπωλώλει καὶ τέλος εἶχεν.

[¶9] 60. How, then, is this date proved? On the twenty-seventh, when you were holding an assembly at Peiraeus to discuss dockyard business, Dercylus arrived from Chalcis with the intelligence that Philip had put the whole affair into the hands of the Thebans, and he computed that it was then the fourth day after the convention. Twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven: that makes it the fourth day. Therefore these dates, together with their own reports and decrees, all convict these men of having co-operated with Philip, and they share with him the guilt of the destruction of the Phocians.

> Greek: 60. τῷ τοῦτο δῆλον; τῇ τετράδι φθίνοντος ἠκκλησιάζετε μὲν τόθʼ ὑμεῖς ἐν Πειραιεῖ περὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς νεωρίοις, ἧκε δὲ Δερκύλος ἐκ Χαλκίδος καὶ ἀπήγγελλεν ὑμῖν ὅτι πάντα τὰ πράγματʼ ἐγκεχείρικε Θηβαίοις ὁ Φίλιππος, καὶ πέμπτην εἶναι ταύτην ἡμέραν [ἐλογίζετʼ] ἀφʼ οὗ γεγόνασιν αἱ σπονδαί. ὀγδόη τοίνυν, ἑβδόμη, ἕκτη, πέμπτη, τετράς· αὐτὸ συμβαίνει εἰς ταύτην εἶναι πέμπτην. οὐκοῦν τοῖς χρόνοις, οἷς ἀπήγγελλον, οἷς ἔγραφον, πᾶσιν ἐξελέγχονται συνηγωνισμένοι Φιλίππῳ καὶ συναίτιοι γεγονότες τοῦ τῶν Φωκέων ὀλέθρου.

[¶10] 61. Again, the consideration that not a city of the Phocians was taken forcibly, whether by blockade or assault, and yet that they were all brought to utter ruin under the convention, is a convincing proof that they perished because they had been persuaded through these men that Philip would deliver them; for about his character they had no illusions. Now give me our treaty with the Phocians, and the Amphictyonic decrees, under which they dismantled their defences. These documents will show you on what footing you stood with them, and what treatment they have received by the fault of these wicked men. Read. (The Treaty of Friendship between the Athenians and the Phocians is read) These are the relations that subsisted between you and them—friendship, alliance, succor.

> Greek: 61. ἔτι τοίνυν τὸ μηδεμίαν τῶν πόλεων τῶν ἐν Φωκεῦσιν ἁλῶναι πολιορκίᾳ μηδʼ ἐκ προσβολῆς κατὰ κράτος, ἀλλʼ ἐκ τοῦ σπείσασθαι πάντας ἄρδην ἀπολέσθαι, μέγιστόν ἐστι σημεῖον τοῦ διὰ τούτους πεισθέντας αὐτοὺς ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ Φιλίππου σωθήσονται ταῦτα παθεῖν· οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖνόν γʼ ἠγνόουν. φέρε δή μοι καὶ τὴν συμμαχίαν τὴν τῶν Φωκέων καὶ τὰ δόγμαθʼ ὑφʼ ὧν καθεῖλον αὐτῶν τὰ τείχη, ἵνʼ εἰδῆθʼ οἵων ὑπαρχόντων αὐτοῖς παρʼ ὑμῶν οἵων ἔτυχον διὰ τούτους τοὺς θεοῖς ἐχθρούς. λέγε. ΣΥΜΜΑΧΙΑ ΦΩΚΕΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΩΝ.

[¶11] 62. Now hear what they have suffered through the man who thwarted the succor you owed them. Read. (The Convention between Philip and the Phocians is read) You hear it, men of Athens. A convention between Philip and the Phocians, it says, not between the Thebans and the Phocians, or the Thessalians and the Phocians, or the Locrians, or any other of the nationalities then present. Again, it says that the Phocians are to surrender their cities to Philip, not to the Thebans, or the Thessalians, or any other people.

> Greek: 62. ἃ μὲν τοίνυν ὑπῆρχε παρʼ ὑμῶν αὐτοῖς, ταῦτʼ ἐστί, φιλία, συμμαχία, βοήθεια· ὧν δʼ ἔτυχον διὰ τοῦτον τὸν βοηθῆσαι κωλύσαντα ὑμᾶς, ἀκούσατε. λέγε. ΟΜΟΛΟΓΙΑ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΦΩΚΕΩΝ. ἀκούετʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι. ὁμολογία Φιλίππου καὶ Φωκέων, φησίν, οὐχὶ Θηβαίων καὶ Φωκέων, οὐδὲ Θετταλῶν καὶ Φωκέων, οὐδὲ Λοκρῶν, οὐδʼ ἄλλου τῶν παρόντων οὐδενός· καὶ πάλιν παραδοῦναι δὲ τὰς πόλεις Φωκέας, φησί, Φιλίππῳ, οὐχὶ Θηβαίοις οὐδὲ Θετταλοῖς οὐδʼ ἄλλῳ οὐδενί.

[¶12] 63. Why? Because you had been assured by Aeschines that Philip had come to deliver the Phocians. In Aeschines they had confidence; to Aeschines they looked for aid; with Aeschines they were making their peace. Read the other documents. Now you shall see to what sufferings they were brought by that confidence. Does the story agree with, does it in any way resemble, those reports of Aeschines? Read. (The Decrees of the Amphictyonic Council are read) Men of Athens, nothing more awful or more momentous has befallen in Greece within living memory, nor, as I believe, in all the history of the past.

> Greek: 63. διὰ τί; ὅτι Φίλιππος ἀπηγγέλλετο πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὑπὸ τούτου ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν Φωκέων σωτηρίᾳ παρεληλυθέναι. τούτῳ δὴ πάντʼ ἐπίστευον, καὶ πρὸς τοῦτον πάντʼ ἐσκόπουν, πρὸς τοῦτον ἐποιοῦντο τὴν εἰρήνην. λέγε δὴ τἀπίλοιπα. καὶ σκοπεῖτε τί πιστεύσαντες τί ἔπασχον. ἆρά γʼ ὅμοιʼ ἢ παραπλήσιʼ οἷς οὗτος ἀπήγγελλεν; λέγε. ΔΟΓΜΑΤΑ ΑΜΦΙΚΤΥΟΝΩΝ.

[¶13] 64. Yet through the agency of these men all these great and terrible transactions have been dominated by a single individual, though the city of Athens is still in being, the city whose ancestral prerogative it was to stand forth as the champion of the Hellenic race, and declare that such things shall not be. In what fashion these unhappy Phocians have perished you may learn, not from the decrees alone, but from the deeds that have been wrought—a spectacle, men of Athens, to move us to terror and pity indeed!

> Greek: 64. τούτων, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δεινότερʼ οὐ γέγονεν οὐδὲ μείζω πράγματʼ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν ἐν τοῖς Ἕλλησιν, οἶμαι δʼ οὐδʼ ἐν τῷ πρόσθεν χρόνῳ. τηλικούτων μέντοι καὶ τοιούτων πραγμάτων κύριος εἷς ἀνὴρ [Φίλιππος] γέγονεν διὰ τούτους, οὔσης τῆς Ἀθηναίων πόλεως, ᾗ προεστάναι τῶν Ἑλλήνων πάτριον καὶ μηδὲν τοιοῦτον περιορᾶν γιγνόμενον. ὃν μὲν τοίνυν τρόπον οἱ ταλαίπωροι Φωκεῖς ἀπολώλασιν, οὐ μόνον ἐκ τῶν δογμάτων τούτων ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἃ πέπρακται, θέαμα δεινόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ ἐλεινόν·

[¶14] 65. Not long ago, when we were travelling to Delphi, necessity compelled us to look upon that scene—homesteads levelled with the ground, cities stripped of their defensive walls, a countryside all emptied of its young men; only women, a few little children, and old men stricken with misery. No man could find words adequate to the woes that exist in that country today. And yet these are the people—you take the words out of my mouth—these are the people who in the day of our trial openly cast their vote against the Thebans, when the question was the enslavement of us all!

> Greek: 65. ὅτε γὰρ νῦν ἐπορευόμεθʼ εἰς Δελφούς, ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἦν ὁρᾶν ἡμῖν πάντα ταῦτα, οἰκίας κατεσκαμμένας, τείχη περιῃρημένα, χώραν ἔρημον τῶν ἐν ἡλικίᾳ, γύναια δὲ καὶ παιδάριʼ ὀλίγα καὶ πρεσβύτας ἀνθρώπους οἰκτρούς· οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς δύναιτʼ ἐφικέσθαι τῷ λόγῳ τῶν ἐκεῖ κακῶν νῦν ὄντων. ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι τὴν ἐναντίαν ποτὲ Θηβαίοις ψῆφον ἔθενθʼ οὗτοι περὶ ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ ἀνδραποδισμοῦ προτεθεῖσαν, ὑμῶν ἔγωγʼ ἀκούω πάντων.

[¶15] 66. Then what vote, what judgement, men of Athens, do you think that our forefathers would give, if they could recover consciousness, at the trial of the men who devised the destruction of the Phocians? I conceive that they would account even those who should stone them to death with their own hands to be free of all bloodguiltiness. For is it not an ignominy—or use a stronger word if such there be—that, by the fault of these men, the people who saved us at that crisis, and gave for us the verdict of deliverance, have received evil in requital of good, and have been abandoned to the endurance of afflictions such as no people of the Greeks has ever known? And who is the author of those wrongs? Who is the contriver of that deception? Who but Aeschines?

> Greek: 66. τίνʼ ἂν οὖν οἴεσθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοὺς προγόνους ὑμῶν, εἰ λάβοιεν αἴσθησιν, ψῆφον ἢ γνώμην θέσθαι περὶ τῶν αἰτίων τοῦ τούτων ὀλέθρου; ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οἶμαι κἂν καταλεύσαντας αὐτοὺς ταῖς ἑαυτῶν χερσὶν καθαροὺς ἔσεσθαι νομίζειν. πῶς γὰρ οὐκ αἰσχρόν, μᾶλλον δʼ εἴ τις ἔστιν ὑπερβολὴ τούτου, τοὺς σεσωκότας ἡμᾶς τότε καὶ τὴν σῴζουσαν περὶ ἡμῶν ψῆφον θεμένους, τούτους τῶν ἐναντίων τετυχηκέναι διὰ τούτους, καὶ περιῶφθαι τοιαῦτα πεπονθότας οἷʼ οὐδένες ἄλλοι τῶν Ἑλλήνων; τίς οὖν ὁ τούτων αἴτιος; τίς ὁ ταῦτα φενακίσας; οὐχ οὗτος;

[¶16] 67. Men of Athens, Philip has many claims to congratulation on his good fortune, but beyond them all he might well be especially congratulated for one thing, in which I solemnly declare that I can name no man of our time who has been equally fortunate. Such achievements as the capture of great cities and the subjugation of a vast territory are, I suppose, enviable, as they are undoubtedly imposing; yet we could mention many other men who have done the like.

> Greek: 67. πολλὰ τοίνυν ἄν τις, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, Φίλιππον εὐδαιμονίσας τῆς τύχης εἰκότως, τοῦτο μάλιστʼ ἂν εὐδαιμονίσειεν ἁπάντων, ὃ μὰ τοὺς θεοὺς καὶ τὰς θεὰς οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν ἔγωγʼ ἄλλον ὅστις ηὐτύχηκεν ἐφʼ ἡμῶν. τὸ μὲν γὰρ πόλεις μεγάλας εἰληφέναι καὶ χώραν πολλὴν ὑφʼ ἑαυτῷ πεποιῆσθαι καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα ζηλωτὰ μέν ἐστιν, οἶμαι, καὶ λαμπρά· πῶς γὰρ οὔ; ἔχοι δʼ ἄν τις εἰπεῖν πεπραγμένα καὶ ἑτέροις πολλοῖς.

[¶17] 68. But the stroke of good fortune I have in mind is peculiar to him and has befallen no other man. What is it? It is that, when he needed scoundrels for his purposes, he found bigger scoundrels than he wanted. For surely that is a fair description of the men who deceived you, hiring themselves out for lies which Philip, in spite of the great interests at issue, did not dare to tell on his own account, which he never wrote in any letter or put into the mouth of ambassadors of his own.

> Greek: 68. ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἴδιον καὶ οὐδενὶ τῶν πάντων ἄλλῳ γεγονὸς εὐτύχημα. τὸ ποῖον; τὸ ἐπειδὴ πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰς τὰ πράγματʼ αὐτῷ ἐδέησεν, πονηροτέρους εὑρεῖν ἢ ἐβούλετο. πῶς γὰρ οὐχ οὗτοι τοιοῦτοι δικαίως ὑποληφθεῖεν ἄν, οἵ γε, ἃ ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ Φίλιππος τηλικούτων ὄντων αὐτῷ τῶν διαφόρων οὐκ ἐτόλμα ψεύσασθαι, οὐδʼ ἔγραψεν οὔτʼ εἰς ἐπιστολὴν οὐδεμίαν, οὔτε πρεσβευτὴς οὐδεὶς εἶπε τῶν παρʼ ἐκείνου, ἐπὶ ταῦτα μισθώσαντες ἑαυτοὺς ὑμᾶς ἐξηπάτων;

[¶18] 69. Antipater and Parmenio, though they were in the service of a hard taskmaster, and though they were not likely to fall in with you again, nevertheless claimed exemption from serving as the agents of your beguilement; and yet citizens of Athens, the appointed envoys of the freest of all cities, men who must needs encounter you and look you in the face, who must live with you all the rest of their life, who would have to render you a strict account of their actions, accepted a commission to beguile you! Could any men be more wicked or more lost to all sense of shame?

> Greek: 69. καὶ ὁ μὲν Ἀντίπατρος καὶ ὁ Παρμενίων, δεσπότῃ διακονοῦντες καὶ οὐ μέλλοντες ὑμῖν μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἐντεύξεσθαι, ὅμως τοῦθʼ εὕροντο, μὴ διʼ αὐτῶν ὑμᾶς ἐξαπατηθῆναι· οἱ δέ, Ἀθηναῖοι, τῆς ἐλευθερωτάτης πόλεως, πρέσβεις ταχθέντες ὑμᾶς, οἷς ἀπαντῶντας ἐμβλέπειν, οἷς συζῆν ἀνάγκη τὸν λοιπὸν βίον καὶ ἐν οἷς εὐθύνας ἔμελλον δώσειν τῶν πεπραγμένων, τούτους ἐξαπατᾶν ὑπέστησαν. πῶς ἂν ἄνθρωποι κακίους ἢ μᾶλλον ἀπονενοημένοι τούτων γένοιντο;

[¶19] 70. To show you that this man is already accursed by you, and that religion and piety forbid you to acquit one who has been guilty of such falsehoods,—recite the curse. Take and read it from the statute: here it is. (The Statutory Commination is read) This imprecation, men of Athens, is pronounced, as the law directs, by the marshal on your behalf at every meeting of the Assembly, and again before the Council at all their sessions. The defendant cannot say that he is not familiar with it, for, when acting as clerk to the Assembly and as an officer of the Council, he used to dictate the statute to the marshal.

> Greek: 70. ἵνα τοίνυν εἰδῆθʼ ὅτι καὶ κατάρατός ἐστιν ὑφʼ ὑμῶν, καὶ οὐδʼ ὅσιον ὑμῖν οὐδʼ εὐσεβές ἐστι τοιαῦτʼ ἐψευσμένον αὐτὸν ἀφεῖναι, λέγε τὴν ἀρὰν καὶ ἀνάγνωθι λαβὼν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ταυτηνί. ΑΡΑ. ταῦθʼ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καθʼ ἑκάστην τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ὁ κῆρυξ εὔχεται νόμῳ προστεταγμένα, καὶ ὅταν ἡ βουλὴ καθῆται, παρʼ ἐκείνῃ πάλιν. καὶ ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἔνεστιν εἰπεῖν τούτῳ ὡς οὐκ εὖ ᾔδει· ὑπογραμματεύων γὰρ ὑμῖν καὶ ὑπηρετῶν τῇ βουλῇ αὐτὸς ἐξηγεῖτο τὸν νόμον τοῦτον τῷ κήρυκι.

[¶20] 71. Would you not have acted absurdly and preposterously if today, when the power is in your own hands, you should preclude yourselves from doing what you enjoin, or rather require, the gods to do on your behalf; if you should yourselves release a man whom you have implored them to extirpate along with his household and his kindred? Never! Leave the undetected sinner to the justice of the gods; but about the sinner whom you have caught yourselves, lay no further injunctions on them.

> Greek: 71. πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἄτοπον καὶ ὑπερφυὲς ἂν πεποιηκότες ὑμεῖς εἴητε, εἰ ἃ προστάττετε, μᾶλλον δʼ ἀξιοῦτε ποιεῖν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν τοὺς θεούς, ταῦτʼ αὐτοὶ κύριοι γεγενημένοι τήμερον μὴ ποιήσαιτε, ἀλλʼ ὃν ἐκείνοις εὔχεσθʼ ἐξώλη ποιεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ γένος καὶ οἰκίαν, τοῦτον ἀφείητʼ αὐτοί; μηδαμῶς· ὃς γὰρ ἂν ὑμᾶς λάθῃ, τοῦτον ἀφίετε τοῖς θεοῖς κολάζειν· ὃν δʼ ἂν αὐτοὶ λάβητε, μηκέτʼ ἐκείνοις περὶ τούτου προστάττετε.

[¶21] 72. I am informed that he has become so proficient in effrontery and hardihood that he will disavow all his acts—his reports, his promises, his deceptions of the city—as though he were not on trial before a jury that knows the whole truth, and that he will denounce first the Lacedaemonians, then the Phocians, and then Hegesippus. That is buffoonery, nay, barefaced impudence.

> Greek: 72. εἰς τοίνυν τοῦτʼ ἀναιδείας καὶ τόλμης αὐτὸν ἥξειν ἀκούω, ὥστε πάντων τῶν πεπραγμένων ἐκστάντα, ὧν ἀπήγγειλεν, ὧν ὑπέσχετο, ὧν πεφενάκικε τὴν πόλιν, ὥσπερ ἐν ἄλλοις τισὶ κρινόμενον καὶ οὐκ ἐν ὑμῖν τοῖς ἅπαντʼ εἰδόσι, πρῶτον μὲν Λακεδαιμονίων, εἶτα Φωκέων, εἶθʼ Ἡγησίππου κατηγορήσειν. ἔστι δὲ ταῦτα γέλως, μᾶλλον δʼ ἀναισχυντία δεινή.

[¶22] 73. Whatever he may say just now about the Phocians or the Lacedaemonians or Hegesippus,—that they did not receive Proxenus, that they are irreligious, that they are—anything he can say to their disadvantage,—surely all that was finished and done with before the return of the envoys to Athens, and therefore could not have stood in the way of the deliverance of the Phocians. Who says so? Why, Aeschines here, the defendant himself.

> Greek: 73. ὅσα γὰρ νῦν ἐρεῖ περὶ τῶν Φωκέων ἢ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων ἢ τοῦ Ἡγησίππου, ὡς Πρόξενον οὐχ ὑπεδέξαντο, ὡς ἀσεβεῖς εἰσίν, ὡς—ὅ τι ἂν δήποτʼ αὐτῶν κατηγορῇ, πάντα δήπου ταῦτα πρὸ τοῦ τοὺς πρέσβεις τούτους δεῦρʼ ἥκειν ἐπέπρακτο, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἐμποδὼν τῷ τοὺς Φωκέας σῴζεσθαι, ὡς τίς φησιν;

[¶23] 74. For he did not allege in his report that, but for the Lacedaemonians, but for their refusal to receive Proxenus, but for Hegesippus, but for this or that, the Phocians would have been delivered. He passed over all that, and declared explicitly that before his return he had persuaded Philip to deliver the Phocians, to repopulate Boeotia, and to put the whole business into your hands; that it would all be accomplished within two or three days, and that in revenge the Thebans had set a price upon his head.

> Greek: 74. Αἰσχίνης αὐτὸς οὑτοσί. οὐ γὰρ ὡς εἰ μὴ διὰ Λακεδαιμονίους, οὐδʼ ὡς εἰ μὴ Πρόξενον οὐχ ὑπεδέξαντο, οὐδʼ ὡς εἰ μὴ διʼ Ἡγήσιππον, οὐδʼ ὡς εἰ μὴ διὰ τὸ καὶ τὸ ἐσώθησαν ἂν οἱ Φωκεῖς, οὐχ οὕτω τότʼ ἀπήγγειλεν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ταῦθʼ ὑπερβὰς διαρρήδην ἥκειν πεπεικὼς ἔφη Φίλιππον Φωκέας σῴζειν, τὴν Βοιωτίαν οἰκίζειν, ὑμῖν τὰ πράγματʼ οἰκεῖα ποιεῖν· ταῦτα πεπράξεσθαι δυοῖν ἢ τριῶν ἡμερῶν· διὰ ταῦτα χρήμαθʼ ἑαυτῷ τοὺς Θηβαίους ἐπικεκηρυχέναι.

[¶24] 75. Do not, then, listen to anything that had been done by Lacedaemonians or Phocians before he made his report; do not let him talk about it; do not permit him to denounce the Phocians and call them rascals. You saved the Lacedaemonians in old time, and those accursed Euboeans lately, and many other peoples, not because they were virtuous, but because their safety profited Athens, as that of the Phocians would today. What transgression did the Phocians or the Lacedaemonians or you or anyone else commit after Aeschines’ speech, that the promises made by him to you then should not be fulfilled?

> Greek: 75. μὴ τοίνυν ἃ πρὸ τοῦ τοῦτον ἀπαγγεῖλαι ταῦτʼ ἐπέπρακτʼ ἢ Λακεδαιμονίοις ἢ Φωκεῦσιν ἀκούετε μηδʼ ἀνέχεσθε, μηδὲ κατηγορεῖν ἐᾶτε Φωκέων ὡς πονηροί. οὐδὲ γὰρ Λακεδαιμονίους διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν αὐτῶν ποτʼ ἐσώσατε, οὐδὲ τοὺς καταράτους Εὐβοέας τουτουσί, οὐδʼ ἄλλους πολλούς, ἀλλʼ ὅτι συμφέρον ἦν σῶς εἶναι τῇ πόλει, ὥσπερ Φωκέας νυνί. καὶ τί τῶν Φωκέων ἢ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων ἢ ὑμῶν ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς ἀνθρώπων μετὰ τοὺς παρὰ τούτου λόγους ἐξαμαρτόντος οὐκ ἀπέβη τὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὑπὸ τούτου τότε ῥηθέντα; τοῦτʼ ἐρωτᾶτε· οὐ γὰρ ἕξει δεῖξαι.

[¶25] 76. Ask him that question. He can point to none. For he made his lying report, you believed it, the Phocians heard of it, surrendered, and perished, all within a period of five days only. Hence it is clearly evident that the ruin of the Phocians was nothing but a concoction of deceit and artifice. For during the time when Philip was unable to march by reason of the peace, but was already laying his plans, he sent for the Lacedaemonians, promising to do everything for them, so that the Phocians might not, through your agency, secure their help.

> Greek: 76. πέντε γὰρ ἡμέραι γεγόνασι μόναι, ἐν αἷς οὗτος ἀπήγγειλε τὰ ψευδῆ, ὑμεῖς ἐπιστεύσατε, οἱ Φωκεῖς ἐπύθοντο, ἐνέδωκαν ἑαυτούς, ἀπώλοντο. ὅθεν οἶμαι καὶ δῆλόν ἐστι σαφῶς, ὅτι πᾶσʼ ἀπάτη καὶ τέχνη συνεσκευάσθη τοῦ περὶ Φωκέας ὀλέθρου. ὃν μὲν γὰρ χρόνον οὐχ οἷός τʼ ἦν ἐλθεῖν ὁ Φίλιππος διὰ τὴν εἰρήνην, ἀλλʼ ἦν ἐν παρασκευῇ, τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους μετεπέμπετο, πάντα τὰ πράγμαθʼ ὑποσχόμενος πράξειν ἐκείνοις, ἵνα μὴ διʼ ὑμῶν αὐτοὺς οἱ Φωκεῖς ὑποποιήσωνται.

[¶26] 77. But when he had reached Thermopylae, and when the Lacedaemonians, detecting the snare, had withdrawn, he sent Aeschines as his agent in advance for your deception, lest, when you discovered that he was acting in the interest of the Thebans, he should be involved once more in delays and fighting and waste of time with the Phocians resisting him, and you helping them. In this way he hoped to obtain complete mastery without a struggle. And so it fell out. Aeschines, then, must not escape punishment for deceiving you, merely because Philip deceived the Lacedaemonians and the Phocians. That would be unjust indeed.

> Greek: 77. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἧκεν εἰς Πύλας, οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι δʼ αἰσθόμενοι τὴν ἐνέδραν ὑπεχώρησαν, τοῦτον αὖ προκαθῆκεν ἐξαπατᾶν ὑμᾶς, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν, ὑμῶν αἰσθομένων ὅτι Θηβαίοις τὰ πράγματα πράττει, εἰς χρόνους καὶ πόλεμον καὶ τριβὴν ἐμπέσῃ, τῶν μὲν Φωκέων ἀμυνομένων, ὑμῶν δὲ βοηθούντων, ἀλλʼ ἀκονιτεὶ πάνθʼ ὑφʼ ἑαυτῷ ποιήσηται· ὅπερ καὶ γέγονεν. μὴ οὖν ὅτι καὶ Λακεδαιμονίους καὶ Φωκέας ἐξηπάτησε Φίλιππος, διὰ ταῦθʼ ὧν ὑμᾶς οὗτος ἐξηπάτησε μὴ δότω δίκην· οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον.

[¶27] 78. If as an offset to the Phocians and Thermopylae and all our other losses he tells you that the city still retains the Chersonese, I adjure you not to accept that excuse. In addition to the wrongs he has done you by his embassy, you must not suffer him by his defence also to fasten upon the city the reproach that, while stealthily securing some of your own possessions, you made sacrifice of the safety of your allies. You did no such thing. Peace was concluded; the Chersonese was secure; and then for the four ensuing months the Phocians were not imperilled, until you were deceived, and the Phocians destroyed, by this man’s mendacity.

> Greek: 78. ἂν τοίνυν ἀντὶ Φωκέων καὶ Πυλῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἀπολωλότων Χερρόνησος ὡς περίεστι τῇ πόλει λέγῃ, πρὸς Διὸς καὶ θεῶν μὴ ἀποδέξησθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, μηδʼ ὑπομείνητε, πρὸς οἷς ἐκ τῆς πρεσβείας ἠδίκησθε, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἀπολογίας ὄνειδος προσκατασκευασθῆναι τῇ πόλει, ὡς ἄρʼ ὑμεῖς τῶν ἰδίων τι κτημάτων ὑπεξαιρούμενοι τὴν τῶν συμμάχων σωτηρίαν προήκασθε. οὐ γὰρ ἐποιήσατε τοῦτο, ἀλλʼ ἤδη τῆς εἰρήνης γεγονυίας καὶ τῆς Χερρονήσου σῴας οὔσης τέτταρας μῆνας ὅλους ἐσῴζονθʼ οἱ Φωκεῖς τοὺς ὕστερον, ἡ δὲ τούτου ψευδολογία μετὰ ταῦθʼ ὕστερον αὐτοὺς ἀπώλεσεν, ἐξαπατήσασʼ ὑμᾶς.

[¶28] 79. Moreover, you will find that the Chersonese is in greater danger now than then. When would it have been easier to punish Philip for wrongful aggression upon that country—before he forestalled us at Thermopylae, or today? Surely far easier then! What, then, does it profit us that we still retain the Chersonese, if the man, who would have invaded it if he could, is freed from the apprehensions and perils that deterred him?

> Greek: 79. εἶτα καὶ νῦν ἐν μείζονι κινδύνῳ τὴν Χερρόνησον οὖσαν εὑρήσετʼ ἢ τότε. πότερον γὰρ εὐπορώτερον ἂν δίκην ἔδωκε Φίλιππος ἐξαμαρτὼν εἰς αὐτὴν πρὶν τούτων τι τῆς πόλεως προλαβεῖν, ἢ νυνί; ἐγὼ μὲν οἶμαι, τότε πολλῷ. τίς οὖν ἡ ταύτης περιουσία, τῶν φόβων ἀφῃρημένων καὶ τῶν κινδύνων τῶν τοῦ βουληθέντος ἂν αὐτὴν ἀδικῆσαι;

[¶29] 80. I hear of another argument he will use: he will wonder why his accuser is Demosthenes and not one of the Phocians. I had better explain at once how the matter stands. The best and most respectable of the expatriated Phocians, being exiled and in distress, are living peaceably, and none of them would be willing to incur private animosity on account of the misfortunes of the nation, while those who might have done anything for a fee find that there is no one to pay it them.

> Greek: 80. ἔτι τοίνυν τοιοῦτό τι μέλλειν αὐτὸν ἀκούω λέγειν, ὅτι θαυμάζει τί δήποτε Δημοσθένης αὐτοῦ κατηγορεῖ, Φωκέων δʼ οὐδείς. ὡς δὴ τοῦτʼ ἔχει, βέλτιον προακοῦσαι παρʼ ἐμοῦ. Φωκέων τῶν ἐκπεπτωκότων οἱ μὲν οἶμαι βέλτιστοι καὶ μετριώτατοι φυγάδες γεγενημένοι καὶ τοιαῦτα πεπονθότες ἡσυχίαν ἄγουσι, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἂν αὐτῶν ἐθελήσειεν ὑπὲρ τῶν κοινῶν συμφορῶν ἰδίαν ἔχθραν ἀνελέσθαι· οἱ δʼ ὁτιοῦν ἂν ἀργυρίου ποιήσαντες τὸν δώσοντʼ οὐκ ἔχουσιν αὑτοῖς.

[¶30] 81. For I would never pay a man a farthing to stand here by my side and make an outcry about his sufferings, since truth and fact cry out loudly enough. Nay more, the commonalty of the Phocians are in such an evil and pitiable plight that there is no question with them of prosecuting at an Athenian scrutiny—only of living like slaves in mortal terror of Thebans and of Philip’s mercenaries, who are billeted on them after they have been disarmed and distributed among villages.

> Greek: 81. οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγʼ ἂν ἔδωκʼ οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν ὥστε μοι παραστάντας ἐνταυθὶ βοᾶν οἷα πεπόνθασιν· ἡ γὰρ ἀλήθεια καὶ τὰ πεπραγμένʼ αὐτὰ βοᾷ. ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅ γε δῆμος ὁ τῶν Φωκέων οὕτω κακῶς καὶ ἐλεινῶς διάκειται ὥστε μὴ περὶ τοῦ κατηγορεῖν ἑκάστῳ τὰς Ἀθήνησιν εὐθύνας εἶναι τὸν λόγον, ἀλλὰ δουλεύειν καὶ τεθνάναι τῷ φόβῳ Θηβαίους καὶ τοὺς Φιλίππου ξένους, οὓς ἀναγκάζονται τρέφειν, διῳκισμένοι κατὰ κώμας καὶ παρῃρημένοι τὰ ὅπλα.

[¶31] 82. Do not allow this plea. No, Aeschines must prove either that the Phocians are not ruined, or that he did not promise that Philip would protect them. These are the questions for a scrutiny of an embassy: What has been accomplished? What did you report? If the truth,—go in peace; if falsehood,—take your punishment. What matter if the Phocians are not in court? You have played your part in reducing them to such straits that they can neither help their friends nor repel their enemies.

> Greek: 82. μὴ δὴ ταῦτα λέγειν αὐτὸν ἐᾶτε, ἀλλʼ ὡς οὐκ ἀπολώλασι Φωκεῖς δεικνύναι, ἢ ὡς οὐχ ὑπέσχετο σώσειν αὐτοὺς Φίλιππον. τοῦτο γάρ εἰσι πρεσβείας εὔθυναι, τί πέπρακται; τί ἀπήγγειλας; εἰ μὲν ἀληθῆ, σῴζου· εἰ δὲ ψευδῆ, δίκην δός. εἰ δὲ μὴ πάρεισι Φωκεῖς, τί τοῦτο; οὕτω γὰρ διέθηκας αὐτούς, οἶμαι, τὸ μέρος σύ, ὥστε μήτε τοῖς φίλοις βοηθεῖν μήτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἀμύνεσθαι δύνασθαι.

[¶32] 83. Moreover, apart from the discredit and infamy attached to these transactions, it is easy to show that they have involved the commonwealth in very serious perils. You all know that the prowess of the Phocians, and their control of the pass of Thermopylae, gave us security against the Thebans, and ensured that neither Philip nor the Thebans would invade either the Peloponnesus, or Euboea, or Attica.

> Greek: 83. καὶ μὴν ὅτι χωρὶς τῆς ἄλλης αἰσχύνης καὶ ἀδοξίας, ἣν τὰ πεπραγμένʼ ἔχει, καὶ μεγάλοι κίνδυνοι περιεστᾶσιν ἐκ τούτων τὴν πόλιν, ῥᾴδιον δεῖξαι. τίς γὰρ οὐκ οἶδεν ὑμῶν ὅτι τῷ Φωκέων πολέμῳ καὶ τῷ κυρίους εἶναι Πυλῶν Φωκέας ἥ τʼ ἀπὸ Θηβαίων ἄδειʼ ὑπῆρχεν ἡμῖν, καὶ τὸ μηδέποτʼ ἐλθεῖν ἂν εἰς Πελοπόννησον μηδʼ εἰς Εὔβοιαν μηδʼ εἰς τὴν Ἀττικὴν Φίλιππον [μηδὲ Θηβαίους];

[¶33] 84. But, overborne by the impostures and falsehoods of these men, you have flung away the security of position and circumstances which the city enjoyed. That security was fortified by arms and an unbroken front, by strongholds of our allies and a broad territory; and you have acquiesced in its devastation. Your former expedition to Thermopylae, made at a cost of more than two hundred talents, if you include the private expenses of the troops, has gone to waste; and so have all your hopes respecting the Thebans.

> Greek: 84. ταύτην μέντοι τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων αὐτῶν ἀσφάλειαν ὑπάρχουσαν τῇ πόλει ταῖς τούτων ἀπάταις καὶ ψευδολογίαις πεισθέντες προήκασθʼ ὑμεῖς, καὶ τετειχισμένην ὅπλοις καὶ πολέμῳ συνεχεῖ καὶ πόλεσιν μεγάλαις συμμάχων ἀνδρῶν καὶ χώρᾳ πολλῇ περιείδετʼ ἀνασταθεῖσαν. καὶ ματαία μὲν ἡ πρότερον βοήθειʼ εἰς Πύλας ὑμῖν γέγονεν, ἣν μετὰ πλειόνων ἢ διακοσίων ταλάντων ἐποιήσασθε, ἂν λογίσησθε τὰς ἰδίας δαπάνας τὰς τῶν στρατευσαμένων, μάταιαι δὲ καὶ αἱ κατὰ Θηβαίων ἐλπίδες.

[¶34] 85. But of all the many shameful services rendered by Aeschines to Philip, let me mention the one that really implied the most insolent disdain of the city and of you all. Philip was resolved from the first to do for the Thebans all that he has done, but Aeschines by the perversions of his report revealed your repugnance, and so intensified both your hostility and Philip’s friendliness towards the Thebans. How could the man have treated you more arrogantly?

> Greek: 85. ὃ δέ, πολλῶν ὄντων καὶ δεινῶν ὧν οὗτος ὑπηρέτηκε Φιλίππῳ, πλείστην ὕβριν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἔχει κατὰ τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἁπάντων ὑμῶν, τοῦτʼ ἀκούσατέ μου, ὅτι τοῖς Θηβαίοις ἐγνωκότος ἐξ ἀρχῆς τοῦ Φιλίππου πάνθʼ ἃ πεποίηκε ποιεῖν, οὗτος ἀπαγγείλας τἀναντία καὶ φανεροὺς ἐπιδείξας ὑμᾶς οὐχὶ βουλομένους, ὑμῖν μὲν τὴν ἔχθραν τὴν πρὸς Θηβαίους μείζω, Φιλίππῳ δὲ τὴν χάριν πεποίηκεν. πῶς ἂν οὖν ὑβριστικώτερον ἄνθρωπος ὑμῖν ἐχρήσατο;

[¶35] 86. Now take and read the decrees of Diophantus and of Callisthenes. They will show you how, when you did your duty, you made it an occasion of services of praise and thanksgiving, both at Athens and abroad; but when you had been led astray by these men, you brought your wives and children in from the country, and ordered the festival of Heracles to be held within the walls, in time of peace. It makes me wonder whether you will release unpunished a man who has deprived even the gods of immemorial observances. Read the decree. (The Decree of Diophantus is read) So you decreed at that time, men of Athens, agreeably to your achievements. Now read the next. (The Decree of Callisthenes is read) That is the decree you then made; and you owe it to these men.

> Greek: 86. λέγε δὴ τὸ ψήφισμα λαβὼν τὸ τοῦ Διοφάντου καὶ τὸ τοῦ Καλλισθένους, ἵνʼ εἰδῆθʼ ὅτι, ὅτε μὲν τὰ δέοντʼ ἐποιεῖτε, θυσιῶν καὶ ἐπαίνων ἠξιοῦσθε παρʼ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις, ἐπειδὴ δʼ ὑπὸ τούτων παρεκρούσθητε, παῖδας καὶ γυναῖκας ἐκ τῶν ἀγρῶν κατεκομίζεσθε καὶ τὰ Ἡράκλειʼ ἐντὸς τείχους θύειν ἐψηφίζεσθε, εἰρήνης οὔσης. ὃ καὶ θαυμάζω, εἰ τὸν μηδὲ τοὺς θεούς, καθʼ ὃ πάτριον ἦν, τιμᾶσθαι ποιήσαντα, τοῦτον ἀτιμώρητον ἀφήσετε. λέγε τὸ ψήφισμα. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ. ταῦτα μὲν τότʼ ἄξιʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῶν πεπραγμένων ἐψηφίσασθε. λέγε δὴ τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ.

[¶36] 87. It was not with such expectations that you either made the first draft of the peace and alliance, or subsequently consented to add the words, and to his posterity, but in the hope of marvellous benefits through their agency. Yes, and since then you all remember how many times you have been agitated by news of Philip’s army and auxiliaries at Porthmus or at Megara. True, he has not yet set foot in Attica; but you must not look only at that and abate your vigilance,—you must bear in mind that, thanks to these men, he has it in his power to do so whenever he chooses. You must keep that danger before your eyes, and abhor and punish the author and purveyor of that power.

> Greek: 87. ταῦτα τότʼ ἐψηφίζεσθʼ ὑμεῖς διὰ τούτους, οὐκ ἐπὶ ταύταις ταῖς ἐλπίσιν οὔτε κατʼ ἀρχὰς ποιησάμενοι τὴν εἰρήνην καὶ τὴν συμμαχίαν, οὔθʼ ὕστερον ἐγγράψαι πεισθέντες ⟨εἰς⟩ αὐτὴν καὶ τοῖς ἐγγόνοις, ἀλλʼ ὡς θαυμάσιʼ ἡλίκα πεισόμενοι διὰ τούτους ἀγαθά. καὶ μὴν καὶ μετὰ ταῦθʼ ὁσάκις πρὸς Πορθμῷ ἢ πρὸς Μεγάροις ἀκούοντες δύναμιν Φιλίππου καὶ ξένους ἐθορυβεῖσθε, πάντες ἐπίστασθε. οὐ τοίνυν εἰ μήπω τῆς Ἀττικῆς ἐπιβαίνει, δεῖ σκοπεῖν οὐδὲ ῥᾳθυμεῖν, ἀλλʼ εἰ διὰ τούτους ἐξουσία γέγονεν αὐτῷ τοῦθʼ ὅταν βούληται ποιῆσαι, τοῦθʼ ὁρᾶν, καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνο τὸ δεινὸν βλέπειν, καὶ τὸν αἴτιον καὶ παρασκευάσαντα τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην ἐκείνῳ μισεῖν καὶ τιμωρεῖσθαι.

[¶37] 88. No doubt Aeschines will eschew a direct reply to the charges alleged, and in his desire to lead you as far as possible away from the facts, he will dilate on the great blessings that peace brings to the world and set against them the evils of war. He will eulogize peace in general terms, and that will be his defence. But all those considerations tell against him. For, if peace, which brings blessings to others, has brought so much vexation and bewilderment to you, what are we to say except that these men with their bribe-taking have perverted to evil a thing in itself excellent? What next?

> Greek: 88. οἶδα τοίνυν ὅτι τοὺς μὲν ὑπὲρ τῶν κατηγορημένων αὐτῶν λόγους Αἰσχίνης φεύξεται, βουλόμενος δʼ ὑμᾶς ὡς πορρωτάτω τῶν πεπραγμένων ἀπάγειν διέξεισιν ἡλίκα πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἀγάθʼ ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης γίγνεται καὶ τοὐναντίον ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου κακά, καὶ ὅλως ἐγκώμιʼ εἰρήνης ἐρεῖ, καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἀπολογήσεται. ἔστι δὲ καὶ ταῦτα κατηγορήματα τούτου. εἰ γὰρ ἡ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀγαθῶν αἰτία τοσούτων πραγμάτων καὶ ταραχῆς ἡμῖν αἰτία γέγονε, τί τις εἶναι τοῦτο φῇ πλὴν ὅτι δῶρα λαβόντες οὗτοι καλὸν πρᾶγμα φύσει κακῶς διέθηκαν;

[¶38] 89. Perhaps he will ask: “Do you not retain, and shall you not retain through the peace, three hundred war-galleys with stores and money for them?” In reply to that, you have to reflect that Philip also has greatly strengthened his position owing to the peace, as regards his material resources in arms, in territory, in revenues, which last have increased largely.

> Greek: 89. τί δʼ; οὐ τριήρεις τριακόσιαι καὶ σκεύη ταύταις καὶ χρήμαθʼ ὑμῖν περίεστι καὶ περιέσται διὰ τὴν εἰρήνην; ἴσως ἂν εἴποι. πρὸς δὴ ταῦτʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ὑμᾶς ὑπολαμβάνειν δεῖ, ὅτι καὶ τὰ Φιλίππου πράγματʼ ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης γέγονεν εὐπορώτερα πολλῷ, καὶ κατασκευαῖς ὅπλων καὶ χώρας καὶ προσόδων αἳ γεγόνασιν ἐκείνῳ μεγάλαι.

[¶39] 90. And so indeed have ours, to some extent. But as to those other resources, of policy and of alliance,—and it is by them that all nations hold advantages for themselves or for stronger states—in our case, bartered away by these men, they have perished, or at least deteriorated: his are now formidable and far greater. It is surely unfair that, while Philip, thanks to these men, enjoys extended alliances and increased revenues, the advantages that we should in any case have gained from the peace should be reckoned by them as a set-off against those that they have sold. For our gains are not a compensation for our losses; far from it! No; what we now have would equally have been ours, and what we have not would have been added to us, but for these men.

> Greek: 90. γεγόνασι δὲ καὶ ἡμῖν τινές. ἡ δέ γε τῶν πραγμάτων κατασκευὴ καὶ τῶν συμμάχων, διʼ ἣν ἢ αὑτοῖς ἢ τοῖς κρείττοσι τἀγαθὰ πάντες κέκτηνται, ἡ μὲν ἡμετέρα πραθεῖσʼ ὑπὸ τούτων ἀπόλωλε καὶ γέγονεν ἀσθενής, ἡ δʼ ἐκείνου φοβερὰ καὶ μείζων πολλῷ. οὐ δὴ δίκαιον ἐκείνῳ μὲν ἀμφότερʼ ηὐξῆσθαι διὰ τούτους καὶ τὰ τῶν συμμάχων καὶ τὰ τῶν προσόδων, ἃ δʼ ἡμῖν καὶ ὣς ἂν ὑπῆρχεν ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης, ταῦτʼ ἀνθʼ ὧν ἀπέδοντʼ αὐτοὶ λογίζεσθαι. οὐ γὰρ ταῦτʼ ἀντʼ ἐκείνων γέγονεν, οὐδὲ πολλοῦ δεῖ, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ἦν ἂν ὁμοίως ἡμῖν, ἐκεῖνα δὲ τούτοις ἂν προσῆν εἰ μὴ διὰ τούτους.

[¶40] 91. Speaking generally, men of Athens, you will doubtless agree that, however many misfortunes have befallen the city, if Aeschines had no hand in them, they ought not to be visited upon him. On the other hand, if the right policy has been taken by others, it is not fair that their success should save him. Take into account everything to which he contributed; requite him with gratitude, if he deserves it, with resentment, if his conduct provokes resentment.

> Greek: 91. ὅλως δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δίκαιον δήπου φήσαιτʼ ἂν εἶναι, μήτʼ εἰ πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ τὰ συμβεβηκότʼ ἐστὶ τῇ πόλει, μηδενὸς δʼ Αἰσχίνης αἴτιος τούτων, εἰς τοῦτον ἐλθεῖν τὴν ὀργήν, μήτʼ εἴ τι τῶν δεόντων πέπρακται διʼ ἄλλον τινά, τοῦτο σῶσαι τουτονί· ἀλλʼ ὅσων οὗτος αἴτιος σκεψάμενοι καὶ χάριν, ἂν ταύτης ἄξιος ᾖ, καὶ τοὐναντίον ὀργήν, ἂν τοιαῦτα φαίνηται, ποιεῖσθε.

[¶41] 92. How then will you reach a right conclusion? Do not allow him to make a hotch-potch of the faults of the generals, the war with Philip, the blessings of peace; but consider one thing at a time. For example, we were at war with Philip. True. Does anyone blame Aeschines for that? Does anyone wish to arraign him for the events of the war? Not a single man. Then so far he is acquitted; he need not say a word. A defendant should adduce witnesses and submit proofs on the issues in dispute, not mislead the jury by addressing his defence to points of agreement. You are not to say anything about the war, Aeschines. No one blames you for that.

> Greek: 92. πῶς οὖν εὑρήσετε ταῦτα δικαίως; ἐὰν μὴ πάνθʼ ἅμʼ ἐᾶτε ταράττειν αὐτόν, τὰ τῶν στρατηγῶν ἀδικήματα, τὸν πόλεμον τὸν πρὸς Φίλιππον, τἀπὸ τῆς εἰρήνης ἀγαθά, ἀλλʼ ἕκαστον ἐφʼ αὑτοῦ σκοπῆτε. οἷον, ἦν ἡμῖν πόλεμος πρὸς Φίλιππον; ἦν. ἐνταῦθʼ ἐγκαλεῖ τις Αἰσχίνῃ; βούλεταί τις τούτου κατηγορεῖν περὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ πραχθέντων; οὐδὲ εἷς. οὐκοῦν περὶ τούτων γʼ ἀφεῖται καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτὸν δεῖ λέγειν· περὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀμφισβητουμένων καὶ τοὺς μάρτυρας παρέχεσθαι καὶ τὰ τεκμήρια δεῖ λέγειν τὸν φεύγοντα, οὐ τὰ ὁμολογούμενʼ ἀπολογούμενον ἐξαπατᾶν. ὅπως τοίνυν περὶ τοῦ πολέμου μηδὲν ἐρεῖς· οὐδεὶς γὰρ οὐδὲν αἰτιᾶται περὶ αὐτοῦ σε.

[¶42] 93. Afterwards certain persons advised us to make peace; we took their advice; we sent ambassadors; and they brought back to Athens envoys authorized to conclude peace. Here again no one blames Aeschines. Does anyone allege that he broached the question of peace? Or that he acted wrongly when he brought the delegates here? Not a single man. Then about the mere fact that the city made peace he need not say a word; for that he is not chargeable.

> Greek: 93. μετὰ ταῦτʼ εἰρήνην τινὲς ἡμᾶς ἔπειθον ποιήσασθαι· ἐπείσθημεν· πρέσβεις ἐπέμψαμεν· ἤγαγον οὗτοι δεῦρο τοὺς ποιησομένους τὴν εἰρήνην. πάλιν ἐνταῦθα περὶ τούτου μέμφεταί τις Αἰσχίνην; φησί τις εἰσηγήσασθαι τοῦτον εἰρήνην, ἢ ἀδικεῖν ὅτι δεῦρʼ ἤγαγε τοὺς ποιησομένους; οὐδὲ εἷς. οὔκουν οὐδʼ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ποιήσασθαι τὴν πόλιν εἰρήνην οὐδὲν αὐτῷ λεκτέον· οὐ γὰρ οὗτος αἴτιος.

[¶43] 94. Suppose I am asked: “What do you mean, sir? At what point do you begin your accusations?” I begin at this point, men of Athens—at the time when you were deliberating, not whether peace should or should not be made—that question was already decided—but what sort of peace. Then he contradicted men who spoke honestly, and he supported the mover of a venal resolution, being himself bribed. Afterwards, when appointed to receive the oaths of ratification, he disobeyed every one of your instructions; he brought to ruin allies of ours whose safety had never been imperilled in time of war; and he told lies which both in quantity and quality exceed all records of human mendacity before or since. At the outset, until Philip got a hearing on the question of peace, Ctesiphon and Aristodemus undertook the first initiation of the imposture, but, when the business was ripe for action, they passed it on to Philocrates and the defendant, who took it over, and completed the enterprise of destruction.

> Greek: 94. τί οὖν, ἄνθρωπε, λέγεις, εἴ τις ἔροιτό με, καὶ πόθεν ἄρχει κατηγορεῖν; ὅθεν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, βουλευομένων ὑμῶν, οὐ περὶ τοῦ εἰ ποιητέον εἰρήνην ἢ μή (ἐδέδοκτο γὰρ ἤδη τοῦτό γε) ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ποίαν τινά, τοῖς τὰ δίκαια λέγουσιν ἀντειπὼν τῷ μισθοῦ γράφοντι συνεῖπε δῶρα λαβών, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὅρκους αἱρεθείς, ὧν μὲν ὑμεῖς προσετάξατε, οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἐποίησε, τοὺς δʼ ἐπὶ τοῦ πολέμου διασωθέντας ἀπώλεσε τῶν συμμάχων, καὶ τηλικαῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἐψεύσαθʼ ἡλίκʼ οὐδεὶς πώποτʼ ἄλλος ἀνθρώπων οὔτε πρότερον οὔθʼ ὕστερον. τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἄχρι τοῦ λόγου τυχεῖν Φίλιππον ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης, Κτησιφῶν καὶ Ἀριστόδημος τὴν πρώτην ἔφερον τοῦ φενακισμοῦ, ἐπειδὴ δʼ εἰς τὸ πράττειν ἤδη τὰ πράγμαθʼ ἧκεν, Φιλοκράτει καὶ τούτῳ παρέδωκαν, δεξάμενοι δʼ οὗτοι πάντʼ ἀπώλεσαν.

[¶44] 95. And now that he is answerable for his misdeeds, and must stand his trial, being as he is a knave, a scoundrel, and—a government clerk, he will conduct his defence as if he were on trial for the peace, not to make his justification broader than his indictment—that would be folly—but because he can see in his own acts nothing that is good, nothing that is not criminal, while a defence of the peace, if it has no other merit, will enable him to pose as a Friend of Humanity.

> Greek: 95. εἶτʼ ἐπειδὴ δεῖ λόγον καὶ δίκην ὑπέχειν τῶν πεπραγμένων, ὤν, οἶμαι, πανοῦργος οὗτος καὶ θεοῖς ἐχθρὸς καὶ γραμματεύς, ὡς ὑπὲρ εἰρήνης κρινόμενος ἀπολογήσεται, οὐχ ἵνα πλειόνων ἢ κατηγορεῖ τις αὐτοῦ δῷ λόγον· μανία γὰρ τοῦτό γε· ἀλλʼ ὁρᾷ τοῦθʼ ὅτι ἐν μὲν τοῖς ὑφʼ αὑτοῦ πεπραγμένοις ἀγαθὸν μὲν οὐδέν ἐστιν, ἅπαντα δὲ τἀδικήματα, ἡ δʼ ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης ἀπολογία, καὶ εἰ μηδὲν ἄλλο, τοὔνομα γοῦν ἔχει φιλάνθρωπον.

[¶45] 96. Speaking of the peace, I fear, men of Athens, I sadly fear that we are unconsciously enjoying it like men who borrow money at a high rate of interest. For these men have betrayed the security and guarantee of the peace—the Phocians and Thermopylae. Anyhow, we have not to thank the defendant for peace. What I am going to say is strange, but quite true. If any man is really pleased with the peace, let him be grateful to those generals whom everyone denounces. For, had they fought to your satisfaction, you would have scorned the very name of peace.

> Greek: 96. ἣν δέδοικα μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δέδοικα, μὴ λελήθαμεν ὥσπερ οἱ δανειζόμενοι ἐπὶ πολλῷ ἄγοντες· τὸ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ βέβαιον οὗτοι προὔδοσαν, Φωκέας καὶ Πύλας· οὐ μὴν διὰ τοῦτόν γʼ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐποιησάμεθα, ἀλλʼ ἄτοπον μέν ἐστιν ὃ μέλλω λέγειν, ἀληθὲς δὲ πάνυ· εἰ γάρ τις ὡς ἀληθῶς χαίρει τῇ εἰρήνῃ, τοῖς στρατηγοῖς, ὧν κατηγοροῦσιν ἅπαντες, χάριν αὐτῆς ἐχέτω· εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι ὡς ὑμεῖς ἐβούλεσθʼ ἐπολέμουν, οὐδʼ ὄνομʼ εἰρήνης ἂν ὑμεῖς ἠνέσχεσθε.

[¶46] 97. Peace, then, we owe to the generals; a perilous, insecure, and precarious peace to these men and their venality. Put a stop, then, to his eloquence about the peace. Make him address himself to his own performances. Aeschines is not on trial for the peace; the peace is discredited through Aeschines. That is easily proved. Suppose that the peace had been concluded, and that you had not thereafter been deluded, and none of your allies destroyed—what human being would the peace have aggrieved? I mean, apart from the consideration that it was not a glorious peace. For that fault Aeschines is indeed partly to blame, as he supported Philocrates. However, in the case supposed, no incurable mischief would have been done. As the case stands, he is answerable for a great deal.

> Greek: 97. εἰρήνη μὲν οὖν διʼ ἐκείνους, ἐπικίνδυνος δὲ καὶ σφαλερὰ καὶ ἄπιστος διὰ τούτους γέγονεν δωροδοκήσαντας. εἴργετʼ οὖν, εἴργετʼ αὐτὸν τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης λόγων, εἰς δὲ τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν πεπραγμένων ἐμβιβάζετε. οὐ γὰρ Αἰσχίνης ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης κρίνεται, οὔ, ἀλλʼ ἡ εἰρήνη διʼ Αἰσχίνην διαβέβληται. σημεῖον δέ· εἰ γὰρ ἡ μὲν εἰρήνη ἐγεγόνει, μηδὲν δʼ ὕστερον ἐξηπάτησθʼ ὑμεῖς μηδʼ ἀπωλώλει τῶν συμμάχων μηδείς, τίνʼ ἀνθρώπων ἐλύπησεν ἂν ἡ εἰρήνη, ἔξω τοῦ ἄδοξος γεγενῆσθαι; καίτοι καὶ τούτου συναίτιος οὗτος συνειπὼν Φιλοκράτει. ἀλλʼ ἀνήκεστόν γʼ οὐδὲν ἂν ἦν γεγονός. νῦν δʼ, οἶμαι, πόλλʼ, ὧν αἴτιος οὗτος.

## 3. Sections 98–151

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/3/#p-N

[¶0] 98. Well, I suppose that you are satisfied that all this ruin and mischief was shamefully and wickedly perpetrated by these men. For my part, gentlemen of the jury, I am so reluctant to play the informer in these matters, or to ask you to do so, that, if we are dealing with blunders due to stupidity or simplicity or any other sort of ignorance, I acquit Aeschines, and invite you to do the like.

> Greek: 98. ὅτι μὲν τοίνυν αἰσχρῶς καὶ κακῶς πάντα ταῦθʼ ὑπὸ τούτων ἀπόλωλε καὶ διέφθαρται, οἶμαι πάντας ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι. ἐγὼ δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοσοῦτʼ ἀπέχω τοῦ συκοφαντίαν τινὰ τοῖς πράγμασι τούτοις προσάγειν ἢ ὑμᾶς ἀξιοῦν, ὥστʼ εἰ ταῦθʼ ὑπʼ ἀβελτερίας ἢ διʼ εὐήθειαν ἢ διʼ ἄλλην ἄγνοιαν ἡντινοῦν οὕτω πέπρακται, αὐτός τʼ ἀφίημʼ Αἰσχίνην καὶ ὑμῖν συμβουλεύω.

[¶1] 99. And yet ignorance is not a fair excuse in public life; no man is required or compelled by you to handle politics. When a man puts himself forward with a persuasion of his own ability, you receive his advances, as kindly and courteous people should, with goodwill and without jealousy; you give him appointments and entrust him with public business.

> Greek: 99. καίτοι τῶν σκήψεων τούτων οὐδεμίʼ ἐστὶ πολιτικὴ οὐδὲ δικαία. οὐδένα γὰρ τὰ κοινὰ πράττειν ὑμεῖς κελεύετε οὐδʼ ἀναγκάζετε· ἀλλʼ ἐπειδάν τις ἑαυτὸν πείσας δύνασθαι προσέλθῃ, πρᾶγμα ποιοῦντες ἀνθρώπων χρηστῶν καὶ φιλανθρώπων, εὐνοϊκῶς δέχεσθε καὶ οὐ φθονερῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτονεῖτε καὶ τὰ ὑμέτερʼ αὐτῶν ἐγχειρίζετε.

[¶2] 100. If he succeeds, he will be honored, and so far will gain an advantage over ordinary people; but if he fails, shall he put forward excuses and apologies? That would be unfair. For it would be very poor consolation indeed to our ruined allies, or to their wives and children and the rest, to be told that their sufferings were due to stupidity on my part, not to say on his.

> Greek: 100. ἐὰν μὲν οὖν κατορθοῖ τις, τιμήσεται καὶ πλέον ἕξει τῶν πολλῶν κατὰ τοῦτο· ἂν δʼ ἀποτυγχάνῃ, σκήψεις καὶ προφάσεις ἐρεῖ; ἀλλʼ οὐ δίκαιον. οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐξαρκέσειε τοῖς ἀπολωλόσι συμμάχοις οὐδὲ τοῖς παισὶν αὐτῶν οὐδὲ ταῖς γυναιξὶν οὐδὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις διὰ τὴν ἀβελτερίαν τὴν ἐμήν, ἵνα μὴ τὴν τούτου λέγω, τοιαῦτα πεπονθέναι· πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ.

[¶3] 101. Nevertheless, I ask you to overlook even the scandalous and outrageous misconduct of Aeschines, if it is shown that he did all this mischief because he was simple-minded or otherwise ignorant. But if he maliciously accepted money and rewards, and if that is clearly proved from the facts of the case, put him to death if possible, or, failing that, make him a living example to other malefactors. Now consider the proof of these matters and its justice, among yourselves.

> Greek: 101. ἀλλʼ ὅμως ὑμεῖς ἄφετʼ Αἰσχίνῃ τὰ δεινὰ ταῦτα καὶ ὑπερβάλλοντα, ἂν διʼ εὐήθειαν ἢ διʼ ἄλλην ἄγνοιαν ἡντινοῦν λελυμασμένος φανῇ. ἂν μέντοι διὰ πονηρίαν ἀργύριον λαβὼν καὶ δῶρα, καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐξελεγχθῇ σαφῶς ὑπʼ αὐτῶν τῶν πεπραγμένων, μάλιστα μέν, εἰ οἷόν τʼ, ἀποκτείνατε, εἰ δὲ μή, ζῶντα τοῖς λοιποῖς παράδειγμα ποιήσατε. σκοπεῖτε δὴ τὸν ὑπὲρ τούτων ἔλεγχον, ὡς δίκαιος ἔσται, μεθʼ ὑμῶν.

[¶4] 102. Assuming that, when Aeschines made those speeches about the Phocians and Thespiae and Euboea, he had not sold himself, and was not wilfully deceiving you, we are reduced to one of two suppositions. Either he had taken an explicit promise from Philip that he would do and perform certain acts, or else, being spellbound and deluded by Philip’s habitual courtesy, he honestly expected him to do them. There is no third alternative.

> Greek: 102. ἀνάγκη δή που τοὺς λόγους τούτους Αἰσχίνην πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰπεῖν τουτονί, τοὺς περὶ τῶν Φωκέων καὶ τῶν Θεσπιῶν καὶ τῆς Εὐβοίας, εἴπερ μὴ πεπρακὼς αὑτὸν ἑκὼν ἐξηπάτα, δυοῖν θάτερον, ἢ διαρρήδην ἀκούσανθʼ ὑποσχομένου Φιλίππου ὅτι πράξει ταῦτα καὶ ποιήσει, ἢ εἰ μὴ τοῦτο, γοητευθέντα καὶ φενακισθέντα τῇ περὶ τἄλλα φιλανθρωπίᾳ καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐλπίσαντα παρʼ αὐτοῦ. οὐκ ἔνεστι τούτων οὐδὲ ἓν χωρίς.

[¶5] 103. Now, on either of those suppositions, he ought, of all men in the world, to detest Philip. Why? Because, thanks to Philip, he has fallen into the utmost danger and ignominy. He has deceived you; his reputation is shattered; he is on his trial. If he had been treated as he deserves, he would have been impeached long ago; but, in fact, by your simplicity and placability, he is only submitting to the usual scrutiny, and has chosen his own time. Is there then any man in that box who has ever heard the voice of Aeschines denouncing Philip, or has known him to press home, or even mention, his grievance against Philip?

> Greek: 103. ἐκ τοίνυν τούτων ἀμφοτέρων μάλιστα πάντων ἀνθρώπων μισεῖν αὐτῷ προσήκει Φίλιππον. διὰ τί; ὅτι τὸ μὲν ἐκείνου μέρος πάντʼ αὐτῷ γέγονεν τὰ δεινότατα καὶ τὰ αἴσχιστα. ὑμᾶς ἐξηπάτηκεν, ἀδοξεῖ, [δικαίως ἀπόλωλε,] κρίνεται· καὶ εἴ γέ τι τῶν προσηκόντων ἐγίγνετο, ἐν εἰσαγγελίᾳ πάλαι ἂν ἦν· νῦν δὲ διὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν εὐήθειαν καὶ πραότητʼ εὐθύνας δίδωσι, καὶ ταύτας ὁπηνίκα βούλεται. ἔστιν οὖν ὅστις ὑμῶν φωνὴν ἀκήκοεν Αἰσχίνου κατηγοροῦντος Φιλίππου; τί δʼ; ἐξελέγχοντʼ ἢ λέγοντά τι τοῦτον ἑόρακεν;

[¶6] 109. Not a man! Every man in Athens is more ready than he is to denounce Philip, even casual people, who have suffered no personal wrong. I was expecting him, if he had not sold himself, to make this speech: “Men of Athens, deal with me as you choose. I was credulous; I was deceived; I made a blunder; I admit it. Beware of that man, men of Athens; he is double-faced, a trickster, a scoundrel. See how he has behaved to me; see how he has made me his dupe.” But no; I have never heard him talk like that, nor have you.

> Greek: 109. οὐδὲ εἷς· ἀλλὰ πάντες Ἀθηναῖοι πρότερον κατηγοροῦσι Φιλίππου, καὶ ὁ τυχὼν ἀεί, ὧν οὐδὲν οὐδεὶς ἠδίκηται, ἰδίᾳ δήπου. ἐγὼ δʼ ἐκείνους τοὺς λόγους ἐζήτουν παρὰ τούτου, εἴπερ μὴ πεπρακὼς αὑτὸν ἦν, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἐμοὶ μὲν χρήσασθʼ ὅ τι βούλεσθε· ἐπίστευσʼ, ἐξηπατήθην, ἥμαρτον, ὁμολογῶ. τὸν δʼ ἄνθρωπον, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, φυλάττεσθε· ἄπιστος, γόης, πονηρός. οὐχ ὁρᾶθʼ οἷα πεποίηκεν ἐμέ; οἷʼ ἐξηπάτηκεν; τούτων οὐδένʼ ἀκούω τῶν λόγων, οὐδʼ ὑμεῖς.

[¶7] 110. Why? Because he was not cajoled and hoodwinked; he had sold himself, and pocketed the money, before he made his speech and betrayed us to Philip. To Philip he has been a trusty and well-beloved hireling; to you a treacherous ambassador and a treacherous citizen, worthy of threefold destruction.

> Greek: 110. διὰ τί; ὅτι οὐ παρακρουσθεὶς οὐδʼ ἐξαπατηθείς, ἀλλὰ μισθώσας αὑτὸν καὶ λαβὼν ἀργύριον ταῦτʼ εἶπε καὶ προὔδωκεν ἐκείνῳ, καὶ γέγονεν καλὸς κἀγαθὸς καὶ δίκαιος μισθωτὸς ἐκείνῳ, πρεσβευτὴς μέντοι καὶ πολίτης ὑμῖν προδότης καὶ τρίς, οὐχ ἅπαξ, ἀπολωλέναι δίκαιος.

[¶8] 111. That is not the only proof that he was paid for all that he said. The other day there came to you some Thessalians, and envoys of Philip with them, to ask you to vote for Philip’s admission to the Amphictyonic Council. Who ought to have been the very first to oppose them? Aeschines. Why? Because Philip’s acts had falsified his report.

> Greek: 111. οὐ τοίνυν ἐκ τούτων μόνον δῆλός ἐσθʼ ὅτι χρημάτων ἅπαντʼ εἶπεν ἐκεῖνα· ἀλλʼ ἧκον ὡς ὑμᾶς ἔναγχος Θετταλοὶ καὶ Φιλίππου πρέσβεις μετʼ αὐτῶν, ἀξιοῦντες ὑμᾶς Φίλιππον Ἀμφικτύονʼ εἶναι ψηφίσασθαι. τῷ προσῆκεν οὖν ἀντειπεῖν τούτοις μάλιστα πάντων ἀνθρώπων; Αἰσχίνῃ τουτῳί. διὰ τί; ὅτι οἷς οὗτος ἀπήγγειλε πρὸς ὑμᾶς, τούτοις τἀναντίʼ ἐποίησεν ἐκεῖνος.

[¶9] 112. For he had told you that Philip would fortify Thespiae and Plataea, would not destroy the Phocians, and would put a stop to the aggressions of the Thebans; but Philip has made the Thebans dangerously strong, he has exterminated the Phocians, and, instead of fortifying Thespiae and Plataea, he has enslaved Orchomenus and Coronea as well. Could contradiction go further? Yet Aeschines offered no opposition; he never opened his lips or made a single objection.

> Greek: 112. οὗτος μὲν γὰρ ἔφη Θεσπιὰς καὶ Πλαταιὰς αὐτὸν τειχιεῖν, καὶ τοὺς μὲν Φωκέας οὐκ ἀπολεῖν, τὴν δὲ Θηβαίων ὕβριν καταλύσειν· ὁ δὲ τοὺς μὲν Θηβαίους μείζους ἢ προσῆκε πεποίηκε, τοὺς δὲ Φωκέας ἄρδην ἀπολώλεκε, καὶ τὰς μὲν Θεσπιὰς καὶ Πλαταιὰς οὐ τετείχικε, τὸν δʼ Ὀρχομενὸν καὶ τὴν Κορώνειαν προσεξηνδραπόδισται. πῶς ἂν ἐναντιώτερα πράγμαθʼ ἑαυτοῖς τούτων γένοιτο; οὐ τοίνυν ἀντεῖπεν, οὐδὲ διῆρε τὸ στόμα, οὐδʼ ἐφθέγξατʼ ἐναντίον οὐδέν.

[¶10] 113. That was bad—but not bad enough for him. He did what no other man in all Athens did—he spoke in support of the envoys. Even that miscreant Philocrates durst not go so far as that—only this man Aeschines. When you raised a clamor, and refused to hear him, he came down from the tribune, exclaiming, in order to cut a figure before Philip’s ambassadors—you cannot have forgotten it:—“Plenty of shouters, but very few fighters, when it comes to fighting!”—being himself, I suppose, such a marvellous fighter. O heavens!

> Greek: 113. καὶ οὐχὶ τοῦτό πω δεινόν, τηλικοῦτον ὄν. ἀλλὰ καὶ συνεῖπε μόνος τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει πάντων ἀνθρώπων. καίτοι τοῦτό γʼ οὐδὲ Φιλοκράτης ἐτόλμησε ποιῆσαι ὁ μιαρός, ἀλλʼ Αἰσχίνης οὑτοσί. καὶ θορυβούντων ὑμῶν καὶ οὐκ ἐθελόντων ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ, καταβαίνων ἀπὸ τοῦ βήματος, ἐνδεικνύμενος τοῖς πρέσβεσι τοῖς παρὰ τοῦ Φιλίππου παροῦσι, πολλοὺς ἔφη τοὺς θορυβοῦντας εἶναι, ὀλίγους δὲ τοὺς στρατευομένους ὅταν δέῃ, (μέμνησθε γὰρ δήπου,) αὐτὸς ὤν, οἶμαι, θαυμάσιος στρατιώτης, ὦ Ζεῦ.

[¶11] 114. Here is another point: if we were unable to prove that any one man among the ambassadors received anything, or if that were not as clear as daylight, we might have had recourse to torture or the like. But when Philocrates not only confessed his gains repeatedly in the Assembly, but paraded them before your eyes, dealing in wheat, building houses, boasting that he would go abroad even if you did not appoint him, importing timber, changing his gold openly at the bankers,—he assuredly cannot deny that he has taken money, after that admission and that display.

> Greek: 114. ἔτι τοίνυν, εἰ μὲν μηδένα μηδὲν ἔχοντʼ εἴχομεν δεῖξαι τῶν πρέσβεων, μηδʼ ἦν ὥστʼ ἰδεῖν ἅπαντας, βασάνους καὶ τὰ τοιαῦθʼ ὑπόλοιπον ἂν ἦν σκοπεῖν. εἰ δὲ Φιλοκράτης μὴ μόνον ὡμολόγει παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ πολλάκις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐδείκνυεν ὑμῖν, πυροπωλῶν, οἰκοδομῶν, βαδιεῖσθαι φάσκων κἂν μὴ χειροτονῆθʼ ὑμεῖς, ξυληγῶν, τὸ χρυσίον καταλλαττόμενος φανερῶς ἐπὶ ταῖς τραπέζαις, οὐκ ἔνι δήπου τοῦτον εἰπεῖν ὡς οὐκ εἴληφε, τὸν αὐτὸν ὁμολογοῦντα καὶ δεικνύντα.

[¶12] 115. Think then of a man, who had it in his power to be counted among the innocent, choosing to fall out with them and to be accused as an adherent of Philocrates, merely to let Philocrates make money, while he accepts only the discredit and the peril! Could any human being be so senseless, or so unlucky? No, indeed. You will find here, men of Athens, if you will only look at it in the right way, a strong and sufficient proof that Aeschines did take bribes.

> Greek: 115. ἔστιν οὖν οὕτω τις ἀνθρώπων ἀνόητος ἢ κακοδαίμων, ὥσθʼ ἵνα λαμβάνῃ μὲν Φιλοκράτης, ἀδοξῇ δʼ αὐτὸς καὶ κινδυνεύῃ, ἐξὸν αὐτῷ μετὰ τῶν μηδὲν ἠδικηκότων ἐξετάζεσθαι, τούτοις μὲν πολεμεῖν, πρὸς δʼ ἐκεῖνον ἐλθὼν κρίνεσθαι βούλεται; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδένʼ οἶμαι. ἀλλὰ πάντα ταῦτʼ, ἐὰν ὀρθῶς σκοπῆτε, εὑρήσετε μεγάλʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ ἐναργῆ σημεῖα τοῦ χρήματα τοῦτον ἔχειν.

[¶13] 116. Now look at a recent, but most convincing, proof that he sold himself to Philip. You know, I am sure, that, not long ago, when Hypereides impeached Philocrates, I rose and said that I was dissatisfied with the impeachment in one respect: it implied that all these grave misdemeanors had been committed by Philocrates alone, and not by any of the other nine ambassadors. That, I remarked, was impossible; for by himself Philocrates would have counted for nothing, if he had none of his colleagues to act with him.

> Greek: 116. ὃ τοίνυν ὕστατον μὲν γέγονεν, οὐδενὸς δʼ ἐστὶν ἔλαττον σημεῖον τοῦ πεπρακέναι τοῦτον ἑαυτὸν Φιλίππῳ, θεάσασθε. ἴστε δήπου πρώην, ὅτʼ εἰσήγγελλεν Ὑπερείδης Φιλοκράτην, ὅτι παρελθὼν ἐγὼ δυσχεραίνειν ἔφην ἕν τι τῆς εἰσαγγελίας, εἰ μόνος Φιλοκράτης τοσούτων καὶ τοιούτων ἀδικημάτων αἴτιος γέγονεν, οἱ δʼ ἐννέα τῶν πρέσβεων μηδενός. καὶ οὐκ ἔφην τοῦθʼ οὕτως ἔχειν· οὐδαμοῦ γὰρ ἂν φανῆναι καθʼ αὑτὸν ἐκεῖνον, εἰ μὴ τοὺς συναγωνιζομένους τούτων τινὰς εἶχεν.

[¶14] 117. “I do not wish,” I said, “either to acquit or to accuse any man; I want the guilt to be detected and the innocent cleared by plain fact. Therefore let any man who chooses stand up and come forward, and declare that he had no part in Philocrates’ doings, and does not approve them. Every man who does this,” I added, “I acquit.” No doubt you remember the incident. Well, no one came forward or presented himself.

> Greek: 117. ἵνʼ οὖν μήτʼ ἀφῶ μήτʼ αἰτιάσωμαι μηδένʼ, ἔφην, ἐγώ, ἀλλὰ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ αὐτὸ τοὺς μὲν αἰτίους εὕρῃ, τοὺς δὲ μὴ μετεσχηκότας ἀφῇ, ἀναστὰς ὁ βουλόμενος καὶ παρελθὼν εἰς ὑμᾶς ἀποφηνάσθω μὴ μετέχειν μηδʼ ἀρέσκειν αὐτῷ τὰ ὑπὸ Φιλοκράτους πεπραγμένα. καὶ τὸν τοῦτο ποιήσαντʼ ἀφίημʼ ἔγωγʼ, ἔφην. ταῦτα μνημονεύεθʼ, ὡς ἐγᾦμαι. οὐ τοίνυν παρῆλθεν οὐδεὶς οὐδʼ ἔδειξεν ἑαυτόν.

[¶15] 118. The rest had various excuses: one was not legally accountable; another was not present; a third had a brother-in-law in Macedonia. Aeschines had no such excuse. The truth is, he has sold himself once for all. Not only has he taken hire for past actions, but it is evident that, if he escapes now, he will henceforward, as against you, be Philip’s man; and so, for fear of uttering a single word injurious to Philip, even when you acquit him he does not accept acquittal. He prefers disrepute, prosecution, any punishment this court may inflict rather than to do anything disagreeable to Philip.

> Greek: 118. καὶ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων ἔσθʼ ἑκάστῳ τις πρόφασις· ὁ μὲν οὐχ ὑπεύθυνος ἦν, ὁ δʼ οὐχὶ παρῆν ἴσως, τῷ δὲ κηδεστής ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος· τούτῳ δʼ οὐδὲν τούτων. ἀλλʼ οὕτω καθάπαξ πέπρακεν ἑαυτὸν καὶ οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῖς παρεληλυθόσιν μεμισθάρνηκεν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα δῆλός ἐστιν, ἄν περ ἐκφύγῃ νῦν, καθʼ ὑμῶν ὑπάρξων ἐκείνῳ, ὥσθʼ ἵνα μηδὲν ἐναντίον μηδὲ ῥῆμα πρόηται Φιλίππῳ οὐδʼ ἀφιέντων ἀφίεται, ἀλλʼ ἀδοξεῖν, κρίνεσθαι, πάσχειν ὁτιοῦν αἱρεῖται παρʼ ὑμῖν μᾶλλον ἢ Φιλίππῳ τι ποιῆσαι μὴ πρὸς ἡδονήν.

[¶16] 119. But why this fellow-feeling? Why this concern for Philocrates? Though all his acts on embassy had been consistent with honor and sound policy, if Philocrates admitted, as he did admit, that he had taken bribes, an incorruptible ambassador would have taken infinite pains to avoid and disavow all association with him. Aeschines has not done so. Is not that a plain argument, men of Athens? Does it not proclaim aloud that he has taken bribes, and that from first to last he went wrong for money’s sake,—not through stupidity, or ignorance, or blundering?

> Greek: 119. καίτοι τίς ἡ κοινωνία, τίς ἡ πολλὴ πρόνοιʼ ὑπὲρ Φιλοκράτους αὕτη; ὃς εἰ τὰ κάλλιστα καὶ πάντα τὰ συμφέροντʼ ἐπεπρεσβεύκει, χρήματα δʼ ὡμολόγει λαβεῖν ἐκ τῆς πρεσβείας, ὥσπερ ὡμολόγει, τοῦτό γʼ αὐτὸ φυγεῖν καὶ διευλαβηθῆναι τῷ προῖκα πρεσβεύοντι προσῆκε, καὶ διαμαρτύρεσθαι τὸ καθʼ αὑτόν. οὐ τοίνυν πεποίηκε τοῦτʼ Αἰσχίνης. ταῦτʼ οὐ φανέρʼ, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι; ταῦτʼ οὐχὶ βοᾷ καὶ λέγει ὅτι χρήματʼ εἴληφεν Αἰσχίνης καὶ πονηρός ἐστιν ἀργυρίου συνεχῶς, οὐ διʼ ἀβελτερίαν οὐδὲ διʼ ἄγνοιαν, οὐδʼ ἀποτυγχάνων;

[¶17] 120. “What witness,” he will ask, “testifies that I have taken bribes?” A brilliant argument! Facts, Aeschines, the most credible of all witnesses. You cannot find fault with facts, and say that they are what they are in deference to somebody, or to oblige somebody. They are what your treachery and perversion have made them, and such they appear on examination. But I have another witness besides the facts. You shall this very moment give evidence against yourself. Come here: stand up and answer me!—Nothing to say? You cannot plead inexperience. You, who take up a new prosecution as easily as you study a new play, and convict your man without witnesses and under a time-limit, you must be an uncommonly clever speaker!

> Greek: 120. καὶ τίς μου καταμαρτυρεῖ, φήσει, δῶρα λαβεῖν; [τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ λαμπρόν]. τὰ πράγματʼ, Αἰσχίνη, ἅπερ πιστότατʼ ἐστὶν ἁπάντων, καὶ οὐκ ἔνεστʼ εἰπεῖν οὐδʼ αἰτιάσασθαι ὡς ἢ πεπεισμένʼ ἢ χαριζόμενά τῴ ἐστι τοιαῦτα, ἀλλʼ οἷάπερ αὐτὰ προδοὺς καὶ διαφθείρας σὺ πεποίηκας, τοιαῦτʼ ἐξεταζόμενα φαίνεται. πρὸς δὲ τοῖς πράγμασιν αὐτὸς αὐτίκα δὴ σὺ σαυτοῦ. ἀπόκριναι γὰρ δεῦρʼ ἀναστάς μοι. οὐ γὰρ δὴ διʼ ἀπειρίαν γʼ οὐ φήσεις ἔχειν ὅ τι εἴπῃς· ὃς γὰρ ἀγῶνας καινοὺς ὥσπερ δράματα, καὶ τούτους ἀμαρτύρους, πρὸς διαμεμετρημένην τὴν ἡμέραν αἱρεῖς διώκων, δῆλον ὅτι πάνδεινος εἶ τις.

[¶18] 121. Among the many flagrant misdeeds committed by Aeschines, the singular baseness of which I think you all appreciate, there is none more flagrant, in my judgement, than the action I am about to relate, none that will more palpably prove him to have taken bribes and sold everything. When for the third time you sent your ambassadors to Philip, for the fulfilment of those magnificent expectations which Aeschines had guaranteed, you reappointed most of the former envoys, including Aeschines and me.

> Greek: 121. πολλῶν τοίνυν καὶ δεινῶν ὄντων τῶν πεπραγμένων Αἰσχίνῃ τουτῳί, καὶ πολλὴν κακίαν ἐχόντων, ὡς καὶ ὑμῖν οἴομαι δοκεῖν, οὐδέν ἐστιν οὗ μέλλω λέγειν, ὡς ἐγὼ κρίνω, δεινότερον, οὐδʼ ὅ τι μᾶλλον ἐπʼ αὐτοφώρῳ δεδωροδοκηκότʼ αὐτὸν καὶ πεπρακότα πάντʼ ἐξελέγξει. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀπεστέλλετʼ αὖθις αὖ τὸ τρίτον τοὺς πρέσβεις ὡς τὸν Φίλιππον, ἐπὶ ταῖς καλαῖς καὶ μεγάλαις ἐλπίσι ταύταις αἷς οὗτος ὑπέσχητο, ἐχειροτονήσατε καὶ τοῦτον κἀμὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τοὺς πλείστους τοὺς αὐτούς.

[¶19] 122. I immediately declined the appointment on affidavit, and when certain persons were clamorous and insisted that I should go, I declared that I would not leave Athens; but the nomination of Aeschines was still valid. After the dispersal of the Assembly, the envoys met and discussed which of them should be left behind, for the whole business was still in the clouds, and the future uncertain, and all sorts of conferences and discussions were going on in the market-place.

> Greek: 122. ἐγὼ μὲν δὴ παρελθὼν ἐξωμοσάμην εὐθέως, καὶ θορυβούντων τινῶν καὶ κελευόντων βαδίζειν οὐκ ἂν ἔφην ἐλθεῖν· οὗτος δʼ ἐκεχειροτόνητο. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἀνέστη μετὰ ταῦθʼ ἡ ἐκκλησία, συνελθόντες ἐβουλεύονθʼ οὗτοι τίνʼ αὐτοῦ καταλείψουσιν. ἔτι γὰρ τῶν πραγμάτων ὄντων μετεώρων καὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος ἀδήλου, σύλλογοι καὶ λόγοι παντοδαποὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν ἐγίγνοντο τότε·

[¶20] 123. They were afraid that an extraordinary meeting of the Assembly might suddenly be convened, and that then, on hearing the truth from me, you might adopt some acceptable resolution in favor of the Phocians, and that so Philip might lose control. One friendly resolution, one gleam of hope, and the Phocians might have been saved. If you had not fallen into the trap, it was impossible—yes, impossible—for Philip to remain at Thermopylae. There was no corn in the country, as the war had prevented sowing; and the conveyance of corn was impossible so long as your fleet was there and commanded the sea. The Phocian cities were numerous, and not easy of capture, unless by protracted siege. Even if Philip had taken a city a day, there were twenty-two of them.

> Greek: 123. ἐφοβοῦντο δὴ μὴ σύγκλητος ἐκκλησία γένοιτʼ ἐξαίφνης, εἶτʼ ἀκούσαντες ὑμεῖς ἐμοῦ τἀληθῆ ψηφίσαισθέ τι τῶν δεόντων ὑπὲρ τῶν Φωκέων, καὶ τὰ πράγματʼ ἐκφύγοι τὸν Φίλιππον. εἰ γὰρ ἐψηφίσασθε μόνον καὶ μικρὰν ὑπεφήνατʼ ἐλπίδʼ ἡντινοῦν αὐτοῖς, ἐσώθησαν ἄν. οὐ γὰρ ἐνῆν, οὐκ ἐνῆν μὴ παρακρουσθέντων ὑμῶν μεῖναι Φιλίππῳ. οὔτε γὰρ σῖτος ἦν ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ, ἀσπόρῳ διὰ τὸν πόλεμον γεγονυίᾳ, οὔθʼ ἡ σιτοπομπία δυνατὴ τριήρων οὐσῶν ὑμετέρων ἐκεῖ καὶ τῆς θαλάττης κρατουσῶν, αἵ τε πόλεις πολλαὶ καὶ χαλεπαὶ λαβεῖν αἱ τῶν Φωκέων, μὴ οὐ χρόνῳ καὶ πολιορκίᾳ· εἰ γὰρ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ πόλιν ᾕρει, δύο καὶ εἴκοσίν εἰσιν ἀριθμῷ.

[¶21] 124. For all these reasons they left Aeschines at home, fearing that you might be undeceived and change your policy. Now to decline an appointment on affidavit with no reason alleged was a strange move and very suspicious. “What do you mean? Are you declining the embassy? Are you not going to Macedonia to realize all those grand benefits which you announced yourself?” However, he had to remain. What was to be done? He pleaded ill-health; and his brother, taking Execestus the physician with him, repaired to the council-house, made affidavit of the illness, and received the appointment himself.

> Greek: 124. διὰ δὴ ταῦτα πάντα, ἵνα μηδὲν μετάθησθʼ ὧν ἐξηπάτησθε, τοῦτον αὐτοῦ κατέλιπον. ἐξομόσασθαι μὲν δὴ μὴ μετʼ αἰτίας τινὸς δεινὸν ἦν καὶ ὑποψία μεγάλη· τί λέγεις; ἐπὶ τηλικαῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἀγαθὰ οὐχὶ βαδίζεις ἀπαγγείλας οὐδὲ πρεσβεύεις; ἔδει δὲ μένειν. πῶς οὖν; ἀρρωστεῖν προφασίζεται, καὶ λαβὼν Ἐξήκεστον τὸν ἰατρὸν ἁδελφὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ προσελθὼν τῇ βουλῇ ἐξώμοσεν ἀρρωστεῖν τουτονὶ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐχειροτονήθη.

[¶22] 125. But afterwards, when within five or six days the Phocians were destroyed, when Aeschines’ wages stopped as such things do, when Dercylus had returned from Chalcis and had informed you, at the assembly held at Peiraeus, of the destruction of the Phocians, when that news filled you with indignation on their account and alarm on your own, when you were resolving to bring in your women and children from the country, to reinstate the frontier fortresses, to fortify the Peiraeus, and to hold the festival of Heracles within the walls,— then at last, at that crisis, when the city was encompassed with confusion and terror, off marched this wise, clever, smooth-tongued gentleman, without waiting for Council or Assembly to reappoint him, on his embassy to the court of the chief malefactor. He forgot that he had sworn that he was too ill to travel; forgot that another ambassador had been chosen in his stead, and that the law visits such conduct with death;

> Greek: 125. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἀπωλώλεσαν οἱ Φωκεῖς ὕστερον ἡμέραις πέντʼ ἢ ἕξ, καὶ τέλος εἶχε τὸ μίσθωμʼ ὥσπερ ἂν ἄλλο τι τούτῳ, καὶ ὁ Δερκύλος ἐκ τῆς Χαλκίδος ἧκεν ἀναστρέψας καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν ὑμῖν ἐκκλησιάζουσιν ἐν Πειραιεῖ ὅτι Φωκεῖς ἀπολώλασι, καὶ ὑμεῖς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ταῦτʼ ἀκούσαντες εἰκότως κἀκείνοις συνήχθεσθε καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐξεπέπληχθε, καὶ παῖδας καὶ γυναῖκας ἐκ τῶν ἀγρῶν κατακομίζειν ἐψηφίζεσθε καὶ τὰ φρούριʼ ἐπισκευάζειν καὶ τὸν Πειραιᾶ τειχίζειν καὶ τὰ Ἡράκλειʼ ἐν ἄστει θύειν,— ἐπειδὴ ταῦτʼ ἦν καὶ τοιαύτη ταραχὴ καὶ τοιοῦτος θόρυβος περιειστήκει τὴν πόλιν, τηνικαῦθʼ ὁ σοφὸς καὶ δεινὸς οὗτος καὶ εὔφωνος, οὔτε βουλῆς οὔτε δήμου χειροτονήσαντος αὐτόν, ᾤχετο πρεσβεύων ὡς τὸν ταῦτα πεποιηκότα, οὔτε τὴν ἀρρωστίαν ἐφʼ ᾗ τότʼ ἐξωμόσαθʼ ὑπολογισάμενος, οὔθʼ ὅτι πρεσβευτὴς ἄλλος ᾕρητʼ ἀνθʼ αὑτοῦ, οὔθʼ ὅτι τῶν τοιούτων ὁ νόμος θάνατον τὴν ζημίαν εἶναι κελεύει,

[¶23] 127. forgot that, with the Thebans not only holding all Boeotia but in possession of the territory of Phocis, it was a very odd thing for a man, who had solemnly announced that the Thebans had set a price upon his head, to walk straight into the middle of Thebes and the Theban encampment. Nevertheless, he was so excited, his appetite for moneymaking and bribe-taking was so keen, that he put aside and ignored all these obstacles, and off he went.

> Greek: 127. οὔθʼ ὅτι πάνδεινόν ἐστιν ἀπηγγελκόθʼ ὡς ἐπικεκήρυκται χρήματʼ αὐτῷ ἐν Θήβαις, ἐπειδὴ Θηβαῖοι πρὸς τῷ τὴν Βοιωτίαν ἅπασαν ἔχειν καὶ τῆς Φωκέων χώρας ἐγκρατεῖς γεγόνασι, τηνικαῦτʼ εἰς μέσας τὰς Θήβας καὶ τὸ τῶν Θηβαίων στρατόπεδον βαδίζειν· ἀλλʼ οὕτως ἔκφρων ἦν καὶ ὅλος πρὸς τῷ λήμματι καὶ τῷ δωροδοκήματι ὥστε πάντα ταῦτʼ ἀνελὼν καὶ παριδὼν ᾤχετο.

[¶24] 128. That was a remarkable proceeding, but far stranger still was his behavior after his arrival in Macedonia. While you who are here and all other Athenians regarded the treatment of the Phocians as scandalous and outrageous, insomuch that you would not send any member of council or any judge to represent you at the Pythian games, but relinquished that time-honored delegation, Aeschines attended the service of thanksgiving which the Thebans and Philip held to celebrate their victory and their political success, was a guest at the banquet, and took part in the libations and doxologies with which Philip thanked Heaven for the destruction of the fortresses, the territory, and the armies of your allies. He even joined Philip in wearing garlands and singing the Hymn of Praise, and drank to his health in the loving-cup.

> Greek: 128. καὶ τοιούτου τοῦ πράγματος ὄντος, ἔτι πολλῷ δεινότερʼ ἐστὶν ἃ ἐκεῖσʼ ἐλθὼν διεπράξατο. ἁπάντων γὰρ ὑμῶν τουτωνὶ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Ἀθηναίων οὕτω δεινὰ καὶ σχέτλιʼ ἡγουμένων τοὺς ταλαιπώρους πάσχειν Φωκέας ὥστε μήτε τοὺς ἐκ τῆς βουλῆς θεωροὺς μήτε τοὺς θεσμοθέτας εἰς τὰ Πύθια πέμψαι, ἀλλʼ ἀποστῆναι τῆς πατρίου θεωρίας, οὗτος εἰς τἀπινίκια τῶν πραγμάτων καὶ τοῦ πολέμου, ἃ Θηβαῖοι καὶ Φίλιππος ἔθυον, εἱστιᾶτʼ ἐλθὼν καὶ σπονδῶν μετεῖχε καὶ εὐχῶν, ἃς ἐπὶ τοῖς τῶν συμμάχων τῶν ὑμετέρων τείχεσι καὶ χώρᾳ καὶ ὅπλοις ἀπολωλόσιν ηὔχετʼ ἐκεῖνος, καὶ συνεστεφανοῦτο καὶ συνεπαιώνιζεν Φιλίππῳ καὶ φιλοτησίας προὔπινεν.

[¶25] 129. Of these proceedings it is not possible for the defendant to give an account differing from mine. As for the affidavit of refusal, there is an entry in the record-office at the Temple of Demeter, of which the public caretaker is in charge, and a decree in which he is mentioned by name. As for his conduct over yonder, his own colleagues who were present, and from whom I got my information, will give evidence against him. I was not one of his colleagues, as I had declined on oath.

> Greek: 129. καὶ ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἔνεστιν ἐμοὶ μὲν οὕτω, τούτῳ δʼ ἄλλως πως εἰπεῖν· ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ μὲν τῆς ἐξωμοσίας ἐν τοῖς κοινοῖς τοῖς ὑμετέροις γράμμασιν ἐν τῷ μητρῴῳ ταῦτʼ ἐστίν, ἐφʼ οἷς ὁ δημόσιος τέτακται, καὶ ψήφισμʼ ἄντικρυς περὶ τούτου τοῦ ὀνόματος γέγραπται· ὑπὲρ δʼ ὧν ἐκεῖ διεπράξατο, οἱ συμπρεσβεύοντες καὶ παρόντες καταμαρτυρήσουσιν, οἵπερ ἐμοὶ ταῦτα διηγοῦντο· οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγʼ αὐτοῖς συνεπρέσβευσα, ἀλλʼ ἐξωμοσάμην.

[¶26] 130. Read the decree and the records, and call the witnesses. (The Decree, Records, and Depositions are read) What do you imagine were the prayers offered by Philip when he made libation? Or by the Thebans? Surely they implored strength and victory for themselves and their allies, weakness and defeat for the allies of the Phocians. In that prayer Aeschines joined. He invoked a curse on his own fatherland. It is for you to make that curse recoil upon his own head.

> Greek: 130. καί μοι λέγε τὸ ψήφισμα [καὶ τὰ γράμματα], καὶ τοὺς μάρτυρας κάλει. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΣ. τίνας οὖν εὐχὰς ὑπολαμβάνετʼ εὔχεσθαι τοῖς θεοῖς τὸν Φίλιππον, ὅτʼ ἔσπενδεν, ἢ τοὺς Θηβαίους; ἆρʼ οὐ κράτος πολέμου καὶ νίκην αὑτοῖς καὶ τοῖς συμμάχοις διδόναι, καὶ τἀναντία τοῖς τῶν Φωκέων; οὐκοῦν ταῦτα συνηύχεθʼ οὗτος καὶ κατηρᾶτο τῇ πατρίδι, ἃ νῦν εἰς κεφαλὴν ὑμᾶς αὐτῷ δεῖ τρέψαι.

[¶27] 131. So, when he took his departure, he was breaking a law whose penalty is death; after his arrival, he is again proved guilty of conduct that deserves death; and his earlier misconduct of this business of the embassy had been bad enough to bring him to death. You have therefore to consider what punishment shall be rigorous enough to afford a retribution adequate to all these transgressions.

> Greek: 131. οὐκοῦν ᾤχετο μὲν παρὰ τὸν νόμον, ὃς θάνατον κελεύει τούτων τὴν ζημίαν εἶναι· ἐλθὼν δʼ ἐκεῖσε ἑτέρων θανάτων ἄξια ποιῶν πέφανται· τὰ δὲ πρόσθεν πεπραγμένα καὶ πεπρεσβευμένʼ ὑπὲρ τούτων ἀποκτείνειεν ἂν αὐτὸν δικαίως. σκοπεῖτε τοίνυν τί ἔσται τίμημα, ὃ ταύτην ἕξει τὴν ἀξίαν ὥστε τοσούτων [πραγμάτων] ἀξιόχρεων φαίνεσθαι.

[¶28] 132. For assuredly, men of Athens, when all of you and the whole nation passed censure upon all the results of the peace, when you refused participation in the doings of the Amphictyonic Council, when your attitude towards Philip is still one of anger and suspicion, marking the whole of his conduct as sacrilegious and shameful, as well as unjust and injurious to yourselves,—it would be discreditable that you, who have entered this court to adjudicate at the scrutiny of those transactions, and have taken the judicial oath on behalf of the commonwealth, that you, I say, when the author of these wrongs has been placed in your power, caught red-handed after perpetrating such crimes, should return a verdict of acquittal.

> Greek: 132. πῶς γὰρ οὐκ αἰσχρόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δημοσίᾳ μὲν ἅπαντας ὑμᾶς καὶ ὅλον τὸν δῆμον πᾶσι τοῖς πεπραγμένοις ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐπιτιμᾶν, καὶ μήτε τῶν ἐν Ἀμφικτύοσι κοινωνεῖν ἐθέλειν, δυσκόλως τʼ ἔχειν καὶ ὑπόπτως πρὸς τὸν Φίλιππον, ὡς ἀσεβῶν καὶ δεινῶν ὄντων τῶν πεπραγμένων καὶ οὔτε δικαίων οὔθʼ ὑμῖν συμφερόντων, εἰς δὲ τὸ δικαστήριον εἰσελθόντας τὰς ὑπὲρ τούτων εὐθύνας δικάσοντας, ὅρκον ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως ὀμωμοκότας, τὸν ἁπάντων τῶν κακῶν αἴτιον καὶ ὃν εἰλήφατʼ ἐπʼ αὐτοφώρῳ τοιαῦτα πεποιηκότα, τοῦτον ἀφεῖναι;

[¶29] 133. Is there a man among your fellow-citizens, nay, in all Greece, who will not justly upbraid you if he sees you venting your wrath upon Philip, whose offence admits of much excuse—for he was making peace after war, and buying his ways and means from willing sellers—and acquitting this man, who made infamous traffic of your interests, in defiance of laws that visit such offences with the severest retribution?

> Greek: 133. καὶ τίς οὐ δικαίως ἂν ὑμῖν ἐγκαλέσειε τῶν ἄλλων πολιτῶν, μᾶλλον δʼ ἁπάντων τῶν Ἑλλήνων, ὁρῶν Φιλίππῳ μὲν ὑμᾶς ὀργιζομένους, ὃς ἐκ πολέμου ποιούμενος εἰρήνην παρὰ τῶν πωλούντων τὰς πράξεις ἐωνεῖτο, πρᾶγμα πολλὴν συγγνώμην ἔχον διαπραττόμενος, τουτονὶ δʼ ἀφιέντας, ὃς τὰ ὑμέτερʼ οὕτως αἰσχρῶς ἀπέδοτο, τῶν νόμων τὰ ἔσχατα ταττόντων ἐπιτίμια, ἐάν τις ταῦτα ποιῇ;

[¶30] 134. Perhaps some such argument as this will be addressed to you,—that, if you condemn the diplomatists who negotiated the peace, it will be the beginning of enmity with Philip. If that is true, I do not think I could bring any more damaging charge against the defendant. If the potentate who spent his money to get the peace has indeed become so powerful and formidable that you are to ignore justice and the oath you have sworn, and consider only how to oblige Philip, what penalty can be too severe for the authors of his aggrandizement?

> Greek: 134. τάχα τοίνυν ἴσως καὶ τοιοῦτος ἥξει τις λόγος παρὰ τούτων, ὡς ἀρχὴ γενήσεται πρὸς Φίλιππον ἔχθρας, εἰ τῶν πρεσβευσάντων τὴν εἰρήνην καταψηφιεῖσθε. ἐγὼ δʼ, εἰ τοῦτʼ ἔστιν ἀληθές, οὐκ ἔχω σκοπούμενος εὑρεῖν ὅ τι μεῖζον τούτου κατηγορήσω. εἰ γὰρ ὁ τῆς εἰρήνης χρήματʼ ἀναλώσας ὥστε τυχεῖν, οὗτος οὕτω γέγονεν φοβερὸς καὶ μέγας ὥστε τῶν ὅρκων καὶ τῶν δικαίων ἀμελήσαντας ὑμᾶς ἤδη τί Φιλίππῳ χαριεῖσθε σκοπεῖν, τί παθόντες ἂν οἱ τούτων αἴτιοι τὴν προσήκουσαν δίκην δεδωκότες εἶεν;

[¶31] 135. However, I think I can satisfy you that their punishment will more probably sow the seed of a profitable friendship. Let me tell you, men of Athens, that Philip does not undervalue your city; it was not because he thought you less serviceable that he preferred the Thebans to you. But he was schooled by these men and was informed by them—I once told you this in Assembly, and none of them contradicted me— that a democracy is the most unstable and capricious thing in the world, like a restless wave of the sea ruffled by the breeze as chance will have it.

> Greek: 135. οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ὅτι καὶ φιλίας ἀρχὴ συμφερούσης ὑμῖν μᾶλλον ἐκ τῶν εἰκότων γενήσεται, καὶ τοῦτʼ οἴομαι δείξειν. εὖ γὰρ εἰδέναι χρὴ τοῦθʼ ὅτι οὐ καταφρονεῖ Φίλιππος, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῆς πόλεως τῆς ὑμετέρας, οὐδʼ ἀχρηστοτέρους ὑμᾶς νομίσας Θηβαίων ἐκείνους εἵλετʼ ἀνθʼ ὑμῶν ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ τούτων ἐδιδάχθη καὶ ταῦτʼ ἤκουσεν, ἃ καὶ πρότερόν ποτʼ εἶπον ἐγὼ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν τῷ δήμῳ καὶ τούτων οὐδεὶς ἀντεῖπεν, ὡς ὁ μὲν δῆμός ἐστιν ἀσταθμητότατον πρᾶγμα τῶν πάντων καὶ ἀσυνθετώτατον, ὥσπερ ἐν θαλάττῃ κῦμʼ ἀκατάστατον, ὡς ἂν τύχῃ κινούμενον.

[¶32] 136. One man comes, another goes; no one attends to, or even remembers, the common weal. Philip, they said, ought to have friends at Athens, who would manage his business for him as it arose, and carry it through—the person speaking, for example; if that provision were made, he would easily accomplish here whatever he desired.

> Greek: 136. ὁ μὲν ἦλθεν, ὁ δʼ ἀπῆλθεν· μέλει δʼ οὐδενὶ τῶν κοινῶν, οὐδὲ μέμνηται. δεῖ δέ τινας φίλους ὑπάρχειν τοὺς ἕκαστα πράξοντας ἐν ὑμῖν αὐτῷ καὶ διοικήσοντας, οἷον αὐτὸς δή· κἄνπερ αὐτῷ τοῦτο κατασκευασθῇ, πᾶν ὅ τι ἂν βούληται παρʼ ὑμῖν ῥᾳδίως διαπράξεται.

[¶33] 137. Now if he had heard that the persons who talked like that to him had been cudgelled to death immediately after their return home, I fancy he would have done what the King of Persia did. You remember what that was: the King had been inveigled by Timagoras, and had made him a present, as the story goes, of forty talents; but when he heard that the man had been put to death at Athens, and had not been competent to warrant his own life, much less to fulfil his undertaking, he realized that he had not paid the price to the man who could deliver the goods. The first result was that he again placed in subjection to you the city of Amphipolis, which he had put on his own list of friends and allies; and the second, that he nevermore gave money to anybody.

> Greek: 137. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἤκουσεν, οἶμαι, τοὺς τότε ταῦτα πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰπόντας παραχρῆμα, ὡς δεῦρʼ ἐπανῆλθον, ἀποτετυμπανισμένους, ἐποίησεν ἂν ταὐτὸ τῷ βασιλεῖ. τί δʼ ἦν ὃ ἐκεῖνος ἐποίησεν; ἐξαπατηθεὶς ὑπὸ Τιμαγόρου καὶ τετταράκοντα τάλαντα, ὡς λέγεται, δεδωκὼς αὐτῷ, ἐπειδὴ παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐπύθετʼ αὐτὸν τεθνεῶτα καὶ οὐδὲ τοῦ ζῆν ὄντα κύριον αὑτῷ βεβαιῶσαι, μή τί γʼ ἃ ἐκείνῳ τόθʼ ὑπέσχετο πρᾶξαι, ἔγνω τὴν τιμὴν οὐχὶ τῷ κυρίῳ τῶν πραγμάτων δεδωκώς. καὶ γάρ τοι πρῶτον μὲν Ἀμφίπολιν πάλιν ὑμετέραν [δούλην] κατέπεμψεν, ἣν τότε σύμμαχον αὑτοῦ καὶ φίλην ἔγραψεν· εἶτʼ οὐδενὶ πώποτʼ ἔδωκε χρήματα τοῦ λοιποῦ.

[¶34] 138. Philip would have done the same if he had seen any of these men brought to justice; and he will do the same, if he sees that sight now. But when he sees these men holding up their heads here, making speeches, bringing other people to trial—what is he to do? Is he to make a point of spending a great deal of money, when a little will do? Is he to try to humor all of us, instead of two or three? No; that would be folly. For even his policy of public benevolence to the Thebans was by no means of his own choosing; he was persuaded by their ambassadors, and I will tell you how.

> Greek: 138. ταὐτὸ τοίνυν τοῦτʼ ἂν ἐποίησε Φίλιππος, εἴ τινα τούτων εἶδε δίκην δόντα, καὶ νῦν, ἂν ἴδῃ, ποιήσει. ἐπειδὰν δʼ ἀκούῃ λέγοντας, εὐδοκιμοῦντας ἐν ὑμῖν, ἑτέρους κρίνοντας, τί καὶ ποιήσῃ; ζητῇ πόλλʼ ἀναλίσκειν, ἐξὸν ἐλάττω, καὶ πάντας θεραπεύειν βούληται, δύʼ ἢ τρεῖς ἐξόν; μαίνοιτο μέντἄν. οὐδὲ γὰρ τὴν τῶν Θηβαίων πόλιν εἵλετο δημοσίᾳ ποιεῖν ὁ Φίλιππος εὖ, πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ, ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ τῶν πρέσβεων ἐπείσθη.

[¶35] 139. Ambassadors came to him from Thebes at the same time that we were there from you. He offered them money—a very large sum, by their own account. The Theban ambassadors declined the overture, and would not take the bribe. Afterwards, at a sacrificial banquet, when Philip was drinking with them, and showing them much civility, he kept offering them presents, beginning with captives and the like, and ending with gold and silver goblets. All these gifts they rejected, and would on no account give themselves away.

> Greek: 139. ὃν δὲ τρόπον, φράσω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐγώ. ἦλθον ὡς αὐτὸν πρέσβεις ἐκ Θηβῶν ὅτε περ καὶ παρʼ ὑμῶν ἡμεῖς ἦμεν ἐκεῖ. τούτοις χρήματʼ ἐκεῖνος ἐβούλετο δοῦναι, καὶ πάνυ γʼ, ὡς ἔφασαν, πολλά. οὐκ ἐδέξαντʼ οὐδʼ ἔλαβον ταῦθʼ οἱ τῶν Θηβαίων πρέσβεις. μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἐν θυσίᾳ τινὶ καὶ δείπνῳ πίνων καὶ φιλανθρωπευόμενος πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ Φίλιππος ἄλλα τε δὴ πολλά, οἷον αἰχμάλωτα καὶ τοιαῦτα, καὶ τελευτῶν ἐκπώματʼ ἀργυρᾶ καὶ χρυσᾶ προὔπινεν αὐτοῖς. πάντα ταῦτʼ ἐκεῖνοι διεωθοῦντο καὶ οὐδαμῇ προΐενθʼ αὑτούς.

[¶36] 140. At last Philo, one of the ambassadors, made a speech that deserved to have been spoken by your representatives, men of Athens, instead of by the spokesman of Thebes. He said that he was delighted and gratified to find Philip so courteously and generously inclined towards them; that they were already his friends and guests, without those gifts; would he be good enough to direct his benevolence to the public business on which he was engaged, and do something creditable both to himself and to the Thebans? If so, they could promise him the friendship of all Thebes as well as their own.

> Greek: 140. τελευτῶν δὲ Φίλων, εἷς τῶν πρέσβεων, εἶπεν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, λόγον οὐχ ὑπὲρ Θηβαίων ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἄξιον εἰρῆσθαι. ἔφη γὰρ τὸν Φίλιππον ὁρῶν καὶ μεγαλοψύχως καὶ φιλανθρώπως ἔχοντα πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἥδεσθαι καὶ χαίρειν· αὐτοὶ μὲν οὖν ὑπάρχειν αὐτῷ φίλοι καὶ ξένοι καὶ ἄνευ τῶν δώρων τούτων, εἰς δὲ τὰ τῆς πόλεως πράγματʼ, ἐν οἷς ἦν τότε, τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν αὐτὸν ἠξίουν ταύτην προσθέντʼ ἄξιόν τι καὶ αὑτοῦ καὶ τῶν Θηβαίων πρᾶξαι, καὶ ὅλην τε τὴν πόλιν οὕτω καὶ σφεῖς ὡμολόγουν ὑπάρξειν αὐτῷ.

[¶37] 141. Now consider what the Thebans have gained in the end by this policy, and, in the light of actual truth, see what a fine thing it is to refuse to sell your country! The Thebans have gained, in the first place, peace, when they were in trouble, hard pressed by the war, and in danger of defeat; and secondly, the complete overthrow of their enemies, the Phocians, and the utter destruction of their strongholds and cities. Is that all? No, indeed; they have also gained Orchomenus, Coronea, Corsia, Tilphosaeum, and as much of the Phocian territory as they want.

> Greek: 141. καὶ γάρ τοι σκέψασθε τί τοῖς Θηβαίοις γέγονεν ἐκ τούτων καὶ τί συμβέβηκε, καὶ θεάσασθʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας ἡλίκον ἐστὶ τὸ μὴ πωλεῖν τὰ τῆς πόλεως. πρῶτον μὲν τοίνυν εἰρήνη γέγονεν αὐτοῖς πονοῦσι καὶ ταλαιπωρουμένοις ἤδη τῷ πολέμῳ καὶ ἡττωμένοις, εἶτα τῶν ἐχθρῶν Φωκέων ἄρδην ὄλεθρος καὶ ὅλων τῶν τειχῶν καὶ τῶν πόλεων ἀναίρεσις. ἆρα καὶ μόνα ταῦτα; οὐ μὰ Δίʼ, ἀλλʼ ἔτι πρὸς τούτοις Ὀρχομενός, Κορώνεια, Κορσιά, τὸ Τιλφωσαῖον, τῆς τῶν Φωκέων χώρας ὁπόσην βούλονται.

[¶38] 142. Such is the outcome of the peace for the Theban people; and more they could not desire. And what have the ambassadors gained? Nothing at all—except the satisfaction of having achieved these results for their country. Ah, but that is worth having, men of Athens; a glorious reward, if you set any store by that honor and good repute which Aeschines and his friends bartered for a bribe. Let us now set side by side the results of the peace to the commonwealth of Athens and to the ambassadors of Athens respectively, and you shall see whether there is any equivalence.

> Greek: 142. τοῖς μὲν δὴ Θηβαίοις ταῦτʼ ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης γέγονεν, ὧν οὐδʼ ἂν εὔξαιντο δήπου μείζονα· τοῖς δὲ πρέσβεσι τοῖς τῶν Θηβαίων τί; οὐδὲν πλὴν τὸ τούτων αἰτίοις γεγενῆσθαι τῇ πατρίδι· τοῦτο δὲ καλόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ σεμνὸν εἰς ἀρετῆς λόγον καὶ δόξης, ἣν οὗτοι χρημάτων ἀπέδοντο. ἀντιθῶμεν δὴ τί τῇ τῶν Ἀθηναίων πόλει γέγονεν ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης, καὶ τί τοῖς πρέσβεσι τοῖς τῶν Ἀθηναίων, καὶ θεωρεῖτʼ εἰ παραπλήσια τῇ πόλει καὶ τούτοις αὐτοῖς.

[¶39] 143. To the commonwealth the result has been the loss of all those possessions and all those allies, and a sworn promise to Philip that if any man shall at any time attempt to recover them, you will thwart him, and treat the man who would restore to you your own as an enemy and an adversary, and the man who robbed you as an ally and a friend.

> Greek: 143. τῇ πόλει μὲν τοίνυν ἀφεστηκέναι μὲν ἁπάντων καὶ τῶν κτημάτων καὶ τῶν συμμάχων, ὀμωμοκέναι δὲ Φιλίππῳ, κἂν ἄλλος τις ἴῃ ποτʼ ἐπʼ αὐτὰ βουλόμενος σῴζειν, ὑμᾶς κωλύσειν καὶ τὸν μὲν ὑμῖν βουλόμενον παραδοῦναι ἐχθρὸν ἡγήσεσθαι καὶ πολέμιον, τὸν δʼ ἀπεστερηκότα σύμμαχον καὶ φίλον.

[¶40] 144. Such are the terms that Aeschines supported and his accomplice Philocrates proposed. On the first day I had the upper hand and persuaded you to confirm the decision of your allies and to summon Philip’s ambassadors, but Aeschines forced an adjournment to the following day, and then persuaded you to adopt Philocrates’ resolution, which included all these proposals and others still more objectionable.

> Greek: 144. ταῦτα γάρ ἐσθʼ ἃ συνεῖπε μὲν Αἰσχίνης οὑτοσί, ἔγραψε δʼ ὁ τούτου συνεργὸς Φιλοκράτης· καὶ κρατοῦντος ἐμοῦ τὴν προτέραν ἡμέραν, καὶ πεπεικότος ὑμᾶς τὸ τῶν συμμάχων δόγμα κυρῶσαι καὶ καλέσαι τοὺς πρέσβεις τοὺς τοῦ Φιλίππου, ἐκκρούσας οὗτος εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν τὴν Φιλοκράτους γνώμην ἔπεισεν ἑλέσθαι, ἐν ᾗ καὶ ταῦτα καὶ πόλλʼ ἄλλʼ ἔτι τούτων δεινότερʼ ἐστὶ γεγραμμένα.

[¶41] 145. That is what the peace has brought to the city: you could not easily invent anything more dishonorable. What has it brought to the ambassadors who contrived that dishonor? I say nothing of the wealth that lies before your eyes—houses, timber, grain; but in the country of our ruined allies there are estates and extensive farms bringing in a rental of a talent to Philocrates and half a talent to Aeschines.

> Greek: 145. τῇ μὲν δὴ πόλει ταῦτʼ ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης γέγονεν, ὧν οὐδʼ εὑρεῖν αἰσχίω ῥᾴδιον· τοῖς δὲ πρέσβεσιν τί τοῖς ταῦτα πράξασιν; τὰ μὲν ἄλλα σιωπῶ πάνθʼ, ὅσʼ ἑοράκαθʼ ὑμεῖς, οἰκίας, ξύλα, πυρούς, ἀλλʼ ἐν τῇ τῶν ἀπολωλότων συμμάχων χώρᾳ κτήματα καὶ γεωργίαι παμπληθεῖς, Φιλοκράτει μὲν τάλαντον ἔχουσαι πρόσοδον, τούτῳ δὲ [Αἰσχίνῃ] τριάκοντα μνᾶς.

[¶42] 146. Surely, men of Athens, it is strange and intolerable that the disasters of your allies have become the emolument of your envoys, and that one and the same peace should have brought, to the city sending ambassadors, the destruction of allies, dispossession of property, ignominy in exchange for honor, and to the ambassadors themselves who intrigued against the city, revenues, property, estates, and opulence in exchange for penury. To prove the truth of my statement, call the witnesses from Olynthus. (Evidence of the Olynthian witnesses) I shall not be surprised if he finds courage to tell you that we could not make an honorable peace, such as I required, because the generals mismanaged the war.

> Greek: 146. καίτοι πῶς οὐ δεινόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ σχέτλιον τὰς τῶν ὑμετέρων συμμάχων συμφορὰς προσόδους τοῖς πρέσβεσι τοῖς ὑμετέροις γεγενῆσθαι, καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν εἰρήνην τῇ μὲν ἐκπεμψάσῃ πόλει τῶν μὲν συμμάχων ὄλεθρον, τῶν δὲ κτημάτων ἀπόστασιν, ἀντὶ δὲ δόξης αἰσχύνην γεγενῆσθαι, τῶν δὲ πρέσβεων τοῖς κατὰ τῆς πόλεως ταῦτα πράξασι προσόδους, εὐπορίας, κτήματα, πλοῦτον ἀντὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων ἀποριῶν εἰργάσθαι; ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, κάλει μοι τοὺς Ὀλυνθίους μάρτυρας. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΣ.

[¶43] 147. If so, I beg that you will not forget to ask him whether he represented Athens or some other city. If another city, of which he can say that it had competent generals and has won the war, he has received bribes with some reason; but if he represented this city, how comes it that by terms of treaty the city that sent him has lost property and he has increased his property by his rewards? In common justice, the city and its representatives should have fared alike.

> Greek: 147. οὐ τοίνυν θαυμάσαιμʼ ἂν εἰ καὶ τοιοῦτό τι τολμήσει λέγειν, ὡς οὐκ ἦν καλὴν οὐδʼ οἵαν ἠξίουν ἐγὼ τὴν εἰρήνην ποιήσασθαι, κακῶς τῷ πολέμῳ τῶν στρατηγῶν κεχρημένων. ἂν δὴ ταῦτα λέγῃ, πρὸς θεῶν ἐρωτήσατʼ αὐτὸν μεμνημένοι, πότερʼ ἐξ ἑτέρας ᾤχετο πρεσβεύων πόλεως ἢ ταύτης αὐτῆς. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἑτέρας, ἣν κεκρατηκέναι τε τῷ πολέμῳ φήσει καὶ χρηστοὺς ἔχειν στρατηγούς, εἰκότως χρήματʼ εἴληφεν· εἰ δʼ ἐκ ταύτης αὐτῆς, τίνος εἵνεκʼ ἐφʼ οἷς ἡ πέμψασα πόλις τῶν αὑτῆς ἀπέστη, ἐπὶ τούτοις οὗτος δωρειὰς προσλαβὼν φαίνεται; τῶν γὰρ αὐτῶν ἔδει τήν τε πέμψασαν πόλιν τυγχάνειν καὶ τοὺς ἐκ ταύτης πρέσβεις, εἴπερ τι τῶν δικαίων ἐγίγνετο.

[¶44] 148. Here is another point for your consideration, gentlemen of the jury. Who gained the greater advantage in the operations, the Phocians over the Thebans, or Philip over you? I reply, the Phocians over the Thebans. They held Orchomenus, and Coronea, and Tilphosaeum; they had kept within the walls the Theban garrison at Neon; they had slain two hundred and seventy Thebans at Hedyleum, and a trophy had been set up; they were superior in cavalry, and so an Iliad of woes encompassed the Thebans.

> Greek: 148. ἔτι τοίνυν κἀκεῖνο σκέψασθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί. πότερʼ οἴεσθε πλέον Φωκέας Θηβαίων ἢ Φίλιππον ὑμῶν κρατεῖν τῷ πολέμῳ; ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι Φωκεῖς Θηβαίων. εἶχόν γʼ Ὀρχομενὸν καὶ Κορώνειαν καὶ τὸ Τιλφωσαῖον, καὶ τοὺς ἐν Νέωσιν ἀπειλήφεσαν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ διακοσίους ἀπεκτόνεσαν ἐπὶ τῷ Ἡδυλείῳ, καὶ τρόπαιον εἱστήκει, καὶ ἱπποκράτουν, καὶ κακῶν Ἰλιὰς περιειστήκει Θηβαίους.

[¶45] 149. No such disaster ever befell, nor, I hope, ever will befall, you. The worst misfortune of your war with Philip was that you could not do him as much harm as you wished; against defeat you were absolutely secure. Then why did the same peace mean, for the Thebans, who were so badly worsted in the war, the recovery of their own possessions and the acquisition of possessions of their adversaries, and, for the Athenians, the loss in time of peace of advantages which were maintained in the war? The reason is that their ambassadors did not sell them, but these men have sold you. That my account is true, you will find further proof as we proceed.

> Greek: 149. ὑμῖν δὲ τοιοῦτο μὲν οὐδὲν οὔτʼ ἦν μήτε γένοιτο τοῦ λοιποῦ, τοῦτο δʼ ἦν τὸ δεινότατον τοῦ πρὸς Φίλιππον πολέμου· οὐκ ἐδύνασθε κακῶς ἡλίκʼ ἐβούλεσθε ποιεῖν ἐκεῖνον· τοῦ δὲ μὴ πάσχειν αὐτοὶ πᾶσαν ἄδειαν ἤγετε. τί ποτʼ οὖν ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς εἰρήνης τοῖς μὲν Θηβαίοις, τοῖς τοσοῦτο κρατουμένοις τῷ πολέμῳ, καὶ τὰ ἑαυτῶν κομίσασθαι καὶ τὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν προσλαβεῖν γέγονε, τοῖς δʼ Ἀθηναίοις ὑμῖν, καὶ ἃ τῷ πολέμῳ διεσῴζετο, ταῦτʼ ἐπὶ τῆς εἰρήνης ἀπολωλεκέναι; ὅτι τἀκείνων μὲν οὐκ ἀπέδονθʼ οἱ πρέσβεις, τὰ δʼ ὑμέτερʼ οὗτοι πεπράκασιν. ἀλλὰ νὴ Δία τοὺς συμμάχους ἀπειρηκέναι φήσει τῷ πολέμῳ … ὅτι γὰρ ταῦθʼ οὕτω πέπρακται, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐπιλοίπων ἔτι μᾶλλον εἴσεσθε.

[¶46] 150. When the peace of Philocrates, which Aeschines supported in a speech, had been concluded, Philip’s ambassadors accepted the oaths, and departed. So far no fatal mischief had been done. The peace was, indeed, discreditable and unworthy of Athens—but then we were going to get those wonderful advantages in exchange. I at once called upon you, and told the envoys, to sail for the Hellespont as speedily as possible, and not to abandon, or allow Philip to seize and hold, any of the positions there in the meantime;

> Greek: 150. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ μὲν εἰρήνη τέλος εἶχεν αὕτη, ἡ τοῦ Φιλοκράτους, ᾗ συνεῖπεν οὗτος, οἱ δὲ πρέσβεις ἀπήρκεσαν οἱ τοῦ Φιλίππου λαβόντες τοὺς ὅρκους (καὶ μέχρι τούτου γʼ οὐδὲν ἀνήκεστον ἦν τῶν πεπραγμένων, ἀλλʼ αἰσχρὰ μὲν ἡ εἰρήνη καὶ ἀναξία τῆς πόλεως, ἀντὶ δὲ τούτων δὴ τὰ θαυμάσιʼ ἀγάθʼ ἡμῖν ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι), ἠξίουν [ὑμᾶς] ἐγὼ καὶ τούτοις ἔλεγον πλεῖν τὴν ταχίστην ἐφʼ Ἑλλησπόντου, καὶ μὴ προέσθαι μηδʼ ἐᾶσαι κατασχεῖν Φίλιππον μηδὲν ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ χρόνῳ τῶν ἐκεῖ χωρίων.

[¶47] 151. for well I knew that indolent people lose for ever anything that they let slip in the transition from war to peace. No one, who has been induced by general considerations to sheathe the sword, is ever inclined to begin war over again for the recovery of his losses; and so the appropriator retains possession. Apart from these considerations, I conceived that, if we sailed at once, the city would gain one of two advantages. For when we were on the spot and had accepted his oath according to the decree, either he would restore the places he had taken from Athens and keep his hands off the rest, or, if he refused, we could promptly report his refusal.

> Greek: 151. ᾔδειν γὰρ ἀκριβῶς ὅτι πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἂν ἐκ πολέμου γιγνομένης εἰρήνης προεθῇ, ταῦτα τοῖς ἀμελήσασιν ἀπόλλυται· οὐδεὶς γὰρ πώποθʼ ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅλων πεισθεὶς εἰρήνην ἄγειν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐγκαταλειφθέντων ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἠθέλησεν πολεμεῖν, ἀλλὰ ταῦθʼ οἱ προλαβόντες ἔχουσιν. χωρὶς δὲ τούτων δυοῖν χρησίμοιν οὐ διαμαρτήσεσθαι τὴν πόλιν ἡγούμην πλευσάντων ἡμῶν· ἢ γὰρ παρόντων καὶ κατὰ τὸ ψήφισμʼ αὐτὸν ἐξορκωσάντων, ἃ μὲν εἰλήφει τῆς πόλεως, ἀποδώσειν, τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν ἀφέξεσθαι, ἢ μὴ ποιοῦντος ταῦτα ἀπαγγελεῖν ἡμᾶς εὐθέως δεῦρο, ὥστʼ ἐν ἐκείνοις τοῖς πόρρω καὶ ἐλάττοσι τὴν πλεονεξίαν καὶ τὴν ἀπιστίαν ἰδόντας ὑμᾶς περὶ τῶνδε τῶν ἐγγὺς καὶ μειζόνων, λέγω δὲ Φωκέων καὶ Πυλῶν, οὐ προήσεσθαι·

## 4. Sections 152–201

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/4/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/4/#p-N

[¶0] 152. In that case you, observing his grasping spirit and perfidy in those distant and comparatively unimportant places, would no longer be negligent of the more important concerns that lay nearer home—I mean the Phocians and Thermopylae. If he had not seized the positions, and if there had been no deception of you, all your interests were safe enough, and you would get fair treatment from him without compulsion. This was a reasonable expectation; for so long as the Phocians were safe, as they were at the time, and in possession of Thermopylae, there was no menace which Philip could have brandished in your face to make you disregard any of your just claims. He could not reach Attica either by a march across country or by getting command of the seas. If he refused justice, you could forthwith close his ports, stop his supply of money, and otherwise reduce him to a state of blockade; and so he, and not you, would be wholly dependent on the contingent benefits of the peace.

> Greek: 152. μὴ προλαβόντος δʼ ἐκείνου ταῦτα μηδʼ ὑμῶν ἐξαπατηθέντων ἅπαντʼ ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ τὰ πράγμαθʼ ὑμῖν ἔσεσθαι, καὶ παρʼ ἑκόντος ὑπάρξειν αὐτοῦ τὰ δίκαια. καὶ ταῦτʼ εἰκότως οὕτως ὑπελάμβανον ἕξειν. εἰ γὰρ ἦσαν, ὡς ἦσαν τότε, Φωκεῖς σῷοι καὶ Πύλας εἶχον, ἐκεῖνος μὲν οὐδὲν ἂν ὑμῖν εἶχʼ ἀνατείνασθαι φοβερόν, διʼ ὃ τῶν δικαίων ἄν τι παρείδετε· οὔτε γὰρ κατὰ γῆν παρελθὼν οὔτε ναυσὶ κρατήσας εἰς τὴν Ἀττικὴν ἥξειν ἔμελλεν· ὑμεῖς δʼ ἐκείνου παραχρῆμα, εἰ μὴ τὰ δίκαια ποιοίη, κλείσειν τὰ ἐμπόρια, καὶ χρημάτων τʼ ἐν σπάνει καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐν πολιορκίᾳ πάλιν αὐτὸν καταστήσειν, ὥστʼ ἐκεῖνος ὁ δουλεύσων ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι τοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς εἰρήνης λυσιτελοῦσιν, οὐχ ὑμεῖς.

[¶1] 154. I will now prove to you that I am not making up a story or claiming merit after the event, but that I formed my judgement, kept my eye on your interests, and told the envoys, without any delay. Finding that you had got to the end of the regular Assemblies, and that there was no meeting left, and observing that the envoys were still wasting time at Athens instead of starting at once, I proposed a decree as a member of the Council, to which the Assembly had given authority, directing the envoys to sail immediately, and the general Proxenus to convey them to any place in which he should ascertain that Philip was to be found. I drafted it, as I now read it, in those express terms. Please take and read the decree. (The Decree of Demosthenes is read) So I got them away from Athens, but quite against their will, as you will easily learn from their subsequent behavior.

> Greek: 154. καὶ ταῦθʼ ὅτι οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῖς συμβεβηκόσι νῦν πλάττομαι καὶ προσποιοῦμαι, ἀλλὰ τότʼ εὐθὺς ἐγνώκειν καὶ προεωρώμην ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ τούτοις ἔλεγον, ἐκεῖθεν εἴσεσθε. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκκλησία μὲν οὐκέτʼ ἦν ὑπόλοιπος οὐδεμία διὰ τὸ προκατακεχρῆσθαι, οὗτοι δʼ οὐκ ἀπῇσαν, ἀλλʼ αὐτοῦ διέτριβον, γράφω ψήφισμα βουλεύων, τὴν βουλὴν ποιήσαντος τοῦ δήμου κυρίαν, ἀπιέναι τοὺς πρέσβεις τὴν ταχίστην, τὸν δὲ στρατηγὸν Πρόξενον κομίζειν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τοὺς τόπους ἐν οἷς ἂν ὄντα Φίλιππον πυνθάνηται, γράψας ὥσπερ νῦν λέγω, τοῖς ῥήμασιν οὕτως ἄντικρυς. καί μοι λέγε τοῦτο τὸ ψήφὶσμα λαβών. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ.

[¶2] 155. When we had arrived at Oreus and joined Proxenus, instead of obeying their instructions and proceeding by sea, they started on a roundabout tour. We had wasted three-and-twenty days before we reached Macedonia; and all the rest of the time, making, with the time consumed by the journey, fifty days in all, until the arrival of Philip, we were dawdling at Pella.

> Greek: 155. ἐνθένδε μὲν τοίνυν αὐτοὺς ἐξήγαγον οὕτως ἄκοντας, ὡς καθαρῶς οἷς μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἐποίουν εἴσεσθε. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἀφικόμεθʼ εἰς Ὠρεὸν καὶ συνεμείξαμεν τῷ Προξένῳ, ἀμελήσαντες οὗτοι τοῦ πλεῖν καὶ τὰ προστεταγμένα πράττειν ἐπορεύοντο κύκλῳ, καὶ πρὶν εἰς Μακεδονίαν ἐλθεῖν, τρεῖς καὶ εἴκοσιν ἡμέρας ἀνηλώσαμεν· τὰς δʼ ἄλλας πάσας καθήμεθʼ ἐν Πέλλῃ, πρὶν Φίλιππον ἐλθεῖν, σὺν αἷς ἐπορεύθημεν ὁμοῦ πεντήκονθʼ ὅλας.

[¶3] 156. Throughout that period Philip was occupying and disposing of Doriscus, Thrace, the Thracian fortresses, the Sacred Mount, and so forth, in spite of the peace and armistice. All this time I did not spare words; I talked to them first as one communicating his opinion, then as instructing the ignorant, and finally in uncompromising language, as dealing with corrupt and profligate persons.

> Greek: 156. ἐν δὲ τούτῳ Δορίσκον, Θρᾴκην, τἀπὶ τειχῶν, Ἱερὸν ὄρος, πάντα τὰ πράγματα, ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ σπονδαῖς ᾕρει καὶ διῳκεῖθʼ ὁ Φίλιππος, πολλὰ λέγοντος ἐμοῦ καὶ θρυλοῦντος ἀεί, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ὡς ἂν εἰς κοινὸν γνώμην ἀποφαινομένου, μετὰ ταῦτα δʼ ὡς ἀγνοοῦντας διδάσκοντος, τελευτῶντος δʼ ὡς ἂν πρὸς πεπρακότας αὑτοὺς καὶ ἀνοσιωτάτους ἀνθρώπους οὐδὲν ὑποστελλομένου.

[¶4] 157. The man who openly contradicted me, and set himself in opposition to my advice and your formal resolutions, was Aeschines. You will learn presently whether his conduct was agreeable to his colleagues. For the moment, I have nothing to say of them by way of fault-finding. They may all show themselves honest men today, not by compulsion but of their own free will, and as having no share in those iniquities. That the deeds done were disgraceful, monstrous, and venal, you have already discovered; let facts disclose who were the participators.

> Greek: 157. ὁ δὲ τούτοις ἀντιλέγων φανερῶς καὶ ἅπασιν ἐναντιούμενος οἷς ἔλεγον μὲν ἐγώ, ἐψήφιστο δʼ ὑφʼ ὑμῶν, οὗτος ἦν. εἰ δὲ καὶ πᾶσιν ἤρεσκε ταῦτα τοῖς ἄλλοις πρέσβεσιν, αὐτίκʼ εἴσεσθε. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οὐδέν πω λέγω περὶ οὐδενὸς οὐδʼ αἰτιῶμαι, οὐδʼ ἀναγκασθέντʼ αὐτῶν οὐδένα δεῖ δοκεῖν χρηστὸν εἶναι τήμερον, ἀλλὰ διʼ αὑτὸν καὶ τὸ μὴ κεκοινωνηκέναι τῶν ἀδικημάτων. ὅτι μὲν γὰρ αἰσχρὰ καὶ δεινὰ καὶ οὐ προῖκα τὰ πεπραγμένα, πάντες ὑμεῖς ἑοράκατε· οἵτινες δʼ οἱ τούτων μετεσχηκότες, αὐτὸ δηλώσει.

[¶5] 158. But it may be urged that they spent all this time swearing in the allies, or discharging some other part of their duty. Not at all; though they were on their travels for three whole months, and received from you a thousand drachmas for journey-money, they did not get the oaths from any single city either on their outward journey or on their way home. The oaths were administered at the hostelry in front of the Temple of the Twins,—any of you who have been to Pherae will know the place I mean,—at the time when Philip was already on his march towards Athens with his army, and in a manner, men of Athens, that was thoroughly discreditable to the city.

> Greek: 158. ἀλλὰ νὴ Δίʼ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ χρόνῳ τοὺς ὅρκους ἔλαβον παρὰ τῶν συμμάχων, ἢ τἄλλʼ ἃ προσῆκεν ἐποίησαν. πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ, ἀλλὰ τρεῖς μῆνας ὅλους ἀποδημήσαντες καὶ χιλίας λαβόντες δραχμὰς ἐφόδιον παρʼ ὑμῶν, παρʼ οὐδεμιᾶς πόλεως, οὔθʼ ὅτʼ ἐκεῖσʼ ἐπορεύοντο οὔθʼ ὅτʼ ἐκεῖθεν δεῦρο, τοὺς ὅρκους ἔλαβον, ἀλλʼ ἐν τῷ πανδοκείῳ τῷ πρὸ τοῦ Διοσκορείου (εἴ τις ὑμῶν εἰς Φερὰς ἀφῖκται, οἶδʼ ὃ λέγω), ἐνταῦθʼ ἐγίγνονθʼ οἱ ὅρκοι, ὅτε δεῦρʼ ἤδη τὸ στράτευμʼ ἄγων ἐβάδιζε Φίλιππος, αἰσχρῶς, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ ἀναξίως ὑμῶν.

[¶6] 159. Yet Philip would have paid any sum to have matters managed in this way. For when these men had failed to draw the treaty, as they first tried to do, with a clause excepting the Halians and the Phocians, and Philocrates had been compelled by you to erase those words and write expressly, “the Athenians and the Allies of the Athenians,” to the treaty so drawn Philip did not wish any of his allies to have sworn; for then they would have refused to join in his forcible occupation of those possessions of yours which he now holds, and the oath would have been their excuse.

> Greek: 159. καίτοι τοῦτο Φίλιππος ἁπάντων ἂν ἐτιμήσατο πλείστου τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον πραχθῆναι. τήν τε γὰρ εἰρήνην οὐχὶ δυνηθέντων ὡς ἐπεχείρησαν οὗτοι, πλὴν Ἁλέων καὶ Φωκέων, γράψαι, ἀλλʼ ἀναγκασθέντος ὑφʼ ὑμῶν τοῦ Φιλοκράτους ταῦτʼ ἀπαλεῖψαι, γράψαι δʼ ἄντικρυς, Ἀθηναίους καὶ τοὺς Ἀθηναίων συμμάχους, οὐκ ἐβούλετο τοῦτον ὀμωμοκέναι τὸν ὅρκον οὐδένα τῶν αὑτοῦ συμμάχων (οὐ γὰρ αὐτῷ συστρατεύσειν ἐφʼ ἃ νῦν ἔχει τῶν ὑμετέρων ἔμελλον, ἀλλʼ ἕξειν πρόφασιν τοὺς ὅρκους), οὔτε μάρτυρας γενέσθαι τῶν ὑποσχέσεων, ἐφʼ αἷς εὑρίσκετο τὴν εἰρήνην, οὐδὲ τοῦτο δειχθῆναι πᾶσιν, ὅτι οὐκ ἄρʼ ἡ πόλις ἡ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἥττητο τῷ πολέμῳ, ἀλλὰ Φίλιππός ἐστιν ὁ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐπιθυμῶν καὶ ὁ πόλλʼ ὑπισχνούμενος τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις ἂν τύχῃ τῆς εἰρήνης.

[¶7] 160. Nor did he desire witnesses of the promises on the strength of which he was obtaining the peace, nor any public disclosure of the fact that after all Athens had not been beaten in the war, and that it was Philip who was really eager for the peace, and was ready to make large promises to the Athenians if he could get it. Therefore he disapproved of these men going anywhere, lest the facts that I am stating should become generally known; and they were ready to gratify him with ostentatious deference and extravagant adulation. Yet, when they are convicted of all these delinquencies, of having squandered their time, thrown away the Thracian outposts, done nothing agreeable either to your instructions or to sound policy, and sent lying dispatches to Athens, how can this man possibly find a way of escape before an intelligent and conscientious jury? However, to prove the truth of my statements, read first the decree giving directions for the administration of the oath, then Philip’s letter, and then the decree of Philocrates, and the decree of the Assembly. (The Letter and the several Decrees are read) To prove, moreover, that we should have caught Philip at the Hellespont, if my advice had been taken and your directions obeyed in the terms of the decrees, call the witnesses who were there present.

> Greek: 160. ἵνα δὴ μὴ γένοιτο ταῦθʼ ἃ λέγω φανερά, διὰ ταῦτʼ οὐδαμόσʼ ᾤετο δεῖν τούτους βαδίζειν. οὗτοι δʼ ἐχαρίζοντο πάντα, ἐνδεικνύμενοι καὶ ὑπερκολακεύοντες ἐκεῖνον. καίτοι ταῦθʼ ὅταν ἐξελέγχωνται πάντα, τοὺς χρόνους ἀνηλωκότες, τἀν Θρᾴκῃ προειμένοι, μηδὲν ὧν ἐψηφίσασθε πεποιηκότες μηδʼ ὧν συμφέρον ἦν, τὰ ψευδῆ δεῦρʼ ἀπηγγελκότες, πῶς ἔνεστι παρʼ εὖ φρονοῦσι δικασταῖς καὶ βουλομένοις εὐορκεῖν τούτῳ σῴζεσθαι; ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, λέγε πρῶτον μὲν τὸ ψήφισμα, ὡς ὁρκοῦν προσῆκεν ἡμῖν, εἶτα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τὴν τοῦ Φιλίππου, εἶτα τὸ Φιλοκράτους ψήφισμα καὶ τὸ τοῦ δήμου. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑΤΑ.

[¶8] 162. (Evidence is given) Now read the other deposition testifying to the answer made by Philip to Eucleides here, who arrived later. (The Deposition is read) Let me show you that there is no way of denying that they were acting in the interest of Philip.

> Greek: 162. καὶ μὴν ὅτι τὸν Φίλιππον ἐν Ἑλλησπόντῳ κατελάβομεν ἄν, εἴ τις ἐπείθετό μοι καὶ τὰ προστεταγμένʼ ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ἐποίει κατὰ τὰ ψηφίσματα, κάλει τοὺς ἐκεῖ παρόντας μάρτυρας. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΣ. λέγε δὴ καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν μαρτυρίαν, ἃ πρὸς Εὐκλείδην ὕστερον ἐλθόντα τουτονὶ ἀπεκρίνατο Φίλιππος. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ.

[¶9] 163. When we were setting out on the former embassy for peace, you sent forward a herald to arrange our safe-conduct. On that occasion, as soon as they reached Oreus, they wasted no time there waiting for the herald. Although Halus was beleaguered, they crossed the sea thither; then left the town and went to Parmenio, who was conducting the siege; set off through the enemies’ positions for Pagasae, and continued their journey till they met the herald at Larissa. Such was the energy and goodwill with which they travelled then;

> Greek: 163. ὅτι τοίνυν οὐδʼ ἄρνησίς ἐστιν αὐτοῖς τὸ μὴ ταῦθʼ ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου πράττειν, ἀκούσατέ μου. ὅτε γὰρ τὴν προτέραν ἀπῄρομεν πρεσβείαν τὴν περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης, κήρυχʼ ὑμεῖς προαπεστείλαθʼ ὅστις ἡμῖν σπείσεται. τότε μὲν τοίνυν, ὡς τάχιστʼ εἰς Ὠρεὸν ἦλθον, οὐκ ἀνέμειναν τὸν κήρυκα οὐδʼ ἐνεποίησαν χρόνον οὐδένα, Ἅλου δὲ πολιορκουμένου διέπλευσαν εἰς τοῦτον, καὶ πάλιν ἐντεῦθεν πρὸς Παρμενίωνα τὸν πολιορκοῦντʼ ἐξελθόντες ἀπῆραν διὰ τοῦ πολεμίου στρατεύματος εἰς Παγασάς, καὶ προϊόντες ἀπήντων ἐν Λαρίσῃ τῷ κήρυκι· τοσαύτῃ σπουδῇ καὶ προθυμίᾳ τότʼ ἐχώρουν.

[¶10] 164. but now, in time of peace, with complete security for travelling, and with your injunctions of haste, it never occurred to them to hasten their journey by land or to travel by sea. Why so? Because then it was to Philip’s advantage that peace should be concluded with all speed, but now that as much time as possible should be wasted before the administration of the oaths.

> Greek: 164. ἐπειδὴ δʼ εἰρήνη μὲν ἦν, ἅπασα δʼ ἀσφάλειʼ ἰέναι καὶ πρόσταγμα παρʼ ὑμῶν σπεύδειν, τηνικαῦτʼ οὔτʼ ἐπείγεσθαι βαδίζουσιν οὔτε πλεῖν αὐτοῖς ἐπῄει. τί δήποτε; ὅτι τότε μὲν τὸ τὴν εἰρήνην ὡς τάχιστα γενέσθαι, τοῦτʼ ἦν ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου, νῦν δὲ τὸ ὡς πλεῖστον τὸν μεταξὺ χρόνον διατριφθῆναι τοῦ τοὺς ὅρκους ἀπολαβεῖν.

[¶11] 165. To prove that this statement also is true, take and read this deposition. (The Deposition is read) Now could men be more clearly convicted of acting throughout in the interest of Philip? It was the same journey: they loitered when they should have bestirred themselves in your service; they hurried when they ought not to have moved a step until the arrival of the herald.

> Greek: 165. ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, λαβέ μοι καὶ ταύτην τὴν μαρτυρίαν. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ. ἔστιν οὖν ὅπως ἂν μᾶλλον ἄνθρωποι πάνθʼ ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου πράττοντες ἐξελεγχθεῖεν, ἢ τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἡνίκα μὲν σπεύδειν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἔδει καθήμενοι, ὅτε δʼ οὐδὲ βαδίζειν προσῆκε πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὸν κήρυκα ἐπειγόμενοι;

[¶12] 166. Take next the period of our loitering at Pella, and compare the employments which we severally chose for ourselves. Mine was to seek out and rescue the captives, spending money of my own, and asking Philip to apply to their ransom the money he was spending on hospitable gifts for us. But what Aeschines constantly tried to effect, you shall hear in a moment. What then was it? It was that Philip should give us a lump sum as a collective present.

> Greek: 166. ὃν τοίνυν χρόνον ἦμεν ἐκεῖ καὶ καθήμεθʼ ἐν Πέλλῃ, σκέψασθε τί πράττειν ἕκαστος ἡμῶν προείλετο. ἐγὼ μὲν τοίνυν τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἀνασῴζειν καὶ ζητεῖν, καὶ παρʼ ἐμαυτοῦ τε χρήματʼ ἀναλίσκειν καὶ Φίλιππον ἀξιοῦν, ὧν ἡμῖν ἐδίδου ξενίων, τούτους λύσασθαι· οὗτος δὲ αὐτίκʼ ἀκούσεσθε τί ποιῶν διετέλεσεν. τί οὖν ἦν τοῦτο τὸ κοινῇ χρήμαθʼ ἡμῖν τὸν Φίλιππον διδόναι;

[¶13] 167. You must know that Philip was already sounding us all in this way: he sent private messages to each of us in turn, with the offer, men of Athens, of a really large sum in gold. Having failed in some case or other,—in what case let the result disclose; it is not for me to name myself,—he conceived that a collective present might be accepted by all of us without misgiving; and that there would be security for those who had individually sold themselves, if we all shared even to a trifling extent in the general acceptance. Accordingly it was offered,—nominally, as a form of hospitality.

> Greek: 167. ἵνα μηδὲ τοῦτʼ ἀγνοῆτε, ἐκεῖνος ἡμᾶς διεκωδώνιζεν ἅπαντας· τίνα τρόπον; ἑκάστῳ προσπέμπων ἰδίᾳ καὶ πολύ γʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, διδοὺς χρυσίον. ὡς δʼ ἀπετύγχανʼ ὁτουδήποτε (οὐ γὰρ ἐμέ γʼ εἰπεῖν ἐμαυτὸν δεῖ, ἀλλὰ τἄργα καὶ τὰ πεπραγμένʼ αὐτὰ δηλώσει), τὰ κοινῇ δοθέντα πάντας ἡγεῖτʼ εὐήθως λήψεσθαι· ἀσφάλειαν οὖν ἔσεσθαι τοῖς ἰδίᾳ πεπρακόσιν αὑτούς, εἰ καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν τοῦ λαβεῖν κοινῇ πάντες μετάσχοιμεν. διὰ ταῦτʼ ἐδίδοτο, ξένια δὴ πρόφασιν.

[¶14] 168. I stopped that manoeuvre; and then these men divided that money also among themselves. When I asked Philip to spend it on the captives, he could not with decency either inform against them by replying, “It is in so-and-so’s pockets,” or escape the outlay; so he made me the promise, but evaded performance by saying that he would send the men home in time for the Panathenaic Festival. Read the deposition of Apollophanes, and then those of the other persons who were there. (The Deposition is read) Let me now tell you how many of the captives I ransomed myself.

> Greek: 168. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἐκώλυσʼ ἐγώ, πάλιν προσδιενείμαντο τοῦθʼ οὗτοι. τῷ Φιλίππῳ δʼ, ἐπειδὴ ταῦτʼ εἰς τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἠξίουν αὐτὸν ἀναλίσκειν ἐγώ, οὔτε κατειπεῖν τούτων εἶχε καλῶς οὐδʼ εἰπεῖν ὅτι ἀλλʼ ἔχουσιν ὁ δεῖνα καὶ ὁ δεῖνα, οὔτε φυγεῖν τἀνάλωμα· ὡμολόγησε μὲν δή, διεκρούσατο δʼ εἰς τὰ Παναθήναια φήσας ἀποπέμψειν. λέγε τὴν μαρτυρίαν τὴν Ἀπολλοφάνους, εἶτα τὴν τῶν ἄλλων τῶν παρόντων. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ.

[¶15] 169. For while we were staying at Pella, before Philip’s arrival, some of the prisoners,—all in fact who were out on bail,—having, I suppose, no confidence that they would afterwards be able to induce Philip to move, told me that they were willing to provide for their own ransom without putting themselves under obligation to Philip, and offered to borrow their ransom-money, three minas, five minas, or as the case might be.

> Greek: 169. φέρε δὴ καὶ ὅσους αὐτὸς ἐλυσάμην τῶν αἰχμαλώτων εἴπω πρὸς ὑμᾶς. ἐν ὅσῳ γὰρ οὐχὶ παρόντος πω Φιλίππου διετρίβομεν ἐν Πέλλῃ, ἔνιοι τῶν ἑαλωκότων, ὅσοιπερ ἦσαν ἐξηγγυημένοι, ἀπιστοῦντες, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ, μὴ δυνήσεσθαί με ταῦτα πεῖσαι τὸν Φίλιππον, ἑαυτοὺς ἔφασαν βούλεσθαι λύσεσθαι καὶ μηδεμίαν τούτου χάριν ἔχειν τῷ Φιλίππῳ, καὶ ἐδανείζοντο ὁ μὲν τρεῖς μνᾶς, ὁ δὲ πέντε, ὁ δʼ ὅπως συνέβαινεν ἑκάστῳ τὰ λύτρα.

[¶16] 170. So when Philip agreed to get the release of the rest, I called together these men, to whom I had lent the money as a friendly loan, reminded them of the transaction, and made them a free gift of their ransom-money, lest they should seem to have been put into a worse position by their impetuosity, or to have been ransomed, though poor men, at their own expense, while the rest were expecting deliverance from Philip. To prove the truth of my statement, read these depositions also. (The Depositions are read) Well, these sums of money I gave away as a free gift to my fellow-citizens in distress.

> Greek: 170. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ὡμολόγησʼ ὁ Φίλιππος τοὺς λοιποὺς λύσεσθαι, συγκαλέσας ἐγὼ τούτους οἷς αὐτὸς ἔχρησα τἀργύριον, καὶ τὰ πεπραγμένʼ ὑπομνήσας, ἵνα μὴ δοκοῖεν ἔλαττον ἔχειν ἐπειχθέντες μηδʼ ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λελυτρῶσθαι πένητες ἄνθρωποι, τῶν ἄλλων ὑπὸ τοῦ Φιλίππου προσδοκωμένων ἀφεθήσεσθαι, ἔδωκα δωρειὰν τὰ λύτρα. καὶ ὅτι ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, λέγε ταύτας τὰς μαρτυρίας. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑΙ.

[¶17] 171. If Aeschines in addressing you should say presently: “Demosthenes, if you really inferred from my speech in support of Philocrates that our conduct was thoroughly corrupt, why did you join us on the subsequent embassy to receive the oaths, instead of excusing yourself?” you must remember that I had promised the prisoners whom I delivered that I would bring the ransom-money and do my utmost for their rescue.

> Greek: 171. ὅσα μὲν τοίνυν ἀφῆκα χρήματα καὶ δωρειὰν ἔδωκα τοῖς ἀτυχήσασι τῶν πολιτῶν, ταῦτʼ ἔστιν. ὅταν δʼ οὗτος αὐτίκα δὴ λέγῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς τί δήποθʼ, ὡς φῄς, ὦ Δημόσθενες, ἀπὸ τοῦ συνειπεῖν ἐμὲ Φιλοκράτει γνοὺς οὐδὲν ἡμᾶς ὑγιὲς πράττοντας, τὴν μετὰ ταῦτα πρεσβείαν τὴν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὅρκους συνεπρέσβευσας πάλιν καὶ οὐκ ἐξωμόσω; ταῦτα μέμνησθε, ὅτι τούτοις ὡμολογήκειν οὓς ἐλυσάμην καὶ κομιεῖν λύτρα καὶ σώσειν εἰς δύναμιν.

[¶18] 172. It would therefore have been too bad to break my word and abandon fellow-creatures and fellow-citizens in misfortune. Had I declined on oath, a private excursion to Macedonia would have been neither decent nor safe. Except for my strong desire to liberate those men, may I die miserably before my time if any reward would have induced me to accept an embassy with these men as my colleagues. I proved that by twice excusing myself when you twice appointed me to the third embassy, and also by my constant opposition to them on this journey.

> Greek: 172. δεινὸν οὖν ψεύσασθαι καὶ προέσθαι δυστυχοῦντας ἀνθρώπους πολίτας· ἰδίᾳ δʼ, ἐξομοσάμενον, οὐ πάνυ καλὸν οὐδʼ ἀσφαλὲς ἦν ἐκεῖσε πλανᾶσθαι· ἐπεὶ εἰ μὴ διὰ τὸ τούτους βούλεσθαι σῶσαι, ἐξώλης ἀπολοίμην καὶ προώλης, εἰ προσλαβών γʼ ἂν ἀργύριον πάνυ πολὺ μετὰ τούτων ἐπρέσβευσα. σημεῖον δέ· ἐπὶ γὰρ τὴν τρίτην πρεσβείαν δίς με χειροτονησάντων ὑμῶν δὶς ἐξωμοσάμην. καὶ παρὰ ταύτην τὴν ἀποδημίαν πάντα τἀναντίʼ ἔπραττον.

[¶19] 173. So the business which I controlled by myself on the embassy turned out in this fashion to your advantage, although, where the majority prevailed, everything went to ruin. Indeed, if my advice had been taken, all our transactions might have had an equally fortunate issue; for I was not so foolish and stupid as to lose money, while others were making money, out of sheer public spirit, and then object to a course of action that would have cost no expense, and that offered far greater advantages to the whole commonwealth. Yes, men of Athens, the issue might have been fortunate indeed; only these men had their way.

> Greek: 173. ὥν μὲν τοίνυν αὐτοκράτωρ ἦν ἐγὼ κατὰ τὴν πρεσβείαν, τοῦτον ἔσχε τὸν τρόπον ὑμῖν· ἃ δʼ οὗτοι πλείους ὄντες ἐνίκων, ἅπαντʼ ἀπόλωλεν. καίτοι καὶ τἄλλʼ ἂν ἅπαντʼ ἀκολούθως τούτοις ἐπέπρακτο, εἴ τις ἐπείθετό μοι. οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγʼ οὕτως ἄθλιος οὐδʼ ἄφρων ὥστε χρήματα μὲν διδόναι, λαμβάνοντας ὁρῶν ἑτέρους, ὑπὲρ τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς φιλοτιμίας, ἃ δʼ ἄνευ μὲν δαπάνης οἷά τʼ ἦν πραχθῆναι, πολλῷ δὲ μείζονας εἶχεν ὠφελείας πάσῃ τῇ πόλει, ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἐβουλόμην γίγνεσθαι. καὶ σφόδρα γʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι· ἀλλʼ οἶμαι περιῆσαν οὗτοί μου.

[¶20] 174. And now I ask you to look at the acts of Aeschines and those of Philocrates, in comparison with mine; for the contrast will help to expose them. First, in violation both of the decree and of assurances given to you, they excluded the Halians, the Phocians, and Cersobleptes, from the benefits of the treaty. Then they attempted to tamper with and repeal the decree from which our own authority was derived. Next they entered the Cardians as allies of Philip, and refused by a definite vote to send a dispatch written by me, but themselves composed and sent one that did not contain an honest word.

> Greek: 174. φέρε δή, τί τούτῳ πέπρακται παρὰ ταῦτα καὶ τί τῷ Φιλοκράτει θεάσασθε· παρʼ ἄλληλα γὰρ ἔσται φανερώτερα. πρῶτον μὲν τοίνυν Φωκέας ἐκσπόνδους καὶ Ἁλέας ἀπέφηναν καὶ Κερσοβλέπτην παρὰ τὸ ψήφισμα καὶ τὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰρημένα· εἶτα τὸ ψήφισμʼ ἐπεχείρησαν κινεῖν καὶ μεταίρειν, ἐφʼ ᾧ πρεσβεύοντες ἥκομεν· εἶτα Καρδιανοὺς Φιλίππῳ συμμάχους ἐνέγραψαν καὶ τὴν μὲν γραφεῖσαν ἐπιστολὴν ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀπεψηφίσαντο μὴ πέμπειν, αὐτοὶ δʼ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ὑγιὲς γράψαντες ἔπεμψαν.

[¶21] 175. Then, because I objected to their acts, not only thinking them dishonorable but fearing that I might share the ruin they were bringing on themselves, our chivalrous friend accused me of promising to Philip that I would overthrow the Athenian democracy, while all the time he was himself constantly holding private communications with Philip. I need only mention that not I but Dercylus, with the help of this servant of mine, watched him by night at Pherae, caught him emerging from Philip’s tent, and told the servant to let me know, and not to forget it himself; and that in the end this impudent blackguard stayed with Philip for a day and a night on our departure.

> Greek: 175. εἶθʼ ὁ γενναῖος οὑτοσὶ ἐμὲ μὲν τὸν δῆμον ἔφη τὸν ὑμέτερον καταλύσειν ἐπηγγέλθαι Φιλίππῳ, ὅτι ταῦτʼ ἐπέπληττον, οὐ μόνον αἰσχρὰ νομίζων ἀλλὰ καὶ δεδιὼς μὴ συμπαραπόλωμαι διὰ τούτους, αὐτὸς δʼ ἰδίᾳ πάντα τὸν χρόνον ἐντυγχάνων οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἐπαύσατο Φιλίππῳ. καὶ τὰ μὲν ἄλλα σιωπῶ, Δερκύλος δʼ αὐτὸν ἐν Φεραῖς τὴν νύκτʼ ἐφύλαττεν, οὐκ ἐγώ, τὸν παῖδʼ ἔχων τὸν ἐμὸν τουτονί, καὶ λαβὼν ἐξιόντʼ ἐκ τῆς Φιλίππου σκηνῆς ἐμοὶ τὸν παῖδʼ ἐκέλευσεν ἀπαγγέλλειν καὶ αὐτὸν μεμνῆσθαι, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον ὁ βδελυρὸς καὶ ἀναιδὴς οὑτοσὶ νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν ἀπιόντων ἡμῶν ἀπελείφθη παρὰ Φιλίππῳ.

[¶22] 176. To prove the truth of these statements, in the first place I will give evidence myself, having duly written down my deposition and incurred legal responsibility; and I will then call the other ambassadors in turn, and compel them either to testify, or to take oath that they are unable to testify. If they take the oath, I shall easily convict them of perjury. (The Deposition of Demosthenes is read) You have seen how I was harassed by troubles and annoyance throughout the expedition.

> Greek: 176. καὶ ταῦθʼ ὅτι ἀληθῆ λέγω, πρῶτον μὲν αὐτὸς ἐγὼ συγγραψάμενος καὶ καταστήσας ἐμαυτὸν ὑπεύθυνον μαρτυρήσω, εἶτα τῶν ἄλλων πρέσβεων ἕκαστον καλῶ, καὶ δυοῖν θάτερον, ἢ μαρτυρεῖν ἢ ἐξόμνυσθαι ἀναγκάσω. ἂν δʼ ἐξομνύωσιν, ἐπιορκοῦντας ἐξελέγξω παρʼ ὑμῖν φανερῶς. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ.

[¶23] 177. You can imagine how they behaved there, with their paymaster next door, when their conduct here, under the eyes of the people, who hold the power to reward and to chastise, is what we know it to be. Now I wish to recapitulate the charges I have brought home, and to show that I have fulfilled the undertaking I gave at the outset of my speech. I have proved, not by words but by the testimony of facts, that there was no word of truth in the report of Aeschines, but that he successfully deceived you.

> Greek: 177. οἵοις μὲν τοίνυν κακοῖς καὶ πράγμασι τὴν ἀποδημίαν πᾶσαν συνειχόμην ἑοράκατε. τί γὰρ αὐτοὺς οἴεσθʼ ἐκεῖ ποιεῖν ἐγγὺς ὄντας τοῦ διδόντος, ὅθʼ ὑμῶν ὁρώντων, τῶν καὶ τιμῆσαι κυρίων ὄντων καὶ τοὐναντίον κολάσαι, τοιαῦτα ποιοῦσιν; συλλογίσασθαι δὴ βούλομαι τὰ κατηγορημένʼ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, ἵνʼ ὅσʼ ὑμῖν ὑπεσχόμην ἀρχόμενος τοῦ λόγου δείξω πεποιηκώς. ἐπέδειξʼ οὐδὲν ἀληθὲς ἀπηγγελκότα, ἀλλὰ φενακίσανθʼ ὑμᾶς, μάρτυσι τοῖς γεγενημένοις αὐτοῖς, οὐ λόγοις χρώμενος.

[¶24] 178. I have proved that he is to blame for your refusal to hear the truth from me, captivated as you then were by his promises and assurances; that his counsels were exactly opposed to right policy; that he spoke against the terms of peace proposed by our allies, and in favor of the proposals of Philocrates; that he purposely wasted your time to debar you from going to the aid of the Phocians if you should so desire; that throughout his journey abroad his sins were many and grievous; that he has betrayed everything, sold everything, taken bribes, and stopped short of no iniquity. That, then, is what I undertook to prove; and that is what I have proved.

> Greek: 178. ἐπέδειξʼ αἴτιον γεγενημένον τοῦ μὴ ʼθέλειν ὑμᾶς ἀκούειν ἐμοῦ τἀληθῆ ταῖς ὑποσχέσεσιν καὶ τοῖς ἐπαγγέλμασι τοῖς τούτου καταληφθέντας τότε, πάντα τἀναντία συμβουλεύσαντʼ ἢ ἔδει, καὶ τῇ μὲν τῶν συμμάχων ἀντειπόντʼ εἰρήνῃ, τῇ δὲ Φιλοκράτους συνηγορήσαντα, τοὺς χρόνους κατατρίψαντα, ἵνα μηδʼ εἰ βούλοισθε δύναισθʼ ἐξελθεῖν εἰς Φωκέας, καὶ ἄλλʼ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀποδημίας πολλὰ καὶ δείνʼ εἰργασμένον, προδεδωκότα πάντα, πεπρακότα, δῶρʼ ἔχοντα, οὐδὲν ἐλλελοιπότα μοχθηρίας. οὐκοῦν ταῦθʼ ὑπεσχόμην ἐν ἀρχῇ, ταῦτʼ ἐπέδειξα.

[¶25] 179. Now mark what follows; for the argument I now put before you is plain and straightforward. You have sworn to give a verdict according to the laws, and to the decrees of the people and of the Council of Five Hundred; the conduct of the defendant when holding the office of ambassador has manifestly violated those laws, those decrees, and the principles of justice; therefore he must be convicted by an intelligent jury. If he had committed no other crime, two only of his transgressions are sufficient to put him to death, for he has betrayed Thrace as well as the Phocians to Philip.

> Greek: 179. ὁρᾶτε τοίνυν τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα· ἁπλοῦς γάρ ἐσθʼ ὁ μέλλων λόγος οὑτοσὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἤδη. ὀμωμόκατε ψηφιεῖσθαι κατὰ τοὺς νόμους καὶ τὰ ψηφίσματα τὰ τοῦ δήμου καὶ τῆς βουλῆς τῶν πεντακοσίων· φαίνεται δʼ οὗτος πάντα τἀναντία τοῖς νόμοις, τοῖς ψηφίσμασι, τοῖς δικαίοις πεπρεσβευκώς· οὐκοῦν ἑαλωκέναι προσήκει παρά γε νοῦν ἔχουσι δικασταῖς. εἰ γὰρ ἄλλο μηδὲν ἠδίκει, δύο τῶν πεπραγμένων ἔσθʼ ἱκάνʼ αὐτὸν ἀποκτεῖναι· οὐ γὰρ μόνον Φωκέας, ἀλλὰ καὶ Θρᾴκην προδέδωκε Φιλίππῳ.

[¶26] 180. Yet no man could point out two places in the whole world of more importance to the commonwealth than Thermopylae by land and the Hellespont by sea; and both of them these men have infamously sold and delivered into the hands of Philip. What an enormous offence, apart from all the rest, is the surrender of Thrace and the Thracian outposts, I could show by a thousand reasons; and it would be easy to point to many men who for such betrayals have been sentenced to death or mulcted in large sums of money in this court,—Ergophilus, Cephisodotus, Timomachus, and, in old times, Ergocles, Dionysius, and others, of whom I may say that all of them together had inflicted fewer injuries upon the commonwealth than the defendant.

> Greek: 180. καίτοι δύο χρησιμωτέρους τόπους τῆς οἰκουμένης οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς ἐπιδείξαι τῇ πόλει, κατὰ μὲν γῆν Πυλῶν, ἐκ θαλάττης δὲ τοῦ Ἑλλησπόντου· ἃ συναμφότερʼ οὗτοι πεπράκασιν αἰσχρῶς καὶ καθʼ ὑμῶν ἐγκεχειρίκασι Φιλίππῳ. τοῦτο τοίνυν αὐτὸ ἄνευ τῶν ἄλλων ἡλίκον ἔστʼ ἀδίκημα, τὸ Θρᾴκην καὶ τὰ τείχη προέσθαι, μυρίʼ ἂν εἴη λέγειν, καὶ ὅσοι διὰ ταῦτʼ ἀπολώλασι παρʼ ὑμῖν, οἱ δὲ χρήματα πάμπολλʼ ὠφλήκασιν, οὐ χαλεπὸν δεῖξαι, Ἐργόφιλος, Κηφισόδοτος, Τιμόμαχος, τὸ παλαιόν ποτʼ Ἐργοκλῆς, Διονύσιος, ἄλλοι, οὓς ὀλίγου δέω σύμπαντας εἰπεῖν ἐλάττω τὴν πόλιν βεβλαφέναι τούτου.

[¶27] 181. But in those days, men of Athens, you were still careful to be on your guard against perils, and not sparing of precaution; now you overlook anything that at any given moment does not disturb you or cause immediate annoyance. And then you come here and pass random resolutions,—that Philip shall swear fidelity to Cersobleptes,—that he shall have no share in Amphictyonic business,—that he shall revise the terms of peace. Yet all your resolutions would have been unnecessary, if only the defendant had chosen to travel by sea and to do his duty. What might have been saved by sailing, he has lost by insisting on travel by land; and what might have been saved by telling the truth, he has lost by telling lies.

> Greek: 181. ἀλλʼ ἔτι γὰρ τότʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἐκ λογισμοῦ τὰ δείνʼ ἐφυλάττεσθʼ ὑμεῖς καὶ προεωρᾶσθε· νῦν δʼ ὅ τι ἂν μὴ καθʼ ἡμέραν ὑμᾶς ἐνοχλῇ καὶ παρὸν λυπῇ, παρορᾶτε, εἶτα τὴν ἄλλως ἐνταῦθα ψηφίζεσθε, ἀποδοῦναι δὲ καὶ Κερσοβλέπτῃ Φίλιππον τοὺς ὅρκους, μὴ μετέχειν δὲ τῶν ἐν Ἀμφικτύοσιν, ἐπανορθώσασθαι δὲ τὴν εἰρήνην. καίτοι τούτων οὐδενὸς ἂν τῶν ψηφισμάτων ἔδει, εἰ πλεῖν οὗτος ἤθελεν καὶ τὰ προσήκοντα ποιεῖν· νῦν δʼ ἃ μὲν ἦν πλεύσασι σῶσαι, βαδίζειν κελεύων ἀπολώλεκεν, ἃ δʼ εἰποῦσι τἀληθῆ, ψευδόμενος.

[¶28] 182. He will presently, as I am informed, make it a grievance that he, and he alone of all our debaters, is to be called to account for his speeches. I will spare him the retort that any man who takes money for his speeches might reasonably be brought to justice; but there is one point on which I do insist. If Aeschines talked like an idiot and made blunders as an unofficial person, do not be hypercritical, leave him alone, make allowances. But if he has purposely deceived you for money while holding office as ambassador, do not let him off, do not listen to the suggestion that he is not to be put on his trial for mere words.

> Greek: 182. ἀγανακτήσει τοίνυν αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα, ὡς ἐγὼ πυνθάνομαι, εἰ μόνος τῶν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ λεγόντων λόγων εὐθύνας ὑφέξει. ἐγὼ δʼ ὅτι μὲν πάντες ἂν εἰκότως ὧν λέγουσι δίκην ὑπέχοιεν, εἴπερ ἐπʼ ἀργυρίῳ τι λέγοιεν, παραλείψω, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνο λέγω· εἰ μὲν Αἰσχίνης ἰδιώτης ὢν ἀπελήρησέ τι καὶ διήμαρτε, μὴ σφόδρʼ ἀκριβολογήσησθε, ἐάσατε, συγγνώμην ἔχετε· εἰ δὲ πρεσβευτὴς ὢν ἐπὶ χρήμασιν ἐπίτηδες ἐξηπάτηκεν ὑμᾶς, μὴ ἀφῆτε, μηδʼ ἀνάσχησθʼ ὡς οὐ δεῖ δίκην ὧν εἶπεν ὑποσχεῖν.

[¶29] 183. For what are we to bring any ambassador to justice, if not for his words? Ambassadors have control, not over war-ships, and military positions, and troops, and citadels,—these are never entrusted to them,—but over words and opportunities. If an ambassador has not wasted the opportunities of the state, he is no wrongdoer; if he has wasted them, he has done wrong. If the words of his reports are true and profitable words, let him be acquitted; if they are false, venal, and noxious, let him be convicted.

> Greek: 183. τίνος γὰρ ἄλλου δεῖ δίκην παρὰ πρέσβεων ἢ λόγων λαμβάνειν; εἰσὶ γὰρ οἱ πρέσβεις οὐ τριήρων οὐδὲ τόπων οὐδʼ ὁπλιτῶν οὐδʼ ἀκροπόλεων κύριοι (οὐδεὶς γὰρ πρέσβεσι ταῦτʼ ἐγχειρίζει), ἀλλὰ λόγων καὶ χρόνων. τοὺς μὲν τοίνυν χρόνους εἰ μὲν μὴ προανεῖλε τῆς πόλεως, οὐκ ἀδικεῖ, εἰ δʼ ἀνεῖλεν, ἠδίκηκε· τοὺς δὲ λόγους εἰ μὲν ἀληθεῖς ἀπήγγελκεν ἢ συμφέροντας, ἀποφευγέτω, εἰ δὲ καὶ ψευδεῖς καὶ μισθοῦ καὶ ἀσυμφόρους, ἁλισκέσθω.

[¶30] 184. A man can do no greater wrong than by telling lies to a popular assembly; for, where the political system is based upon speeches, how can it be safely administered if the speeches are false? If he actually takes bribes and speaks in the interest of our enemies, will not you be imperilled? Again, to filch your opportunities is not an offence equivalent to filching those of an oligarchy or a monarchy, but far greater.

> Greek: 184. οὐδὲν γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅ τι μεῖζον ἂν ὑμᾶς ἀδικήσειέ τις ἢ ψευδῆ λέγων. οἷς γάρ ἐστʼ ἐν λόγοις ἡ πολιτεία, πῶς, ἂν οὗτοι μὴ ἀληθεῖς ὦσιν, ἀσφαλῶς ἔστι πολιτεύεσθαι; ἂν δὲ δὴ καὶ πρὸς ἃ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς συμφέρει δῶρά τις λαμβάνων λέγῃ, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ κινδυνεύσετε; οὐδέ γε τοὺς χρόνους ἴσον ἔστʼ ἀδίκημʼ ὀλιγαρχίας ἢ τυράννου παρελέσθαι καὶ ὑμῶν· οὐδʼ ὀλίγου δεῖ.

[¶31] 185. For in those polities, I take it, everything is done promptly at the word of command; but with you, first the Council must be informed, and must adopt a provisional resolution,—and even that not at any time, but only after written notice given to marshals and embassies; then the Council must convene an Assembly, but only on a statutory date. Then the most honest debaters have to make good their advantage and argue down an ignorant or dishonest opposition;

> Greek: 185. ἐν ἐκείναις μὲν γάρ, οἶμαι, ταῖς πολιτείαις πάντʼ ἐξ ἐπιτάγματος ὀξέως γίγνεται· ὑμῖν δὲ πρῶτον μὲν τὴν βουλὴν ἀκοῦσαι περὶ πάντων καὶ προβουλεῦσαι δεῖ, καὶ τοῦθʼ ὅταν ᾖ κήρυξι καὶ πρεσβείαις προγεγραμμένον, οὐκ ἀεί· εἶτʼ ἐκκλησίαν ποιῆσαι, καὶ ταύτην ὅταν ἐκ τῶν νόμων καθήκῃ. εἶτα κρατῆσαι καὶ περιγενέσθαι δεῖ τοὺς τὰ βέλτιστα λέγοντας τῶν ἢ διʼ ἄγνοιαν ἢ διὰ μοχθηρίαν ἀντιλεγόντων.

[¶32] 186. and even then, after all these proceedings, when a decision has been formed, and its propriety demonstrated, further time must be granted to the poverty of the populace for the provision of whatever is needed, to enable them to execute the decision. Surely the man who, under a constitution like ours, destroys the opportunities for this procedure, has not destroyed opportunities merely; he has absolutely robbed us of our control over affairs.

> Greek: 186. ἐφʼ ἅπασι δὲ τούτοις, ἐπειδὰν καὶ δεδογμένον ᾖ καὶ συμφέρον ἤδη φαίνηται, χρόνον δεῖ δοθῆναι τῇ τῶν πολλῶν ἀδυναμίᾳ, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ποριοῦνται ταῦθʼ ὧν ἂν δέωνται, ὅπως τὰ δόξαντα καὶ δυνηθῶσι ποιῆσαι. ὁ δὴ τοὺς χρόνους τούτους ἀναιρῶν τῆς οἵα παρʼ ἡμῖν ἐστι πολιτείας, οὐ χρόνους ἀνῄρηκεν οὗτος, οὔ, ἀλλὰ τὰ πράγμαθʼ ἁπλῶς ἀφῄρηται.

[¶33] 187. Now there is an easy phrase at the disposal of every one who wishes to delude you: “The disturbers of the commonwealth; the thwarters of Philip’s public benefactions.” I will not say a word in reply; I will only read to you Philip’s letters, and remind you of the several occasions of your deception, to show how “the Benefactor” has forfeited by his beguilements that frigid and nauseating title. (The Letters of Philip are read) Although so many, indeed all, of his acts on embassy were so discreditable and unpatriotic, he goes about asking: “And what are we to say of Demosthenes, who denounces his own colleagues?”

> Greek: 187. ἔστι τοίνυν τις πρόχειρος λόγος πᾶσι τοῖς ἐξαπατᾶν ὑμᾶς βουλομένοις, οἱ ταράττοντες τὴν πόλιν, οἱ διακωλύοντες Φίλιππον εὖ ποιῆσαι τὴν πόλιν. πρὸς οὓς ἐγὼ λόγον μὲν οὐδένʼ ἐρῶ, τὰς δʼ ἐπιστολὰς ὑμῖν ἀναγνώσομαι τὰς τοῦ Φιλίππου, καὶ τοὺς καιροὺς ἐφʼ ὧν ἕκαστʼ ἐξηπάτησθʼ ὑπομνήσω, ἵνʼ εἰδῆθʼ ὅτι τὸ ψυχρὸν τοῦτʼ ὄνομα, τὸ ἄχρι κόρου, παρελήλυθʼ ἐκεῖνος φενακίζων ὑμᾶς. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΑΙ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ.

[¶34] 188. Yes, indeed; I do and must denounce them, willingly or unwillingly, having been the victim of your machinations throughout the expedition, and being now reduced to the alternative of appearing as either the accomplice or the accuser of your crimes.

> Greek: 188. οὕτω τοίνυν αἰσχρὰ καὶ πολλὰ καὶ πάντα καθʼ ὑμῶν πεπρεσβευκὼς περιιὼν λέγει, τί δʼ ἂν εἴποις περὶ Δημοσθένους, ὃς τῶν συμπρέσβεων κατηγορεῖ; νὴ Δίʼ, εἴτε βούλομαί γʼ εἴτε μή, παρʼ ὅλην μὲν τὴν ἀποδημίαν ὑπὸ σοῦ τοιαῦτʼ ἐπιβεβουλευμένος, δυοῖν δʼ αἱρέσεως οὔσης μοι νυνί, ἢ τοιούτων ὄντων τῶν πεπραγμένων δοκεῖν κοινωνεῖν ὑμῖν, ἢ κατηγορεῖν.

[¶35] 189. I declare I was no colleague of yours; yours was an embassy of flagrant wrong, mine was an embassy of loyal service. Your colleague was Philocrates, and you and Phryno were his; for it was you and your friends who did these things and who approved of them. Hark to his melodramatic whine: “Where is the salt of friendship? where is the genial board? where is the cup of communion?” as if doers of justice, not doers of iniquity, were traitors to those symbols!

> Greek: 189. ἐγὼ δʼ οὐδὲ συμπεπρεσβευκέναι φημί σοι, πρεσβεύειν μέντοι σὲ μὲν πολλὰ καὶ δεινά, ἐμαυτὸν δʼ ὑπὲρ τουτωνὶ τὰ βέλτιστα. ἀλλὰ Φιλοκράτης σοι συμπεπρέσβευκε, κἀκείνῳ σύ, καὶ Φρύνων· ὑμεῖς γὰρ ταὔτʼ ἐπράττετε, καὶ ταὐτὰ πᾶσιν ὑμῖν ἤρεσκεν. ποῦ δʼ ἅλες; ποῦ τράπεζα; ποῦ σπονδαί; ταῦτα γὰρ τραγῳδεῖ περιιών, ὥσπερ οὐχὶ τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας τούτων ὄντας προδότας, ἀλλὰ τοὺς τὰ δίκαια ποιοῦντας.

[¶36] 190. I know that the Presidents unite in a sacrificial service, dine together, and make libation together; but it does not follow that the honest men take their cue from the knaves; as soon as they detect one of themselves in misconduct, they lay information before the Council and the Assembly. In just the same way the Council holds its service of inauguration and its social banquet; the commanders unite in worship and libation; and so of all, or nearly all, the public authorities. Do they give impunity to delinquent colleagues on account of these observances? No, indeed!

> Greek: 190. ἐγὼ δʼ οἶδʼ ὅτι πάντες οἱ πρυτάνεις θύουσιν ἑκάστοτε κοινῇ καὶ συνδειπνοῦσιν ἀλλήλοις καὶ συσπένδουσιν· καὶ οὐ διὰ ταῦθʼ οἱ χρηστοὶ τοὺς πονηροὺς μιμοῦνται, ἀλλʼ ἐὰν ἀδικοῦντα λάβωσί τινʼ αὑτῶν, τῇ βουλῇ καὶ τῷ δήμῳ δηλοῦσιν. ἡ βουλὴ ταὐτὰ ταῦτα, εἰσιτητήριʼ ἔθυσε, συνειστιάθη, σπονδῶν, ἱερῶν ἐκοινώνησεν· οἱ στρατηγοί, σχεδὸν ὡς εἰπεῖν αἱ ἀρχαὶ πᾶσαι. ἆρʼ οὖν διὰ ταῦτα τοῖς ἀδικοῦσιν ἑαυτῶν ἔδωκαν ἄδειαν; πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ.

[¶37] 191. Leon denounced Timagoras, his fellow-ambassador for four years; Eubulus his messmates, Tharrex and Smicythus; and long ago Conon denounced Adeimantus after serving with him as general. Who were untrue to their salt and to the cup of friendship, Aeschines? The traitors, the false ambassadors, and the bribe-takers, or their accusers? The evil-doers, like you, broke covenant not with their friends alone but with the whole nation.

> Greek: 191. λέων Τιμαγόρου κατηγόρει συμπεπρεσβευκὼς τέτταρʼ ἔτη, Εὔβουλος Θάρρηκος καὶ Σμικύθου συσσεσιτηκώς, Κόνων ὁ παλαιὸς ἐκεῖνος Ἀδειμάντου συστρατηγήσας. πότερʼ οὖν τοὺς ἅλας παρέβαινον καὶ τὰς σπονδάς, Αἰσχίνη, οἱ προδιδόντες καὶ οἱ παραπρεσβεύοντες καὶ οἱ δωροδοκοῦντες, ἢ οἱ κατηγοροῦντες; οἱ ἀδικοῦντες δηλονότι τὰς ὅλης γε τῆς πατρίδος σπονδάς, ὥσπερ σύ, οὐ μόνον τὰς ἰδίας.

[¶38] 192. To show you, then, that these men are the basest and most depraved of all Philip’s visitors, private as well as official,—yes, of all of them,—let me tell you a trifling story that has nothing to do with the embassy. After Philip had taken Olynthus, he was holding Olympian games, and had invited all sorts of artists to the religious celebration and the festival.

> Greek: 192. ἵνα τοίνυν εἰδῆθʼ ὅτι οὐ μόνον τῶν δημοσίᾳ πώποτʼ ἐληλυθότων ὡς Φίλιππον ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἰδίᾳ καὶ πάντων οὗτοι φαυλότατοι καὶ πονηρότατοι γεγόνασι, μικρὸν ἀκούσατέ μου ἔξω τι τῆς πρεσβείας ταύτης. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἷλεν Ὄλυνθον Φίλιππος, Ὀλύμπιʼ ἐποίει, εἰς δὲ τὴν θυσίαν ταύτην καὶ τὴν πανήγυριν πάντας τοὺς τεχνίτας συνήγαγεν.

[¶39] 193. At the entertainment at which he crowned the successful competitors, he asked Satyrus, the comedian of our city, why he was the only guest who had not asked any favor; had he observed in him any illiberality or discourtesy towards himself? Satyrus, as the story goes, replied that he did not want any such gift as the others were asking; what he would like to ask was a favor which Philip could grant quite easily, and yet he feared that his request would be unsuccessful.

> Greek: 193. ἑστιῶν δʼ αὐτοὺς καὶ στεφανῶν τοὺς νενικηκότας ἤρετο Σάτυρον τουτονὶ τὸν κωμικὸν ὑποκριτήν, τί δὴ μόνος οὐδὲν ἐπαγγέλλεται; ἤ τινʼ ἐν αὐτῷ μικροψυχίαν ἢ πρὸς αὑτὸν ἀηδίαν ἐνεορακώς; εἰπεῖν δή φασι τὸν Σάτυρον ὅτι, ὧν μὲν οἱ ἄλλοι δέονται, οὐδενὸς ὢν ἐν χρείᾳ τυγχάνει, ἃ δʼ ἂν αὐτὸς ἐπαγγείλαιθʼ ἡδέως, ῥᾷστα μέν ἐστιν Φιλίππῳ δοῦναι καὶ χαρίσασθαι πάντων, δέδοικε δὲ μὴ διαμάρτῃ.

[¶40] 194. Philip bade him speak out, declaring with the easy generosity of youth that there was nothing he would not do for him. Thereupon Satyrus told him that Apollophanes of Pydna had been a friend of his, and that after his death by assassination his kinsmen in alarm had secretly removed his daughters, who were then children, to Olynthus. These girls had been made captive when the town was taken, and were now in Philip’s hands, and of marriageable age.

> Greek: 194. κελεύσαντος δʼ ἐκείνου λέγειν καί τι καὶ νεανιευσαμένου τοιοῦτον, ὡς οὐδὲν ὅ τι οὐ ποιήσει, εἰπεῖν φασιν αὐτὸν ὅτι ἦν αὐτῷ Ἀπολλοφάνης ὁ Πυδναῖος ξένος καὶ φίλος, ἐπειδὴ δὲ δολοφονηθεὶς ἐτελεύτησεν ἐκεῖνος, φοβηθέντες οἱ συγγενεῖς αὐτοῦ ὑπεξέθεντο τὰς θυγατέρας παιδίʼ ὄντʼ εἰς Ὄλυνθον. αὗται τοίνυν τῆς πόλεως ἁλούσης αἰχμάλωτοι γεγόνασι καὶ εἰσὶν παρὰ σοί, ἡλικίαν ἔχουσαι γάμου.

[¶41] 195. “I earnestly beg you,” he went on, “to bestow them on me. At the same time I wish you to understand what sort of gift you will be giving me, if you do give it. It will bring me no gain, for I shall provide them with dowries and give them in marriage; and I shall not permit them to suffer any treatment unworthy of myself or of their father.” It is said that, when the other guests heard this speech, there was such an outburst of applause and approval that Philip was strongly moved, and granted the boon. And yet Apollophanes was one of the men who had slain Philip’s own brother Alexander.

> Greek: 195. ταύτας, αἰτῶ σε καὶ δέομαι, δός μοι. βούλομαι δέ σʼ ἀκοῦσαι καὶ μαθεῖν οἵαν μοι δώσεις δωρειάν, ἂν ἄρα δῷς· ἀφʼ ἧς ἐγὼ κερδανῶ μὲν οὐδέν, ἂν λάβω, προῖκα δὲ προσθεὶς ἐκδώσω, καὶ οὐ περιόψομαι παθούσας οὐδὲν ἀνάξιον οὔθʼ ἡμῶν οὔτε τοῦ πατρός. ὡς δʼ ἀκοῦσαι τοὺς παρόντας ἐν τῷ συμποσίῳ, τοσοῦτον κρότον καὶ θόρυβον καὶ ἔπαινον παρὰ πάντων γενέσθαι ὥστε τὸν Φίλιππον παθεῖν τι καὶ δοῦναι. καίτοι τῶν ἀποκτεινάντων ἦν τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν Φιλίππου οὗτος ὁ Ἀπολλοφάνης.

[¶42] 196. Now let us compare the banquet of Satyrus with another entertainment which these men attended in Macedonia; and you shall see whether there is any sort of resemblance. These men had been invited to the house of Xenophron, a son of Phaedimus, who was one of the Thirty Tyrants, and off they went; but I declined to go. When the drinking began, Xenophron introduced an Olynthian woman,—a handsome, but a freeborn and, as the event proved, a modest girl.

> Greek: 196. ἐξετάσωμεν δὴ πρὸς τὸ τοῦ Σατύρου τοῦτο συμπόσιον τὸ τούτων ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ γενόμενον, καὶ θεάσασθʼ ὡς παραπλήσιον τούτῳ καὶ ὅμοιον. κληθέντες γὰρ οὗτοι πρὸς Ξενόφρονα τὸν υἱὸν τὸν Φαιδίμου, τοῦ τῶν τριάκοντα, ᾤχοντο· ἐγὼ δʼ οὐκ ἐπορεύθην. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἧκον εἰς τὸ πίνειν, εἰσάγει τινʼ Ὀλυνθίαν γυναῖκα, εὐπρεπῆ μέν, ἐλευθέραν δὲ καὶ σώφρονα, ὡς τὸ ἔργον ἐδήλωσεν.

[¶43] 197. At first, I believe, they only tried to make her drink quietly and eat dessert; so Iatrocles told me the following day. But as the carouse went on, and they became heated, they ordered her to sit down and give them a song. The poor girl was bewildered, for she did not wish, and she did not know how, to sing. Then Aeschines and Phryno declared that it was intolerable impertinence for a captive,—and one of those ungodly, pernicious Olynthians too,—to give herself such airs. “Call a servant,” they cried; “bring a whip, somebody.” In came a flunkey with a horsewhip, and—I suppose they were tipsy, and it did not take much to irritate them, when she said something and began to cry, he tore off her dress and gave her a number of lashes on the back.

> Greek: 197. ταύτην τὸ μὲν πρῶτον οὑτωσὶ πίνειν ἡσυχῇ καὶ τρώγειν ἠνάγκαζον οὗτοί μοι δοκεῖ, ὡς διηγεῖτʼ Ἰατροκλῆς ἐμοὶ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ· ὡς δὲ προῄει τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ διεθερμαίνοντο, κατακλίνεσθαι καί τι καὶ ᾁδειν ἐκέλευον. ἀδημονούσης δὲ τῆς ἀνθρώπου καὶ οὔτʼ ἐθελούσης οὔτʼ ἐπισταμένης, ὕβριν τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἔφασαν οὑτοσὶ καὶ ὁ Φρύνων καὶ οὐκ ἀνεκτὸν εἶναι, τῶν θεοῖς ἐχθρῶν, τῶν ἀλειτηρίων Ὀλυνθίων αἰχμάλωτον οὖσαν τρυφᾶν· καὶ κάλει παῖδα, καὶ ἱμᾶντά τις φερέτω. ἧκεν οἰκέτης ἔχων ῥυτῆρα, καὶ πεπωκότων, οἶμαι, καὶ μικρῶν ὄντων τῶν παροξυνόντων, εἰπούσης τι καὶ δακρυσάσης ἐκείνης περιρρήξας τὸν χιτωνίσκον ὁ οἰκέτης ξαίνει κατὰ τοῦ νώτου πολλάς.

[¶44] 198. Maddened by these indignities, she jumped to her feet, upset the table, and fell at the knees of Iatrocles. If he had not rescued her, she would have perished, the victim of a drunken orgy, for the drunkenness of this blackguard is something terrible. The story of this girl was told even in Arcadia, at a meeting of the Ten Thousand; it was related by Diophantus at Athens in a report which I will compel him to repeat in evidence; and it was common talk in Thessaly and everywhere.

> Greek: 198. ἔξω δʼ αὑτῆς οὖσʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ καὶ τοῦ πράγματος ἡ γυνή, ἀναπηδήσασα προσπίπτει πρὸς τὰ γόνατα τῷ Ἰατροκλεῖ, καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν ἀνατρέπει. καὶ εἰ μὴ ʼκεῖνος ἀφείλετο, ἀπώλετʼ ἂν παροινουμένη· καὶ γὰρ ἡ παροινία τοῦ καθάρματος τουτουὶ δεινή. καὶ περὶ ταύτης τῆς ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἐν Ἀρκαδίᾳ λόγος ἦν ἐν τοῖς μυρίοις, καὶ Διόφαντος ἐν ὑμῖν ἀπήγγελλεν ἃ νῦν μαρτυρεῖν αὐτὸν ἀναγκάσω, καὶ κατὰ Θετταλίαν πολὺς λόγος καὶ πανταχοῦ.

[¶45] 199. With all this on his conscience the unclean scoundrel will dare to look you in the face, and before long he will be declaiming in sonorous accents about his blameless life. It makes me choke with rage. As if the jury did not know all about you: first the acolyte, reading the service-books while your mother performed her hocus-pocus, reeling and tumbling, child as you were, with bacchanals and tipsy worshippers;

> Greek: 199. καὶ τοιαῦτα συνειδὼς αὑτῷ πεπραγμένα ὁ ἀκάθαρτος οὗτος τολμήσει βλέπειν εἰς ὑμᾶς, καὶ τὸν βεβιωμένον αὑτῷ βίον αὐτίκα δὴ μάλʼ ἐρεῖ λαμπρᾷ τῇ φωνῇ· ἐφʼ οἷς ἔγωγʼ ἀποπνίγομαι. οὐκ ἴσασιν οὗτοι τὸ μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὰς βίβλους ἀναγιγνώσκοντά σε τῇ μητρὶ τελούσῃ, καὶ παῖδʼ ὄντʼ ἐν θιάσοις καὶ μεθύουσιν ἀνθρώποις καλινδούμενον;

[¶46] 200. then the junior clerk, doing the dirty work of public offices for a few shillings a month: and at last, not so long ago, the parasite of the greenrooms, eking out by sponging what you earned as a player of trumpery parts! What is the life you will claim, and where have you lived it, when such is too clearly the sort of life you really have lived? And then the assurance of the man! Bringing another man before this court on a charge of unnatural crime! However, I will let that go for the present. First read these depositions. (The Depositions are read) Of all these heinous crimes against the commonwealth, gentlemen of the jury, he has been proved guilty.

> Greek: 200. μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ ταῖς ἀρχαῖς ὑπογραμματεύοντα καὶ δυοῖν ἢ τριῶν δραχμῶν πονηρὸν ὄντα; τὰ τελευταῖα δʼ ἔναγχος ἐν χορηγίοις ἀλλοτρίοις ἐπὶ τῷ τριταγωνιστεῖν ἀγαπητῶς παρατρεφόμενον; ποῖον οὖν ἐρεῖς βίον; ὃν ποῦ βεβίωκας; ἐπεὶ ὅ γε βεβιωμένος σοι τοιοῦτος φαίνεται. ἀλλὰ δὴ τὰ τῆς ἐξουσίας· οὗτος ἄλλον ἔκρινε παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐπὶ πορνείᾳ. ἀλλὰ μήπω ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ τὰς μαρτυρίας μοι λέγε πρῶτον ταυτασί. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑΙ.

[¶47] 201. No element of baseness is lacking. Bribe-taker, sycophant, guilty under the curse, a liar, a traitor to his friends,—here are flagrant charges indeed! Yet he will not defend himself against any one of them; he has no honest and straightforward defence to offer. As for the topics on which, as I am informed, he intends to dwell, they border on insanity,—though, perhaps, a man devoid of any honest plea cannot help resorting to all manner of shifts.

> Greek: 201. τοσούτων τοίνυν καὶ τοιούτων ὄντων, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὧν ἀδικῶν ὑμᾶς ἐξελήλεγκται, ἐν οἷς τί κακὸν οὐκ ἔνι; δωροδόκος, κόλαξ, ταῖς ἀραῖς ἔνοχος, ψεύστης, τῶν φίλων προδότης, πάντʼ ἔνεστι τὰ δεινότατα· πρὸς ἓν οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν τούτων ἀπολογήσεται, οὐδʼ ἕξει δικαίαν οὐδʼ ἁπλῆν εἰπεῖν ἀπολογίαν οὐδεμίαν. ἃ δʼ ἐγὼ πέπυσμαι μέλλειν αὐτὸν λέγειν, ἔστι μὲν ἐγγυτάτω μανίας, οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ἴσως τῷ μηδὲν ἔχοντι δίκαιον ἄλλʼ εἰπεῖν ἀνάγκη πάντα μηχανᾶσθαι.

## 5. Sections 202–250

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/5/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/5/#p-N

[¶0] 202. For I hear that he will tell you that I participated in all the acts I am denouncing, that I approved of them, and co-operated with him, and now have suddenly changed my mind and become his accuser. That is no honest and decent defence against specific charges; it is, however, an accusation against me; for if I acted as he says, I am a worthless person; but that is far from making his actions a whit better.

> Greek: 202. ἀκούω γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐρεῖν ὡς ἄρʼ ἐγὼ πάντων ὧν κατηγορῶ κοινωνὸς γέγονα, καὶ συνήρεσκε ταῦτά μοι καὶ συνέπραττον αὐτῷ, ἔπειτʼ ἐξαίφνης μεταβέβλημαι καὶ κατηγορῶ. ἔστι δʼ ὑπὲρ μὲν τῶν πεπραγμένων οὔτε δικαία οὔτε προσήκουσʼ ἡ τοιαύτη ἀπολογία, ἐμοῦ μέντοι τις κατηγορία· ἐγὼ μὲν γάρ, εἰ ταῦτα πεποίηκα, φαῦλός εἰμʼ ἄνθρωπος, τὰ δὲ πράγματʼ οὐδὲν βελτίω διὰ τοῦτο, οὐδὲ πολλοῦ δεῖ.

[¶1] 203. However, it is incumbent on me, I suppose, first, to satisfy you that the allegation, if he makes it, will be false, and secondly, to show you what is an honest defence. Now it is an honest and straightforward defence to prove either that the acts alleged were never committed, or that, if committed, they were for the advantage of the state. But he cannot make good either of these positions.

> Greek: 203. οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ἔγωγʼ οἶμαί μοι προσήκειν ἀμφότερʼ ὑμῖν ἐπιδεῖξαι, καὶ ὅτι ψεύσεται, ταῦτʼ ἐὰν λέγῃ, καὶ τὴν δικαίαν ἥτις ἐστὶν ἀπολογία. ἡ μὲν τοίνυν δικαία καὶ ἁπλῆ, ἢ ὡς οὐ πέπρακται τὰ κατηγορημένα δεῖξαι, ἢ ὡς πεπραγμένα συμφέρει τῇ πόλει. τούτων δʼ οὐδέτερον δύναιτʼ ἂν οὗτος ποιῆσαι.

[¶2] 204. He cannot claim as advantages the destruction of the Phocians, or Philip’s occupation of Thermopylae, or the aggrandizement of Thebes, or the invasion of Euboea, or the designs against Megara, or the unratified peace; for he reported himself that exactly the opposite was going to happen and would be to your advantage. Neither can he convince you, against the evidence of your own eyes and your own knowledge, that these disasters are fabulous.

> Greek: 204. οὔτε γὰρ ὡς συμφέρει δήπου Φωκέας ἀπολωλέναι καὶ Πύλας Φίλιππον ἔχειν καὶ Θηβαίους ἰσχύειν καὶ ἐν Εὐβοίᾳ στρατιώτας εἶναι καὶ Μεγάροις ἐπιβουλεύειν καὶ ἀνώμοτον εἶναι τὴν εἰρήνην, ἔνεστι λέγειν αὐτῷ, οἷς τότʼ ἐναντίʼ ἀπήγγειλε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὡς συμφέροντα καὶ γενησόμενα· οὔθʼ ὡς οὐ πέπρακται ταῦτα, δυνήσεται πεῖσαι τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἑορακότας ὑμᾶς καὶ εὖ εἰδότας.

[¶3] 205. My remaining duty is to prove that I had no partnership with these men in any of their doings. Is it your wish that I should put aside the rest of the story,—how I spoke against them in Assembly, how I fell out with them on the journey, how from first to last I persistently opposed them,—and should produce these men themselves as my witnesses to testify that my conduct and theirs has been utterly at variance, that they accepted money to thwart you, and that I refused it? Then observe.

> Greek: 205. οὐκοῦν ὡς οὐ κεκοινώνηκα τούτοις οὐδενός, λοιπόν μοι δεῖξαι. βούλεσθʼ οὖν ὑμῖν, πάντα τἄλλʼ ἀφείς, ἃ παρʼ ὑμῖν ἀντεῖπον, ἃ ἐν τῇ ἀποδημίᾳ προσέκρουον, ὡς ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον ἠναντίωμαι, αὐτοὺς παράσχωμαι μάρτυρας τούτους ὅτι πάντα τἀναντίʼ ἐμοὶ καὶ τούτοις πέπρακται, καὶ χρήμαθʼ οὗτοι μὲν ἔχουσιν ἐφʼ ὑμῖν, ἐγὼ δʼ οὐκ ἠθέλησα λαβεῖν; θεάσασθε δή.

[¶4] 206. Whom would you call the most detestable person in all Athens, and the most swollen with impudence and superciliousness? No one, I am sure, would name, even by a slip of the tongue, anyone but Philocrates. Who is the most vehement speaker, the man who can express himself most emphatically with the aid of his big voice? Undoubtedly Aeschines. Whom do these men call timid and faint-hearted, or, as I should say, diffident, in addressing a crowd? Me; for I never worried you; I have never tried to dragoon you against your inclinations.

> Greek: 206. τίνα τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει φήσαιτʼ ἂν βδελυρώτατον εἶναι καὶ πλείστης ἀναιδείας καὶ ὀλιγωρίας μεστόν; οὐδεὶς οὐδʼ ἂν ἁμαρτὼν ὑμῶν ἄλλον εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι φήσειεν ἢ Φιλοκράτην. τίνα δὲ φθέγγεσθαι μέγιστον ἁπάντων καὶ σαφέστατʼ ἂν εἰπεῖν ὅ τι βούλοιτο τῇ φωνῇ; Αἰσχίνην οἶδʼ ὅτι τουτονί. τίνα δʼ οὗτοι μὲν ἄτολμον καὶ δειλὸν πρὸς τοὺς ὄχλους φασὶν εἶναι, ἐγὼ δʼ εὐλαβῆ; ἐμέ· οὐδὲν γὰρ πώποτʼ οὔτʼ ἠνώχλησα οὔτε μὴ βουλομένους ὑμᾶς βεβίασμαι.

[¶5] 207. Well, at every Assembly, whenever there is any discussion of this business, you hear me denouncing and incriminating these men, and declaring roundly that they have taken bribes and made traffic of all the interests of the commonwealth; and no one of them ever contradicts me, or opens his mouth, or lets himself be seen.

> Greek: 207. οὐκοῦν ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις, ὁσάκις λόγος γέγονεν περὶ τούτων, καὶ κατηγοροῦντος ἀκούετέ μου καὶ ἐλέγχοντος ἀεὶ τούτους καὶ λέγοντος ἄντικρυς ὅτι χρήματʼ εἰλήφασι καὶ πάντα πεπράκασι τὰ πράγματα τῆς πόλεως. καὶ τούτων οὐδεὶς πώποτʼ ἀκούων ταῦτʼ ἀντεῖπεν οὐδὲ διῆρε τὸ στόμα, οὐδʼ ἔδειξεν ἑαυτόν.

[¶6] 208. How comes it then that the most impudent men in Athens, and the loudest speakers, are overborne by me, the nervous man, who can speak no louder than another? Because truth is strong, and consciousness of corruption weak. Conscience paralyses their audacity; conscience cripples their tongues, closes their lips, stifles them, puts them to silence.

> Greek: 208. τί ποτʼ οὖν ἐστι τὸ αἴτιον ὅτι οἱ βδελυρώτατοι τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ μέγιστον φθεγγόμενοι τοῦ καὶ ἀτολμοτάτου πάντων ἐμοῦ καὶ οὐδενὸς μεῖζον φθεγγομένου τοσοῦτον ἡττῶνται; ὅτι τἀληθὲς ἰσχυρόν, καὶ τοὐναντίον ἀσθενὲς τὸ συνειδέναι πεπρακόσιν αὑτοῖς τὰ πράγματα. τοῦτο παραιρεῖται τὴν θρασύτητα τὴν τούτων, τοῦτʼ ἀποστρέφει τὴν γλῶτταν, ἐμφράττει τὸ στόμα, ἄγχει, σιωπᾶν ποιεῖ.

[¶7] 209. You remember the most recent occasion, at Peiraeus only the other day, when you refused to appoint Aeschines to an embassy, how he bellowed at me: “I will impeach you,—I will indict you,—aha! aha!” And yet a threat of impeachment involves endless speeches and litigation; but here are just two or three simple words that a slave bought yesterday could deliver: “Men of Athens, here is a strange thing! This man accuses me of offences in which he himself took part. He says that I have taken bribes, when he took them, or shared them, himself.”

> Greek: 209. τὸ τοίνυν τελευταῖον ἴστε δήπου πρώην ἐν Πειραιεῖ, ὅτʼ αὐτὸν οὐκ εἰᾶτε πρεσβεύειν, βοῶνθʼ ὡς εἰσαγγελεῖ με καὶ γράψεται καὶ ἰοὺ ἰού. καίτοι ταῦτα μέν ἐστι μακρῶν καὶ πολλῶν ἀγώνων καὶ λόγων ἀρχή, ἐκεῖνα δʼ ἁπλᾶ καὶ δύʼ ἢ τρίʼ ἴσως ῥήματα, ἃ κἂν ἐχθὲς ἐωνημένος ἄνθρωπος εἰπεῖν ἠδυνήθη, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τουτὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα πάνδεινόν ἐστιν· οὑτοσὶ κατηγορεῖ ταῦτʼ ἐμοῦ ὧν αὐτὸς κοινωνὸς γέγονε, καὶ χρήματʼ εἰληφέναι φησὶν ἐμέ, αὐτὸς εἰληφὼς ἢ μετειληφώς.

[¶8] 210. He never spoke, he never uttered a word of that speech; none of you heard it; he only vented idle menaces. The reason is that he was conscious of guilt; he cowered like a slave before those words; his thoughts did not approach them but recoiled from them, arrested by his evil conscience. Mere vague invective and abuse there was no one to stop.

> Greek: 210. τούτων μὲν τοίνυν οὐδὲν εἶπεν οὐδʼ ἐφθέγξατο, οὐδʼ ἤκουσεν ὑμῶν οὐδείς, ἄλλα δʼ ἠπείλει. διὰ τί; ὅτι ταῦτα μὲν αὑτῷ συνῄδει πεπραγμένα, καὶ δοῦλος ἦν τῶν ῥημάτων τούτων. οὔκουν προσῄει πρὸς ταῦθʼ ἡ διάνοια, ἀλλʼ ἀνεδύετο· ἐπελαμβάνετο γὰρ αὐτῆς τὸ συνειδέναι. λοιδορεῖσθαι δʼ ἄλλʼ ἄττʼ οὐδὲν ἐκώλυεν αὐτὸν οὐδὲ βλασφημεῖν.

[¶9] 211. And now comes the strongest possible point—not a matter of assertion but of fact. I wished to do the honest thing, and to give an account of myself twice, because I had been appointed ambassador twice; but Aeschines approached the Court of Scrutiny, taking with him a crowd of witnesses, and forbade them to summon me, on the ground that I had already submitted to scrutiny, and was no longer liable. What was the real meaning of this ludicrous proceeding? Having himself rendered his account of the earlier embassy, with which nobody found fault, he did not wish to come into court in respect of the embassy for which he is now under examination; and that is the embassy that includes all his misdeeds.

> Greek: 211. ὃ τοίνυν μέγιστον ἁπάντων, καὶ οὐ λόγος ἀλλʼ ἔργον· βουλομένου γὰρ ἐμοῦ τὰ δίκαια, ὥσπερ ἐπρέσβευσα δίς, οὕτω καὶ λόγον ὑμῖν δοῦναι δίς, προσελθὼν Αἰσχίνης οὑτοσὶ τοῖς λογισταῖς ἔχων μάρτυρας πολλοὺς ἀπηγόρευε μὴ καλεῖν ἔμʼ εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον ὡς δεδωκότʼ εὐθύνας καὶ οὐκ ὄνθʼ ὑπεύθυνον· καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἦν ὑπεργέλοιον. τί οὖν ἦν τοῦτο; τῆς προτέρας ἐκείνης πρεσβείας, ἧς οὐδεὶς κατηγόρει, δοὺς λόγον οὐκέτʼ ἐβούλετʼ αὖθις εἰσιέναι περὶ ταύτης ἧς νῦν εἰσέρχεται, ἐν ᾗ πάντα τἀδικήματʼ ἐνῆν·

[¶10] 212. But, if I came into court twice, he could not avoid a second appearance, and therefore he would not let me be summoned. Yet that act, men of Athens, proves two propositions: first, that Aeschines has pronounced his own condemnation, and therefore you cannot conscientiously acquit him today; and secondly, that he will not have a truthful word to say about me, otherwise he would have spoken out and denounced me then, instead of trying to block my summons.

> Greek: 212. ἐκ δὲ τοῦ δὶς ἔμʼ εἰσελθεῖν ἀνάγκη περιίστατο καὶ τούτῳ πάλιν εἰσιέναι· διὰ ταῦτʼ οὐκ εἴα καλεῖν. καίτοι τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἀμφότερʼ ὑμῖν ἐπιδείκνυσι σαφῶς, καὶ κατεγνωκόθʼ ἑαυτοῦ τοῦτον ὥστε μηδενὶ νῦν ὑμῶν εὐσεβῶς ἔχειν ἀποψηφίσασθαι αὐτοῦ, καὶ μηδὲν ἀληθὲς ἐροῦντα περὶ ἐμοῦ· εἰ γὰρ εἶχε, τότʼ ἂν καὶ λέγων καὶ κατηγορῶν ἐξητάζετο, οὐ μὰ Δίʼ οὐκ ἀπηγόρευε καλεῖν.

[¶11] 213. To prove the truth of these statements, please call the witnesses. If, however, he says scurrilous things about me, not pertinent to the question of the embassy, there are many reasons why you should not listen. I am not on my trial today, and I shall have no second opportunity of speaking. It will only mean that he is destitute of honest arguments. No culprit would deliberately choose to prefer accusations, if he had any defence to offer.

> Greek: 213. ὡς τοίνυν ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ λέγω, κάλει μοι τούτων τοὺς μάρτυρας. ἀλλὰ μὴν ἄν γέ τι ἔξω τῆς πρεσβείας βλασφημῇ περὶ ἐμοῦ, κατὰ πόλλʼ οὐκ ἂν εἰκότως ἀκούοιτʼ αὐτοῦ. οὐ γὰρ ἐγὼ κρίνομαι τήμερον, οὐδʼ ἐγχεῖ μετὰ ταῦθʼ ὕδωρ οὐδεὶς ἐμοί. τί οὖν ἐστι ταῦτα πλὴν δικαίων λόγων ἀπορία; τίς γὰρ ἂν κατηγορεῖν ἕλοιτο κρινόμενος, ἔχων ὅ τι ἀπολογήσεται;

[¶12] 214. Or again, look at it in this light, gentlemen of the jury. Suppose that I were on trial, with Aeschines for my accuser, and Philip for my judge, and suppose that, being unable to deny my guilt, I were to vilify Aeschines and throw mud at him; do you not think that that is just what would move Philip’s indignation, his own benefactors calumniated before his own tribunal? Do not be less rigorous than Philip, but compel him to address his defence to the real issues of this controversy. Now read the deposition. (The Deposition is read) Thus in my consciousness of innocence I thought it my duty to render my account and accept my full legal liability, while Aeschines did not.

> Greek: 214. ἔτι τοίνυν κἀκεῖνο σκοπεῖτʼ, ἄνδρες δικασταί. εἰ ἐκρινόμην μὲν ἐγώ, κατηγόρει δʼ Αἰσχίνης οὑτοσί, Φίλιππος δʼ ἦν ὁ κρίνων, εἶτʼ ἐγὼ μηδὲν ἔχων εἰπεῖν ὡς οὐκ ἀδικῶ κακῶς ἔλεγον τουτονὶ καὶ προπηλακίζειν ἐπεχείρουν, οὐκ ἂν οἴεσθε καὶ κατʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ἀγανακτῆσαι τὸν Φίλιππον, εἰ παρʼ ἐκείνῳ τοὺς ἐκείνου τις εὐεργέτας κακῶς λέγει; μὴ τοίνυν ὑμεῖς χείρους γένησθε Φιλίππου, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ ὧν ἀγωνίζεται, περὶ τούτων ἀναγκάζετʼ ἀπολογεῖσθαι. λέγε τὴν μαρτυρίαν. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ.

[¶13] 215. Is my conduct then the echo of his? Is it competent for him to lay before this court charges which he has never made before? Assuredly not; and yet he will lay them, for a very good reason. For you know that, ever since mankind and the criminal law first came into being, no culprit has ever been convicted while confessing his guilt. They vapor, they gainsay, they tell lies, they forge excuses,—anything to evade justice.

> Greek: 215. οὐκοῦν ἐγὼ μέν, ἐκ τοῦ μηδὲν ἐμαυτῷ συνειδέναι, καὶ λόγον διδόναι καὶ πάντα τἀκ τῶν νόμων ὑπέχειν ᾤμην δεῖν, οὗτος δὲ τἀναντία. πῶς οὖν ταὔτʼ ἐμοὶ καὶ τούτῳ πέπρακται; ἢ πῶς ἔνεστι τούτῳ ταῦτα πρὸς ὑμᾶς λέγειν, ἃ μηδʼ ᾐτίαται πρότερον πώποτε; οὐδαμῶς δήπου. ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἐρεῖ, καὶ νὴ Δίʼ εἰκότως γε. ἴστε γὰρ δήπου τοῦθʼ, ὅτι ἀφʼ οὗ γεγόνασιν ἄνθρωποι καὶ κρίσεις γίγνονται, οὐδεὶς πώποθʼ ὁμολογῶν ἀδικεῖν ἑάλω, ἀλλʼ ἀναισχυντοῦσιν, ἀρνοῦνται, ψεύδονται, προφάσεις πλάττονται, πάντα ποιοῦσιν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ δοῦναι δίκην.

[¶14] 216. Do not be duped today by any of these stale tricks. You must pass judgement on the facts, according to your knowledge; you must pay no heed either to my assertions or to his, nor even to the witnesses whom he will have in waiting, with Philip as his paymaster, and you will see how glibly they will testify. You must not notice what a fine loud voice he has, and what a poor voice I have.

> Greek: 216. ὧν οὐδενὶ δεῖ παρακρουσθῆναι τήμερον ὑμᾶς, ἀλλʼ ἀφʼ ὧν ἴστʼ αὐτοὶ τὰ πράγματα κρῖναι, μὴ τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις μηδὲ τοῖς τούτου προσέχειν, μηδέ γε τοῖς μάρτυσιν, οὓς οὗτος ἑτοίμους ἕξει μαρτυρεῖν ὁτιοῦν, Φιλίππῳ χορηγῷ χρώμενος· ὄψεσθε δʼ ὡς ἑτοίμως αὐτῷ μαρτυρήσουσιν· μηδέ γʼ εἰ καλὸν καὶ μέγʼ οὗτος φθέγξεται, μηδʼ εἰ φαῦλον ἐγώ.

[¶15] 217. If you are wise, you must not treat this trial as a competition of forensic eloquence; but in regard to a dishonorable and perilous catastrophe, cast back upon the guilty the dishonor that attaches to it, after reviewing transactions that lie within the knowledge of you all. What, then, are the facts that you know and I need not recount?

> Greek: 217. οὐδὲ γὰρ ῥητόρων οὐδὲ λόγων κρίσιν ὑμᾶς τήμερον, εἴπερ εὖ φρονεῖτε, προσήκει ποιεῖν, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ πραγμάτων αἰσχρῶς καὶ δεινῶς ἀπολωλότων τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν αἰσχύνην εἰς τοὺς αἰτίους ἀπώσασθε, τὰ πεπραγμένα, ἃ πάντες ἐπίστασθε, ἐξετάσαντες. τί οὖν ἐστι ταῦθʼ ἃ ὑμεῖς ἴστε καὶ οὐ παρʼ ἡμῶν ὑμᾶς ἀκοῦσαι δεῖ;

[¶16] 218. If all the promised results of the peace have come true, if you confess yourselves so effeminate and so cowardly that, with no enemy within your borders, no blockade of your ports, no imperilment of your capital, with corn-prices low and every other condition as favorable as it is today, and with foreknowledge on the assurance of your ambassadors that your allies would be ruined, that the Thebans would gain strength, that Philip would occupy the northern positions, that a basis of attack would be established against you in Euboea, and that everything that has in fact resulted would befall you, you thereupon cheerfully made the peace, by all means acquit Aeschines, and do not crown your other dishonors with the sin of perjury.

> Greek: 218. εἰ μὲν ἅπανθʼ ὅσʼ ὑπέσχονθʼ ὑμῖν ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης γέγονε, καὶ τοσαύτης ἀνανδρίας καὶ κακίας ὑμεῖς ὁμολογεῖτʼ εἶναι μεστοί, ὥστε μήτʼ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν πολεμίων ὄντων μήτʼ ἐκ θαλάττης πολιορκούμενοι μήτʼ ἐν ἄλλῳ μηδενὶ δεινῷ τῆς πόλεως οὔσης, ἀλλὰ καὶ σῖτον εὔωνον ὠνούμενοι καὶ τἄλλʼ οὐδὲν χεῖρον πράττοντες ἢ νῦν, προειδότες καὶ προακηκοότες παρὰ τούτων καὶ τοὺς συμμάχους ἀπολουμένους καὶ Θηβαίους ἰσχυροὺς γενησομένους καὶ τἀπὶ Θρᾴκης Φίλιππον ληψόμενον καὶ ἐν Εὐβοίᾳ κατασκευασθησόμενʼ ὁρμητήριʼ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς καὶ πάνθʼ ἃ πέπρακται γενησόμενα, εἶτα τὴν εἰρήνην ἐποιήσασθʼ ἀγαπητῶς, ἀποψηφίσασθʼ Αἰσχίνου, καὶ μὴ πρὸς τοσούτοις αἰσχροῖς καὶ ἐπιορκίαν προσκτήσησθε·

[¶17] 219. He has done you no wrong, and I am a madman and a fool to accuse him.

> Greek: 219. οὐδὲν γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἀδικεῖ, ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ μαίνομαι καὶ τετύφωμαι νῦν κατηγορῶν αὐτοῦ.

[¶18] 220. But if the truth is otherwise, if they spoke handsomely of Philip and told you that he was the friend of Athens, that he would deliver the Phocians, that he would curb the arrogance of the Thebans, that he would bestow on you many boons of more value than Amphipolis, and would restore Euboea and Oropus, if only he got his peace,—if, I say, by such assertions and such promises they have deceived and deluded you, and wellnigh stripped you of all Attica, find him guilty, and do not reinforce the outrages, for I can find no better word,—that you have endured, by returning to your homes laden with the curse and the guilt of perjury, for the sake of the bribes that they have pocketed.

> Greek: 220. εἰ δὲ πάντα τἀναντία τούτων καὶ πολλὰ καὶ φιλάνθρωπʼ εἰπόντες, Φίλιππον φιλεῖν τὴν πόλιν, Φωκέας σώσειν, Θηβαίους παύσειν τῆς ὕβρεως, ἔτι πρὸς τούτοις μείζονʼ ἢ κατʼ Ἀμφίπολιν εὖ ποιήσειν ὑμᾶς, ἐὰν τύχῃ τῆς εἰρήνης, Εὔβοιαν, Ὠρωπὸν ἀποδώσειν· εἰ ταῦτʼ εἰπόντες καὶ ὑποσχόμενοι πάντʼ ἐξηπατήκασι καὶ πεφενακίκασι καὶ μόνον οὐ τὴν Ἀττικὴν ὑμῶν περιῄρηνται, καταψηφίσασθε, καὶ μὴ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις οἷς ὕβρισθε (οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγʼ οἶδʼ ὅ τι χρὴ λέγειν ἄλλο) καὶ ὑπὲρ ὧν οὗτοι δεδωροδοκήκασιν ὑμεῖς τὴν ἀρὰν καὶ τὴν ἐπιορκίαν οἴκαδʼ εἰσενέγκησθε.

[¶19] 221. You should further ask yourselves, gentlemen of the jury, why, if they were not guilty, I should have gone out of my way to accuse them. You will find no reason. Is it agreeable to have many enemies? It is hardly safe. Perhaps I had an old standing feud with Aeschines? That is not so. “Well, but you were frightened on your own account, and were coward enough to seek this as a way of escape;” for that, I hear, is one of his suggestions. But, by your own account, Aeschines, there is no crime, and therefore no jeopardy. If he repeats the insinuation, do you, gentlemen, consider this: in a case where I, who did no wrong whatever, was yet afraid lest these men’s conduct should ruin me, what punishment ought they to suffer who were themselves the guilty parties?

> Greek: 221. ἔτι τοίνυν κἀκεῖνο σκοπεῖτʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τίνος εἵνεκʼ ἐγὼ μηδὲν ἠδικηκότων τούτων κατηγορεῖν ἂν προειλόμην. οὐ γὰρ εὑρήσετε. ἡδὺ πολλοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἔχειν; οὐδέ γʼ ἀσφαλές. ἀλλʼ ὑπῆρχέ μοι πρὸς τοῦτον ἀπέχθειά τις; οὐδεμία. τί οὖν; ἐφοβοῦ περὶ σαυτοῦ, καὶ διὰ δειλίαν ταύτην ἡγήσω σωτηρίαν· καὶ γὰρ ταῦτʼ ἀκήκοʼ αὐτὸν λέγειν. καίτοι μηδενός γʼ ὄντος, Αἰσχίνη, δεινοῦ μηδʼ ἀδικήματος, ὡς σὺ φῄς, εἰ γὰρ αὖ ταῦτʼ ἐρεῖ, σκοπεῖτʼ, ἄνδρες δικασταί, εἰ ἐφʼ οἷς ὁ μηδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἀδικῶν ἐφοβούμην ἐγὼ μὴ διὰ τούτους ἀπόλωμαι, τί τούτους προσήκει παθεῖν τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἠδικηκότας; ἀλλʼ οὐ διὰ ταῦτα.

[¶20] 222. However, that was not my reason. Then why am I accusing you? Perhaps as a common informer, to get money out of you? Which course was more profitable for me, to take money from Philip, who offered me a great deal,—as much as he gave them,—and so to make friends both with him and with them,—for indeed I might have had their friendship if I had been their accomplice, and even now there is no vendetta between us, only that I had no part in their malpractices, or to levy blackmail on their takings, and so incur Philip’s enmity and theirs; to spend all my money on the ransom of captives, and then expect to get a trifle back dishonorably and at the cost of their hostility?

> Greek: 222. ἀλλὰ διὰ τί σου κατηγορῶ; συκοφαντῶ νὴ Δία, ἵνʼ ἀργύριον λάβω παρὰ σοῦ. καὶ πότερον κρεῖττον ἦν μοι παρὰ Φιλίππου λαβεῖν, τοῦ διδόντος πολὺ καὶ μηδενὸς τούτων ἔλαττον, καὶ φίλον κἀκεῖνον ἔχειν καὶ τούτους (ἦσαν γὰρ ἄν, ἦσαν φίλοι τῶν αὐτῶν κεκοινωνηκότι· οὐδὲ γὰρ νῦν ἔχθραν πατρικὴν ἔχουσι πρός με, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τῶν πεπραγμένων οὐ μετέσχηκα), ἢ παρὰ τούτων ἀφʼ ὧν εἰλήφασι μεταιτεῖν, κἀκείνῳ τʼ ἐχθρὸν εἶναι καὶ τούτοις; καὶ τοὺς μὲν αἰχμαλώτους ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων τοσούτων χρημάτων λύεσθαι, μικρὰ δʼ ἀξιοῦν παρὰ τούτων αἰσχρῶς μετʼ ἔχθρας λαμβάνειν;

[¶21] 223. The thing is impossible! No; I made honest reports; I kept my hands clean of corruption for the sake of truth and justice and of my future career, believing, as others have believed, that my honesty would be rewarded by your favor, and that my public spirit must never be bartered away for any emolument. I abhor these men because throughout the embassy I found them vicious and ungodly, and because by their corruption I have been robbed of the due reward of my patriotism, through your natural dissatisfaction with the whole business. I now denounce them, and I have attended this scrutiny, because I have a care for the future, and desire a decision recorded in this case and by this court that my conduct has been exactly opposed to theirs.

> Greek: 223. οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα, ἀλλʼ ἀπήγγειλα μὲν τἀληθῆ καὶ ἀπεσχόμην τοῦ λαβεῖν τοῦ δικαίου καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας εἵνεκα καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ βίου, νομίζων, ὥσπερ ἄλλοι τινὲς παρʼ ὑμῖν, καὶ αὐτὸς ὢν ἐπιεικὴς τιμηθήσεσθαι, καὶ οὐκ ἀνταλλακτέον εἶναί μοι τὴν πρὸς ὑμᾶς φιλοτιμίαν οὐδενὸς κέρδους· μισῶ δὲ τούτους, ὅτι μοχθηροὺς καὶ θεοῖς ἐχθροὺς εἶδον ἐν τῇ πρεσβείᾳ, καὶ ἀπεστέρημαι καὶ τῶν ἰδίων φιλοτιμιῶν διὰ τὴν τούτων δωροδοκίαν πρὸς ὅλην δυσχερῶς ὑμῶν τὴν πρεσβείαν ἐσχηκότων· κατηγορῶ δὲ νυνὶ καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς εὐθύνας ἥκω τὸ μέλλον προορώμενος, καὶ βουλόμενος ἀγῶνι καὶ δικαστηρίῳ μοι διωρίσθαι παρʼ ὑμῖν ὅτι τἀναντίʼ ἐμοὶ καὶ τούτοις πέπρακται.

[¶22] 224. And yet I am afraid,—for all my thoughts shall be laid open to you,—I am afraid that hereafter you may destroy me with them in despite of my innocence, while today you are supine. For indeed, men of Athens, you seem to me to have become altogether slack, idly waiting for the advent of disaster. You see the distresses of others, but take no precaution for yourselves; you have no thought for the steady and alarming deterioration of your commonwealth.

> Greek: 224. καὶ δέδοικα, δέδοικα (εἰρήσεται γὰρ πάνθʼ ἃ φρονῶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς) μὴ τότε μὲν συνεπισπάσησθʼ ἐμὲ τὸν μηδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἀδικοῦντα, νῦν δʼ ἀναπεπτωκότες ἦτε. παντάπασι γάρ, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἐκλελύσθαι μοι δοκεῖτε καὶ παθεῖν ἀναμένειν τὰ δεινά, ἑτέρους δὲ πάσχοντας ὁρῶντες οὐ φυλάττεσθαι, οὐδὲ φροντίζειν τῆς πόλεως πάλαι κατὰ πολλοὺς καὶ δεινοὺς τρόπους διαφθειρομένης.

[¶23] 225. Do you not think this an extremely dangerous symptom? (For though I had decided to say nothing, I am tempted to speak out) Of course you know Pythocles, son of Pythodorus. I was on the most civil terms with him, and there has been no unpleasantness between us to this day. But now, since his visit to Philip, he turns aside whenever he meets me, and if he cannot avoid an encounter, he rushes off as soon as he can for fear he should be seen talking to me, while he will perambulate the whole market-place discussing plans with Aeschines.

> Greek: 225. οὐκ οἴεσθε δεινὸν εἶναι καὶ ὑπερφυές; (καὶ γὰρ εἴ τι σιωπᾶν ἐγνώκειν, λέγειν ἐξάγομαι.) ἴστε δήπου Πυθοκλέα τουτονὶ τὸν Πυθοδώρου. τούτῳ πάνυ φιλανθρώπως ἐκεχρήμην ἐγώ, καὶ ἀηδὲς ἐμοὶ καὶ τούτῳ γέγονεν εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην οὐδέν. οὗτος ἐκτρέπεταί με νῦν ἀπαντῶν, ἀφʼ οὗ πρὸς Φίλιππον ἀφῖκται, κἂν ἀναγκασθῇ που συντυχεῖν, ἀπεπήδησεν εὐθέως, μή τις αὐτὸν ἴδῃ λαλοῦντʼ ἐμοί· μετὰ δʼ Αἰσχίνου περιέρχεται τὴν ἀγορὰν κύκλῳ καὶ βουλεύεται.

[¶24] 226. It is shocking and scandalous, men of Athens, that Philip has such an acute perception of the fidelity or treachery of the men who have made subservience to him their policy, that they all expect that nothing they do even in Athens will escape the master’s eye, as though he stood at their very elbow, and that they must needs choose their private friends and enemies in obedience to his wishes; while those whose lives are devoted to your service, and who covet and have never betrayed the honor that you can bestow, encounter in you such dullness of hearing, such darkness of vision, that here am I today contending on equal terms with these pernicious persons, even in a court well acquainted with the whole history.

> Greek: 226. οὐκοῦν δεινόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ σχέτλιον τοῖς μὲν τὰ Φιλίππου πράγμαθʼ ᾑρημένοις θεραπεύειν οὕτως ἀκριβῆ τὴν παρʼ ἐκείνου πρὸς ἑκάτερʼ αἴσθησιν ὑπάρχειν, ὥσθʼ ἕκαστον, ὥσπερ ἂν παρεστηκότος αὐτοῦ, μηδʼ ὧν ἂν ἐνθαδὶ πράξῃ μηδὲν ἡγεῖσθαι λήσειν, ἀλλὰ φίλους τε νομίζειν οὓς ἂν ἐκείνῳ δοκῇ καὶ μὴ φίλους ὡσαύτως, τοῖς δὲ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ζῶσι καὶ τῆς παρʼ ὑμῶν τιμῆς γλιχομένοις καὶ μὴ προδεδωκόσι ταύτην τοσαύτην κωφότητα καὶ τοσοῦτο σκότος παρʼ ὑμῶν ἀπαντᾶν, ὥστε τοῖς ἀλειτηρίοις τούτοις ἐξ ἴσου νῦν ἔμʼ ἀγωνίζεσθαι, καὶ ταῦτα παρʼ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἅπαντʼ εἰδόσιν.

[¶25] 227. Would you like to know the reason? I will tell you, and I trust that you will not take offence at my candor. Philip, I take it, having one body and one soul loves those who help him and hates those who harm him with his whole heart, whereas no one of you regards the benefactor of the commonwealth as his benefactor, or the enemy of the commonwealth as his enemy.

> Greek: 227. βούλεσθʼ οὖν εἰδέναι καὶ ἀκοῦσαι τὸ τούτων αἴτιον; ἐγὼ δὴ φράσω, ἀξιῶ δὲ μηδένʼ ἄχθεσθαί μοι λέγοντι τἀληθῆ. ὅτι ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἕν, οἶμαι, σῶμʼ ἔχων καὶ ψυχὴν μίαν παντὶ θυμῷ καὶ φιλεῖ τοὺς ἑαυτὸν εὖ ποιοῦντας καὶ μισεῖ τοὺς τἀναντία, ὑμῶν δʼ ἕκαστος πρῶτον μὲν οὔτε τὸν εὖ ποιοῦντα τὴν πόλιν αὑτὸν εὖ ποιεῖν ἡγεῖται, οὔτε τὸν κακῶς ⟨κακῶς⟩, ἀλλʼ ἕτερʼ ἐστὶν ἑκάστῳ προυργιαίτερα, ὑφʼ ὧν παράγεσθε πολλάκις, ἔλεος, φθόνος, ὀργή, χαρίσασθαι τῷ δεηθέντι, ἄλλα μυρία·

[¶26] 228. Each man has other motives, of more importance to him, and thereby you are often led astray,—compassion, jealousy, resentment, good nature, and a thousand more. For even though a man escape every other danger, he can never wholly escape those who do not want such a person as he is to exist. But, little by little, by accumulation of these errors the foundation is sapped, and the integrity of public life collapses.

> Greek: 228. ἂν δʼ ἄρʼ ἅπαντά τις ἐκφύγῃ, ἀλλὰ τούς γʼ οὐδένα βουλομένους εἶναι τοιοῦτον οὐ διαφεύξεται. ἡ δʼ ἐφʼ ἑκάστου τούτων ἁμαρτία κατὰ μικρὸν ὑπορρέουσα ἁθρόος τῇ πόλει βλάβη γίγνεται.

[¶27] 229. Do not, men of Athens, give way to these motives today. Do not acquit the man who has done you such grievous wrong. Think of the story that will be told, if you do acquit him. Once upon a time certain ambassadors went from Athens to see Philip, and their names were Philocrates, Aeschines, Phryno, and Demosthenes. One of them not only made no gain from his mission, but delivered captives at his own expense; but another went about buying harlots and fish with the money for which he had sold his country.

> Greek: 229. ὧν μηδέν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πάθητε τήμερον, μηδʼ ἀφῆτε τοῦτον ὃς ὑμᾶς τηλικαῦτʼ ἠδίκηκεν. καὶ γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς τίς ἔσται λόγος περὶ ὑμῶν, εἰ τοῦτον ἀφήσετε; Ἀθήνηθεν ἐπρέσβευσάν τινες ὡς Φίλιππον τουτονί, Φιλοκράτης, Αἰσχίνης, Φρύνων, Δημοσθένης. τί οὖν; ὁ μὲν πρὸς τῷ μηδὲν ἐκ τῆς πρεσβείας λαβεῖν τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων ἐλύσατο· ὁ δʼ ὧν τὰ τῆς πόλεως πράγματα χρημάτων ἀπέδοτο, τούτων πόρνας ἠγόραζε καὶ ἰχθῦς περιιών.

[¶28] 230. One of them, named Phryno, a bold, bad man, sent his son to Philip before he had put him on the list of citizens; but another did not do anything that was unworthy of his country or himself. Though he was still paying for a chorus and a man-of-war, he thought it only right to spend more money of his own free will, to ransom captives, and to allow none of his countrymen to suffer distress through poverty. But another, instead of delivering any of the Athenians who were already in captivity, helped to bring a whole district, and ten thousand of the infantry and about a thousand of the cavalry of the allies into captivity to Philip.

> Greek: 230. καὶ ὁ μὲν τὸν υἱὸν ἔπεμψε Φιλίππῳ, πρὶν εἰς ἄνδρας ἐγγράψαι, ὁ μιαρὸς Φρύνων· ὁ δʼ οὐδὲν ἀνάξιον οὔτε τῆς πόλεως οὔθʼ αὑτοῦ διεπράξατο. καὶ ὁ μὲν χορηγῶν καὶ τριηραρχῶν ἔτι καὶ ταῦτʼ ᾤετο δεῖν ἐθελοντὴς ἀναλίσκειν, [λύεσθαι,] μηδένʼ ἐν συμφορᾷ τῶν πολιτῶν διʼ ἔνδειαν περιορᾶν· ὁ δὲ τοσούτου δεῖ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων τινʼ αἰχμάλωτον σῶσαι, ὥσθʼ ὅλον τόπον καὶ πλεῖν ἢ μυρίους μὲν ὁπλίτας, ὁμοῦ δὲ χιλίους ἱππέας τῶν ὑπαρχόντων συμμάχων ὅπως αἰχμάλωτοι γένωνται Φιλίππῳ, συμπαρεσκεύασεν.

[¶29] 231. The sequel was that the Athenians caught these bad men, for they knew all about it, and—what do you think? They released the men who had taken bribes and had disgraced themselves, the city, and their own children, because they thought that they were very sensible men, and that the city was going on nicely; but they thought that the man who accused them had gone out of his mind, and that he did not understand Athens, and that he did not know even how to fling his money away.

> Greek: 231. τί οὖν μετὰ ταῦτα; Ἀθηναῖοι λαβόντες, ᾔδεσαν μὲν γὰρ πάλαι· τί δέ; τοὺς μὲν χρήματʼ εἰληφότας καὶ δῶρα καὶ καταισχύναντας ἑαυτούς, τὴν πόλιν, τοὺς ἑαυτῶν παῖδας, ἀφεῖσαν καὶ νοῦν ἔχειν ἡγοῦντο καὶ τὴν πόλιν εὐθενεῖσθαι· τὸν δὲ κατηγοροῦντα τί; ἐμβεβροντῆσθαι, τὴν πόλιν ἀγνοεῖν, οὐκ ἔχειν ὅποι τὰ ἑαυτοῦ ῥίπτῃ.

[¶30] 232. With this example before his eyes, who, men of Athens, will ever wish to prove himself an honest man, or to go on embassy for nothing, if he is neither to make money nor to be held more worthy of your confidence than those who have made money? Today you are not merely adjudging this case: you are legislating for all future time, whether every ambassador is basely to serve your enemies for hire, or without fee or bribe to give his best service to you.

> Greek: 232. καὶ τίς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοῦτʼ ἰδὼν τὸ παράδειγμα, δίκαιον αὑτὸν παρασχεῖν ἐθελήσει; τίς προῖκα πρεσβεύειν, εἰ μήτε λαβεῖν μήτε τῶν εἰληφότων ἀξιοπιστότερον παρʼ ὑμῖν εἶναι δοκεῖν ὑπάρξει; οὐ μόνον κρίνετε τούτους τήμερον, οὔ, ἀλλὰ καὶ νόμον τίθεσθʼ εἰς ἅπαντα τὸν μετὰ ταῦτα χρόνον, πότερον χρημάτων αἰσχρῶς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν πρεσβεύειν ἅπαντας προσήκει ἢ προῖχʼ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν τὰ βέλτιστʼ ἀδωροδοκήτως.

[¶31] 233. On these matters you need no further witness; but to prove that Phryno did send his son to Philip, please call the witnesses. Now Aeschines never prosecuted Phryno for sending his own son to Philip with a dishonorable intention. But if a man in the bloom of his youth was more comely than others, and if, disregarding the suspicion that his personal charm might provoke, he has lived rather recklessly in later years, Aeschines must needs proceed against that man for immorality.

> Greek: 233. ἀλλὰ μὴν περὶ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων οὐδενὸς προσδεῖσθε μάρτυρος· ὡς δὲ τὸν υἱὸν ἔπεμψεν ὁ Φρύνων, κάλει μοι τούτων τοὺς μάρτυρας. τοῦτον μὲν τοίνυν οὐκ ἔκρινεν Αἰσχίνης, ὅτι τὸν αὑτοῦ παῖδʼ ἐπʼ αἰσχύνῃ πρὸς Φίλιππον ἔπεμψεν. εἰ δέ τις ὢν ἐφʼ ἡλικίας ἑτέρου βελτίων τὴν ἰδέαν, μὴ προϊδόμενος τὴν ἐξ ἐκείνης τῆς ὄψεως ὑποψίαν, ἰταμώτερον τῷ μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἐχρήσατο βίῳ, τοῦτον ὡς πεπορνευμένον κέκρικεν.

[¶32] 234. Now let me say a word about my entertainment and my decree. I had nearly forgotten those all-important topics! When I was drafting the provisional resolution of the Council respecting the earlier embassy, and again in addressing the people at the Assemblies that were held to discuss the terms of peace, I followed the usual custom, and included a vote of thanks and an invitation to the public mess-table; for at that time no wrongful word or act of theirs had been disclosed.

> Greek: 234. φέρε δὴ περὶ τῆς ἑστιάσεως καὶ τοῦ ψηφίσματος εἴπω· μικροῦ γʼ, ἃ μάλιστά μʼ ἔδει πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰπεῖν, παρῆλθεν. τῆς πρώτης ἐκείνης πρεσβείας γράφων τὸ προβούλευμʼ ἐγὼ καὶ πάλιν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις, ἐν αἷς ἐμέλλετε βουλεύεσθαι περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης, οὐδενὸς οὔτε λόγου πω παρὰ τούτων οὔτʼ ἀδικήματος ὄντος φανεροῦ, τὸ νόμιμον [ἔθος] ποιῶν, καὶ ἐπῄνεσα τούτους καὶ εἰς πρυτανεῖον ἐκάλεσα.

[¶33] 235. It is also true that I entertained Philip’s ambassadors, and did the thing very handsomely; for, having observed in their own country that they take pride in such hospitality as evidence of wealth and splendor, I thought it my duty to outdo them with a more striking display of munificence. On the strength of these incidents, Aeschines will tell you: “Demosthenes thanked us, and entertained the ambassadors himself”—without marking the distinction of time.

> Greek: 235. καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἔγωγε καὶ τοὺς παρὰ τοῦ Φιλίππου πρέσβεις ἐξένισα, καὶ πάνυ γʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, λαμπρῶς· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἑώρων αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐκεῖ σεμνυνομένους ὡς εὐδαίμονας καὶ λαμπρούς, εὐθὺς ἡγούμην ἐν τούτοις πρῶτον περιεῖναι δεῖν αὐτῶν καὶ μεγαλοψυχότερος φαίνεσθαι. ταῦτα δὴ παρέξεται νῦν οὗτος λέγων ὡς αὐτὸς ἐπῄνεσεν ἡμᾶς, αὐτὸς εἱστία τοὺς πρέσβεις, τὸ πότʼ οὐ διορίζων.

[¶34] 236. All this took place before the country had suffered wrong, and before it was evident that the envoys had sold themselves, immediately after the first return of the envoys, when the people had still to hear their report, and when it was not yet known that Aeschines would support Philocrates, or that Philocrates would move such a resolution. If he mentions the incidents, bear in mind that the dates were earlier than their offences, and that I have never since had any intimacy or any association with them. Read the deposition. (The Deposition is read) Perhaps he will find a brother to speak for him, Philochares or Aphobetus; to both of whom there is much that you can say with justice.

> Greek: 236. ἔστι δὲ ταῦτα πρὸ τοῦ τὴν πόλιν ἠδικῆσθαί τι καὶ φανεροὺς τούτους πεπρακότας αὑτοὺς γενέσθαι, ὅτʼ ἄρτι μὲν ἧκον οἱ πρέσβεις τὸ πρῶτον, ἔδει δʼ ἀκοῦσαι τὸν δῆμον τί λέγουσιν, οὐδέπω δʼ οὔθʼ οὗτος συνερῶν δῆλος ἦν τῷ Φιλοκράτει οὔτʼ ἐκεῖνος τοιαῦτα γράψων. ἂν δὴ ταῦτα λέγῃ, μέμνησθε τοὺς χρόνους ὅτι τῶν ἀδικημάτων εἰσὶ πρότεροι. μετὰ ταῦτα δʼ οὐδὲν ἐμοὶ πρὸς τούτους οἰκεῖον οὐδὲ κοινὸν γέγονεν.λέγε τὴν μαρτυρίαν. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ.

[¶35] 237. (One must converse quite frankly, without any reserve.) We, Aphobetus and Philochares, although you, Philochares, were a painter of alabaster boxes and tambourines, and your brothers ordinary people, junior clerks and the like,—respectable occupations, but hardly suitable for commanding officers,—we, I say, dignified you with embassies, commands as generals, and other high distinctions.

> Greek: 237. ἴσως τοίνυν ἀδελφὸς αὐτῷ συνερεῖ Φιλοχάρης καὶ Ἀφόβητος· πρὸς οὓς ἀμφοτέρους ὑμῖν πολλὰ καὶ δίκαιʼ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν. ἀνάγκη δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μετὰ παρρησίας διαλεχθῆναι, μηδὲν ὑποστελλόμενον. ἡμεῖς, Ἀφόβητε καὶ σὺ Φιλόχαρες, σὲ μὲν τὰς ἀλαβαστοθήκας γράφοντα καὶ τὰ τύμπανα, τούτους δʼ ὑπογραμματέας καὶ τοὺς τυχόντας ἀνθρώπους (καὶ οὐδεμιᾶς κακίας ταῦτα, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ στρατηγίας γʼ ἄξια) πρεσβειῶν, στρατηγιῶν, τῶν μεγίστων τιμῶν ἠξιώσαμεν.

[¶36] 238. Even if none of the family had committed any crime, you would have no claim on our gratitude, but we should have a large claim on yours; for we passed over many much more worthy claimants, and glorified you. But if in the actual enjoyment of those dignities one of you has committed a crime, and such a crime as this, do you not all deserve abhorrence much more than deliverance? That is my view. However, they will storm and bluster,—for they have very loud voices and very little modesty,—and will remind you that “it is no sin to help your kin.”

> Greek: 238. εἰ τοίνυν μηδὲν ὑμῶν ἠδίκει μηδείς, οὐχ ἡμεῖς χάριν ὑμῖν οὐδενός, ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς ἡμῖν δικαίως ἂν ἔχοιτε τούτων· πολλοὺς γὰρ ὑμῶν μᾶλλον ἀξίους τιμᾶσθαι παρέντες ἡμεῖς ὑμᾶς ἐσεμνύνομεν. εἰ δὲ δὴ καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς οἷς ἐτιμᾶσθʼ ἠδίκηκέ τις ὑμῶν, καὶ ταῦτα τοιαῦτα, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἂν μισοῖσθε δικαίως ἢ σῴζοισθε; ἐγὼ μὲν οἶμαι πολλῷ. βιάσονται τοίνυν ἴσως, μεγαλόφωνοι καὶ ἀναιδεῖς ὄντες, καὶ τὸ συγγνώμη ἀδελφῷ βοηθεῖν προσειληφότες.

[¶37] 239. Do not give way to them. It is their business to think of Aeschines; it is your business to think of the laws, of the whole commonwealth, and above all of the oath in virtue of which you sit in that box. If they have besought any of you to deliver him, ask yourselves whether they mean in case he is not, or in case he is, guilty of a crime against the common weal. If they mean in case he is not guilty, I admit the plea; but if they mean, deliver him in any case, they have entreated you to perjure yourselves. For though the vote is secret, it will not escape the eye of Heaven. The legislator wisely discerned herein the essence of secret voting, that no suppliant shall know the name of the juror who has granted his prayer, but the gods and the divine spirit will know him who has cast an unrighteous vote.

> Greek: 239. ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ ἡττᾶσθε, ἐκεῖνʼ ἐνθυμούμενοι, ὅτι τούτοις μὲν τούτου· προσήκει φροντίζειν, ὑμῖν δὲ τῶν νόμων καὶ ὅλης τῆς πόλεως καὶ παρὰ πάντα τῶν ὅρκων, οὓς αὐτοὶ κάθησθʼ ὀμωμοκότες. καὶ γὰρ εἰ τινῶν δεδέηνται τουτονὶ σῴζειν, πότερʼ ἂν μηδὲν ἀδικῶν φαίνηται τὴν πόλιν ἢ κἂν ἀδικῶν, σκοπεῖτε. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἂν μή, κἀγώ φημι δεῖν, εἰ δʼ ὅλως κἂν ὁτιοῦν, ἐπιορκεῖν δεδέηνται. οὐ γὰρ εἰ κρύβδην ἐστὶν ἡ ψῆφος, λήσει τοὺς θεούς, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο καὶ πάντων ἄρισθʼ ὁ τιθεὶς τὸν νόμον εἶδε [τὸ κρύβδην ψηφίζεσθαι], ὅτι τούτων μὲν οὐδεὶς εἴσεται τὸν ἑαυτῷ κεχαρισμένον ὑμῶν, οἱ θεοὶ δʼ εἴσονται καὶ τὸ δαιμόνιον τὸν μὴ τὰ δίκαια ψηφισάμενον.

[¶38] 240. Far better for each of you to make good his hopes of the blessing of Heaven for himself and his children, by recording a righteous and a dutiful verdict, than to bestow on these men a secret and unacknowledged favor, and acquit a man convicted by his own testimony. For what more powerful evidence, Aeschines, can I adduce for the many crimes of your embassy than the evidence you have given against yourself? You, who thought it necessary to implicate in so grievous a calamity one who purposed to bring a part of your misconduct to light, must surely have expected a terrible retribution if the jury should learn the true history of your deeds.

> Greek: 240. παρʼ ὧν κρεῖττόν ἐστιν ἑκάστῳ τὰς ἀγαθὰς ἐλπίδας τοῖς παισὶ καὶ ἑαυτῷ, τὰ δίκαια γνόντα καὶ τὰ προσήκοντα, περιποιήσασθαι ἢ τὴν ἀφανῆ καὶ ἄδηλον τούτοις χάριν καταθέσθαι, καὶ ἀφεῖναι τοῦτον ὃς αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ καταμεμαρτύρηκεν. τίνα γάρ, Αἰσχίνη, μάρτυρα μείζω παράσχωμαι τοῦ πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ πεπρεσβεῦσθαί σοι ἢ σὲ κατὰ σαυτοῦ; ὃς γὰρ ᾠήθης χρῆναι τὸν φανερόν τι ποιῆσαι βουληθέντα τῶν σοὶ πεπρεσβευμένων τηλικαύτῃ καὶ τοιαύτῃ συμφορᾷ περιβαλεῖν, δῆλον ὅτι δεινὸν ἄν τι παθεῖν σαυτὸν ἤλπιζες, εἰ πύθοινθʼ οὗτοι τὰ πεπραγμένα σοι.

[¶39] 241. If you are wise, that performance of his will now be turned to his disadvantage, not only because it was a powerful indication of his misconduct, but because he employed in his prosecution arguments that are now valid against himself. For surely the principles which you, Aeschines, laid down when you prosecuted Timarchus ought to have equal weight for others against you.

> Greek: 241. τοῦτο τοίνυν, ἄνπερ ὑμεῖς εὖ φρονῆτε, καθʼ αὑτοῦ συμβήσεται τούτῳ πεπρᾶχθαι, οὐ μόνον κατὰ τοῦθʼ ὅτι παμμέγεθες σημεῖόν ἐστι τῶν πεπρεσβευμένων, ἀλλʼ ὅτι καὶ κατηγορῶν ἐκείνους τοὺς λόγους εἶπεν οἳ κατʼ αὐτοῦ νῦν ὑπάρχουσιν· ἃ γὰρ ὡρίσω σὺ δίκαια, ὅτε Τίμαρχον ἔκρινες, ταὐτὰ δήπου ταῦτα καὶ κατὰ σοῦ προσήκει τοῖς ἄλλοις ἰσχύειν.

[¶40] 242. Now on that occasion he observed to the jury: “Demosthenes will conduct this man’s defence, and will denounce my conduct of the embassy; and then, if he leads you astray by his speech, he will go about in his conceited way, and boast: ‘How did I do it? What did I say? Why, I led the jury clean away from the question; filched the whole case from them, and came off triumphant.’” Then do not follow my example: address your defence to the real issue. You had your opportunity of denouncing and saying what you chose when you were the prosecutor.

> Greek: 242. ἔλεγεν τοίνυν τότε πρὸς τοὺς δικαστὰς ὅτι ἀπολογήσεται δὲ Δημοσθένης ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατηγορήσει τῶν ἐμοὶ πεπρεσβευμένων· εἶτʼ, ἐὰν ὑμᾶς ἀπαγάγῃ τῷ λόγῳ, νεανιεύσεται καὶ περιιὼν ἐρεῖ· πῶς τι τοὺς δικαστὰς ἀπαγαγὼν ἀπὸ τῆς ὑποθέσεως ᾠχόμην τὸ πρᾶγμʼ αὐτῶν ὑφελόμενος; μὴ σύ γε, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ ὧν ἀγωνίζει, περὶ τούτων ἀπολογοῦ· τότε δʼ, ἡνίκʼ ἐκεῖνον ἔκρινες, ἐξῆν σοι κατηγορεῖν καὶ λέγειν ὅ τι ἐβούλου.

[¶41] 243. Moreover, having no witnesses to produce in support of your accusations, you quoted verses to the jury:
Rumor, that many people spread abroad,
Dieth not wholly: Rumor is a god.
And now, Aeschines, everybody says that you made money out of your embassy; so, of course, as against you, the rumor that many people spread abroad does not wholly die.

> Greek: 243. ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ ἔπη τοῖς δικασταῖς ἔλεγες, οὐδένα μάρτυρʼ ἔχων ἐφʼ οἷς ἔκρινες τὸν ἄνθρωπον παρασχέσθαι·
φήμη δʼ οὔ τις πάμπαν ἀπόλλυται, ἥντινα λαοὶ
πολλοὶ φημίξωσι· θεός νύ τίς ἐστι καὶ αὐτή.
οὐκοῦν, Αἰσχίνη, καὶ σὲ πάντες οὗτοι χρήματʼ ἐκ τῆς πρεσβείας φασὶν εἰληφέναι, ὥστε καὶ κατὰ σοῦ δήπουθεν φήμη δʼ οὔ τις πάμπαν ἀπόλλυται, ἥντινα λαοὶ πολλοὶ φημίξωσιν.

[¶42] 244. That you may understand how far more numerous are your accusers than those of Timarchus, observe this. He was not known even to all his neighbors; but there is not a man in Greece or in foreign parts who does not aver that you ambassadors made gain of your embassy. If rumor is true, the rumor of the multitude is against you; and for the veracity, and even the divinity, of rumor, and for the wisdom of the poet who composed these verses, we have your own assurance.

> Greek: 244. ὅσῳ γὰρ αὖ σὲ πλείους ἢ ʼκεῖνον αἰτιῶνται, θεώρησον ὡς εἴσει. τὸν μὲν Τίμαρχον οὐδʼ οἱ πρόσχωροι πάντες ἐγίγνωσκον, ὑμᾶς δὲ τοὺς πρέσβεις οὐδεὶς Ἑλλήνων οὐδὲ βαρβάρων ἔσθʼ ὅστις οὔ φησι χρήματʼ ἐκ τῆς πρεσβείας εἰληφέναι. ὥστʼ, εἴπερ ἐστʼ ἀληθὴς ἡ φήμη, καθʼ ὑμῶν ἐστιν ἡ παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν, ἣν ὅτι πιστὴν εἶναι δεῖ καὶ θεός νύ τίς ἐστι καὶ αὐτή, καὶ ὅτι σοφὸς ἦν ὁ ποιητὴς ὁ ταῦτα ποιήσας, σὺ διώρισας αὐτός.

[¶43] 245. After these heroics he naturally proceeds to collect and declaim some iambic poetry, for instance:
Whoso delights to walk with wicked men,
Of him I ask not, for I know him such
As are the men whose converse pleases him.
Then follows the passage about “the man who frequented cockpits, and consorted with Pittalacus,” and so forth; “do you not know what his character is?” Well, Aeschines, your iambics shall now serve my turn for an observation about you. I shall be speaking with the propriety of the Tragic Muse, when I say to the jury: Whoso delights to walk (especially on an embassy) with Philocrates, of him I ask not, for I know him well—to have taken bribes, as Philocrates did, who made confession.

> Greek: 245. ἔτι τοίνυν ἰαμβεῖα δήπου συλλέξας ἐπέραινεν, οἷον
ὅστις δʼ ὁμιλῶν ἥδεται κακοῖς ἀνήρ,
οὐ πώποτʼ ἠρώτησα, γιγνώσκων ὅτι
τοιοῦτός ἐσθʼ οἵοισπερ ἥδεται ξυνών.
εἶτα τὸν εἰς τοὺς ὄρνεις εἰσιόντα καὶ μετὰ Πιτταλάκου περιιόντα, καὶ τοιαῦτʼ εἰπών, ἀγνοεῖτʼ, ἔφη, ποῖόν τινʼ ἡγεῖσθαι δεῖ; οὐκοῦν, Αἰσχίνη, καὶ κατὰ σοῦ τὰ ἰαμβεῖα ταῦθʼ ἁρμόσει νῦν ἐμοί, κἂν ἐγὼ λέγω πρὸς τούτους, ὀρθῶς καὶ προσηκόντως ἐρῶ· ὅστις δʼ ὁμιλῶν ἥδεται, καὶ ταῦτα πρεσβεύων, Φιλοκράτει, οὐ πώποτʼ ἠρώτησα, γιγνώσκων ὅτι ἀργύριον εἴληφʼ οὗτος, ὥσπερ Φιλοκράτης ὁ ὁμολογῶν.

[¶44] 246. Well, when he tries to insult other people by calling them speech-makers and charlatans, he shall be shown to be open to the same reproach. For those iambics come from the Phoenix of Euripides. That play was never acted by Theodorus or Aristodemus, for whom Aeschines commonly took the inferior parts; Molon however produced it, and perhaps some other players of the old school. But Sophocles’ Antigone was frequently acted by Theodorus, and also by Aristodemus; and in that play there are some iambic lines, admirably and most instructively composed. That passage Aeschines omitted to quote, though he has often spoken the lines, and knows them by heart;

> Greek: 246. λογογράφους τοίνυν καὶ σοφιστὰς καλῶν τοὺς ἄλλους καὶ ὑβρίζειν πειρώμενος, αὐτὸς ἐξελεγχθήσεται τούτοις ὢν ἔνοχος. ταῦτα μὲν γὰρ τὰ ἰαμβεῖʼ ἐκ Φοίνικός ἐστιν Εὐριπίδου· τοῦτο δὲ τὸ δρᾶμʼ οὐδεπώποτʼ οὔτε Θεόδωρος οὔτʼ Ἀριστόδημος ὑπεκρίναντο, οἷς οὗτος τὰ τρίτα λέγων διετέλεσεν, ἀλλὰ Μόλων ἠγωνίζετο καὶ εἰ δή τις ἄλλος τῶν παλαιῶν ὑποκριτῶν. Ἀντιγόνην δὲ Σοφοκλέους πολλάκις μὲν Θεόδωρος, πολλάκις δʼ Ἀριστόδημος ὑποκέκριται, ἐν ᾗ πεποιημένʼ ἰαμβεῖα καλῶς καὶ συμφερόντως ὑμῖν πολλάκις αὐτὸς εἰρηκὼς καὶ ἀκριβῶς ἐξεπιστάμενος παρέλιπεν.

[¶45] 247. for of course you are aware that, in all tragic dramas, it is the enviable privilege of third-rate actors to come on as tyrants, carrying their royal scepters. Now you shall weigh the merits of the verses which were specially written by the poet for the character of Creon-Aeschines, though he forgot to repeat them to himself in connection with his embassy, and did not quote them to the jury. Read.
Iambics from the Antigone of Sophocles
Who shall appraise the spirit of a man,
His mind, his temper, till he hath been proved
In ministry of laws and government?
I hold, and long have held, that man a knave
Who, standing at the helm of state, deserts
The wisest counsel, or in craven fear
Of any, sets a curb upon his lips.
Who puts his friend above his fatherland
I scorn as nothing worth; and for myself,
Witness all-seeing Heaven! I will not hold
My peace when I descry the curse that comes
To sap my citizens’ security;
Nor will I count as kin my country’s foes;
For well I wot our country is the ship
That saves us all, sailing on even keel:
Embarked in her we fear no dearth of friends.

> Greek: 247. ἴστε γὰρ δήπου τοῦθʼ ὅτι ἐν ἅπασι τοῖς δράμασι τοῖς τραγικοῖς ἐξαίρετόν ἐστιν ὥσπερ γέρας τοῖς τριταγωνισταῖς τὸ τοὺς τυράννους καὶ τοὺς τὰ σκῆπτρʼ ἔχοντας εἰσιέναι. ταῦτα τοίνυν ἐν τῷ δράματι τούτῳ σκέψασθʼ ὁ Κρέων Αἰσχίνης οἷα λέγων πεποίηται τῷ ποιητῇ, ἃ οὔτε πρὸς αὑτὸν οὗτος ὑπὲρ τῆς πρεσβείας διελέχθη οὔτε πρὸς τοὺς δικαστὰς εἶπεν. λέγε. ΙΑΜΒΕΙΑ ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ ΕΞ ΑΝΤΙΓΟΝΗΣ. ἀμήχανον δὲ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐκμαθεῖν
ψυχήν τε καὶ φρόνημα καὶ γνώμην, πρὶν ἂν
ἀρχαῖς τε καὶ νόμοισιν ἐντριβὴς φανῇ.
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ὅστις πᾶσαν εὐθύνων πόλιν
μὴ τῶν ἀρίστων ἅπτεται βουλευμάτων,
ἀλλʼ ἐκ φόβου του γλῶσσαν ἐγκλείσας ἔχει,
κάκιστος εἶναι νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι δοκεῖ·
καὶ μείζονʼ ὅστις ἀντὶ τῆς αὑτοῦ πάτρας
φίλον νομίζει, τοῦτον οὐδαμοῦ λέγω.
ἐγὼ γάρ, ἴστω Ζεὺς ὁ πάνθʼ ὁρῶν ἀεί,
οὔτʼ ἂν σιωπήσαιμι τὴν ἄτην ὁρῶν
στείχουσαν ἀστοῖς ἀντὶ τῆς σωτηρίας,
οὔτʼ ἂν φίλον ποτʼ ἄνδρα δυσμενῆ χθονὸς
θείμην ἐμαυτῷ, τοῦτο γιγνώσκων ὅτι
ἥδʼ ἐστὶν ἡ σῴζουσα, καὶ ταύτης ἔπι
πλέοντες ὀρθῆς τοὺς φίλους ποιούμεθα.

[¶46] 248. Aeschines did not quote any of these lines for his own instruction on his embassy. He put the hospitality and friendship of Philip far above his country,—and found it more profitable. He bade a long farewell to the sage Sophocles; and when he saw the curse that came,—to wit, the army advancing upon the Phocians,—he sounded no warning, sent no timely report; rather he helped both to conceal and to execute the design, and obstructed those who were ready to tell the truth. He forgot the ship that saves; forgot that embarked in her his own mother, performing her rites, scouring her candidates, making her pittance from the substance of her employers, here reared her hopeful brood to greatness. Here, too, his father, who kept an infant-school, lived as best he could,—next door to Heros the physician, as I am told by elderly informants,—anyhow, he lived in this city. The offspring of this pair earned a little money as junior clerks and messengers in the public offices, until, by your favor, they became full-fledged clerks, with free maintenance for two years in the Rotunda. Finally, from this same city Aeschines received his commission as ambassador.

> Greek: 248. τούτων οὐδὲν Αἰσχίνης εἶπε πρὸς αὑτὸν ἐν τῇ πρεσβείᾳ, ἀλλʼ ἀντὶ μὲν τῆς πόλεως τὴν Φιλίππου ξενίαν καὶ φιλίαν πολλῷ μείζονʼ ἡγήσαθʼ αὑτῷ καὶ λυσιτελεστέραν, ἐρρῶσθαι πολλὰ φράσας τῷ σοφῷ Σοφοκλεῖ, τὴν δʼ ἄτην ὁρῶν στείχουσαν ὁμοῦ, τὴν ἐπὶ Φωκέας στρατείαν, οὐ προεῖπεν οὐδὲ προεξήγγειλεν, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον συνέκρυψε καὶ συνέπραξε καὶ τοὺς βουλομένους εἰπεῖν διεκώλυσεν, οὐκ ἀναμνησθεὶς ὅτι ἥδʼ ἐστὶν ἡ σῴζουσα καὶ ταύτης ἔπι τελοῦσα μὲν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ καὶ καθαίρουσα καὶ καρπουμένη τὰς τῶν χρωμένων οὐσίας ἐξέθρεψε τοσούτους τουτουσί, διδάσκων δʼ ὁ πατὴρ γράμματα, ὡς ἐγὼ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἀκούω, πρὸς τῷ τοῦ ἥρω τοῦ ἰατροῦ, ὅπως ἠδύνατο, ἀλλʼ οὖν ἐν ταύτῃ γʼ ἔζη, ὑπογραμματεύοντες δʼ αὐτοὶ καὶ ὑπηρετοῦντες ἁπάσαις ταῖς ἀρχαῖς ἀργύριον εἰλήφεσαν, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον ὑφʼ ὑμῶν γραμματεῖς χειροτονηθέντες δύʼ ἔτη διετράφησαν ἐν τῇ θόλῳ, πρεσβεύων δʼ ἀπέσταλτο νῦν οὗτος ἐκ ταύτης.

[¶47] 250. He cared for none of these obligations; he took no thought that the ship of state should sail on even keel; he scuttled her and sank her, and so far as in him lay put her at the mercy of her foes. Are not you then a charlatan? Yes, and a vile one too. Are not you a speech-writer? Yes, and an unprincipled one to boot. You passed over the speech that you so often spoke on the stage, and knew by heart; you hunted up rant that in all your career you had never declaimed in character, and revived it for the undoing of your own fellow-citizen.

> Greek: 250. τούτων οὐδὲν ἐσκέψατο, οὐδʼ ὅπως ὀρθὴ πλεύσεται προείδετο, ἀλλʼ ἀνέτρεψε καὶ κατέδυσε καὶ τὸ καθʼ αὑτὸν ὅπως ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἔσται παρεσκεύασεν. εἶτʼ οὐ σὺ σοφιστής; καὶ πονηρός γε. οὐ σὺ λογογράφος; καὶ θεοῖς ἐχθρός γε· ὃς ἃ μὲν πολλάκις ἠγωνίσω καὶ ἀκριβῶς ἐξηπίστασο, ὑπερέβης, ἃ δʼ οὐδεπώποτʼ ἐν τῷ βίῳ ὑπεκρίνω, ταῦτα ζητήσας ἐπὶ τῷ τῶν πολιτῶν βλάψαι τινʼ εἰς μέσον ἤνεγκας.

## 6. Sections 251–295

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/6/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/6/#p-N

[¶0] 251. Let us now turn to his remarks about Solon. By way of censure and reproach of the impetuous style of Timarchus, he alleged that a statue of Solon, with his robe drawn round him and his hand enfolded, had been set up to exemplify the self-restraint of the popular orators of that generation. People who live at Salamis, however, inform us that this statue was erected less than fifty years ago. Now from the age of Solon to the present day about two hundred and forty years have elapsed, so that the sculptor who designed that disposition of drapery had not lived in Solon’s time,—nor even his grand-father.

> Greek: 251. φέρε δὴ καὶ περὶ τοῦ Σόλωνος ὃν εἶπε λόγον σκέψασθε. ἔφη τὸν Σόλωνʼ ἀνακεῖσθαι τῆς τῶν τότε δημηγορούντων σωφροσύνης παράδειγμα, εἴσω τὴν χεῖρʼ ἔχοντʼ ἀναβεβλημένον, ἐπιπλήττων τι καὶ λοιδορούμενος τῇ τοῦ Τιμάρχου προπετείᾳ. καίτοι τὸν μὲν ἀνδριάντα τοῦτον οὔπω πεντήκοντʼ ἔτη φάσʼ ἀνακεῖσθαι Σαλαμίνιοι, ἀπὸ Σόλωνος δʼ ὁμοῦ διακόσιʼ ἐστὶν ἔτη καὶ τετταράκοντʼ εἰς τὸν νυνὶ παρόντα χρόνον, ὥσθʼ ὁ δημιουργὸς ὁ τοῦτο πλάσας τὸ σχῆμα οὐ μόνον οὐκ αὐτὸς ἦν κατʼ ἐκεῖνον, ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὁ πάππος αὐτοῦ.

[¶1] 252. He illustrated his remarks by representing to the jury the attitude of the statue; but his mimicry did not include what, politically, would have been much more profitable than an attitude,—a view of Solon’s spirit and purpose, so widely different from his own. When Salamis had revolted, and the Athenian people had forbidden under penalty of death any proposal for its recovery, Solon, accepting the risk of death, composed and recited an elegiac poem, and so retrieved that country for Athens and removed a standing dishonor.

> Greek: 252. τοῦτο μὲν τοίνυν εἶπε τοῖς δικασταῖς καὶ ἐμιμήσατο· ὃ δὲ τοῦ σχήματος ἦν τούτου πολλῷ τῇ πόλει λυσιτελέστερον, τὸ τὴν ψυχὴν τὴν Σόλωνος ἰδεῖν καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν, ταύτην οὐκ ἐμιμήσατο, ἀλλὰ πᾶν τοὐναντίον. ἐκεῖνος μέν γʼ ἀφεστηκυίας Σαλαμῖνος Ἀθηναίων καὶ θάνατον ζημίαν ψηφισαμένων, ἄν τις εἴπῃ κομίζεσθαι, τὸν ἴδιον κίνδυνον ὑποθεὶς ἐλεγεῖα ποιήσας ᾖδε, καὶ τὴν μὲν χώραν ⟨ἀν⟩έσωσε τῇ πόλει, τὴν δʼ ὑπάρχουσαν αἰσχύνην ἀπήλλαξεν·

[¶2] 253. Aeschines, on the other hand, gave away and sold Amphipolis, a city which the King of Persia and all Greece recognized as yours, speaking in support of the resolution moved by Philocrates. It was highly becoming in him, was it not to remind us of Solon? Not content with this performance at home, he went to Macedonia, and never mentioned the place with which his mission was concerned. So he stated in his own report, for no doubt you remember how he said “I, too, had something to say about Amphipolis, but I left it out to give Demosthenes a chance of dealing with that subject.”

> Greek: 253. οὗτος δʼ, ἣν βασιλεὺς καὶ πάντες οἱ Ἕλληνες ὑμετέραν ἔγνωσαν, Ἀμφίπολιν, ταύτην ἐξέδωκε καὶ ἀπέδοτο καὶ τῷ ταῦτα γράφοντι συνεῖπε Φιλοκράτει. ἄξιόν γʼ, οὐ γάρ; ἦν Σόλωνος αὐτῷ μεμνῆσθαι. καὶ οὐ μόνον ἐνταῦθα ταῦτʼ ἐποίησεν, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖσʼ ἐλθὼν οὐδὲ τοὔνομʼ ἐφθέγξατο τῆς χώρας ὑπὲρ ἧς ἐπρέσβευεν. καὶ ταῦτʼ αὐτὸς ἀπήγγειλε πρὸς ὑμᾶς· μέμνησθε γὰρ δήπου λέγοντʼ αὐτὸν ὅτι περὶ δʼ Ἀμφιπόλεως εἶχον μὲν κἀγὼ λέγειν· ἵνα δʼ ἐγγένηται Δημοσθένει περὶ αὐτῆς εἰπεῖν, παρέλιπον.

[¶3] 254. I rose and told you that he had never once left to me anything that he wanted to say to Philip: he would sooner give a man a share of his life-blood than a share of his speech. The truth is that, having accepted money, he could hardly confront Philip, who gave him the money on purpose that he might not restore Amphipolis. Now, please, take and read these elegiac verses of Solon, to show the jury how Solon detested people like the defendant.

> Greek: 254. ἐγὼ δὲ παρελθὼν οὐδὲν ἔφην τοῦτον ὧν ἐβούλετʼ εἰπεῖν πρὸς Φίλιππον ἐμοὶ παραλιπεῖν· θᾶττον γὰρ ἂν τοῦ αἵματος ἢ λόγου μεταδοῦναί τινι. ἀλλʼ, οἶμαι, χρήματʼ εἰληφότʼ οὐκ ἦν ἀντιλέγειν πρὸς Φίλιππον τὸν ὑπὲρ τούτου δεδωκότα, ὅπως ἐκείνην μὴ ἀποδῷ. λέγε δή μοι λαβὼν καὶ τὰ τοῦ Σόλωνος ἐλεγεῖα ταυτί, ἵνʼ ἴδηθʼ ὅτι καὶ Σόλων ἐμίσει τοὺς οἵους οὗτος ἀνθρώπους.

[¶4] 255. What we require, Aeschines, is not oratory with enfolded hands, but diplomacy with enfolded hands. But in Macedonia you held out your hands, turned them palm upwards, and brought shame upon your countrymen, and then here at home you talk magniloquently; you practise and declaim some miserable fustian, and think to escape the due penalty of your heinous crimes, if you only don your little skull-cap, take your constitutional, and abuse me. Now read.
Solon’s Elegiacs
Not by the doom of Zeus, who ruleth all,
Not by the curse of Heaven shall Athens fall.
Strong in her Sire, above the favored land
Pallas Athene lifts her guardian hand.
No; her own citizens with counsels vain
Shall work her rain in their quest of gain;
Dishonest demagogues her folk misguide,
Foredoomed to suffer for their guilty pride.
Their reckless greed, insatiate of delight,
Knows not to taste the frugal feast aright;
Th’ unbridled lust of gold, their only care,
Nor public wealth nor wealth divine will spare.
Now here, now there, they raven, rob and seize,
Heedless of Justice and her stern decrees,
Who silently the present and the past
Reviews, whose slow revenge o’ertakes at last.
On every home the swift contagion falls,
Till servitude a free-born race enthralls.
Now faction reigns now wakes the sword of strife,
And comely youth shall pay its toll of life;
We waste our strength in conflict with our kin,
And soon our gates shall let the foeman in.
Such woes the factious nation shall endure;
A fate more hard awaits the hapless poor;
For them, enslaved, bound with insulting chains,
Captivity in alien lands remains.
To every hearth the public curse extends;
The courtyard gate no longer safety lends;
Death leaps the wall, nor shall he shun the doom
Who flies for safety to his inmost room.
Ye men of Athens, listen while I show
How many ills from lawless licence flow.
Respect for Law shall check your rising lust,
Humble the haughty, fetter the unjust,
Make the rough places plain, bid envy cease,
Wither infatuation’s fell increase,
Make crooked judgement straight, the works prevent
Of insolence and sullen discontent,
And quench the fires of strife. In Law we find
The wisdom and perfection of Mankind.

> Greek: 255. οὐ λέγειν εἴσω τὴν χεῖρʼ ἔχοντʼ, Αἰσχίνη, δεῖ, οὔ, ἀλλὰ πρεσβεύειν εἴσω τὴν χεῖρʼ ἔχοντα. σὺ δʼ ἐκεῖ προτείνας καὶ ὑποσχὼν καὶ καταισχύνας τούτους ἐνθάδε σεμνολογεῖ, καὶ λογάρια δύστηνα μελετήσας καὶ φωνασκήσας οὐκ οἴει δίκην δώσειν τηλικούτων καὶ τοσούτων ἀδικημάτων, κἂν πιλίδιον λαβὼν περὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν περινοστῇς καὶ ἐμοὶ λοιδορῇ; λέγε σύ. ΕΛΕΓΕΙ͂Α. ἡμετέρη δὲ πόλις κατὰ μὲν Διὸς οὔποτʼ ὀλεῖται
αἶσαν καὶ μακάρων θεῶν φρένας ἀθανάτων·
τοίη γὰρ μεγάθυμος ἐπίσκοπος ὀβριμοπάτρη
Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη χεῖρας ὕπερθεν ἔχει.
αὐτοὶ δὲ φθείρειν μεγάλην πόλιν ἀφραδίῃσιν
ἀστοὶ βούλονται, χρήμασι πειθόμενοι,
δήμου θʼ ἡγεμόνων ἄδικος νόος, οἷσιν ἑτοῖμον
ὕβριος ἐκ μεγάλης ἄλγεα πολλὰ παθεῖν.
οὐ γὰρ ἐπίστανται κατέχειν κόρον, οὐδὲ παρούσας
εὐφροσύνας κοσμεῖν δαιτὸς ἐν ἡσυχίῃ.
…
πλουτοῦσιν δʼ ἀδίκοις ἔργμασι πειθόμενοι.
…
οὔθʼ ἱερῶν κτεάνων οὔτε τι δημοσίων
φειδόμενοι κλέπτουσιν ἐφʼ ἁρπαγῇ ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος,
οὐδὲ φυλάσσονται σεμνὰ θέμεθλα Δίκης,
ἣ σιγῶσα σύνοιδε τὰ γιγνόμενα πρό τʼ ἐόντα,
τῷ δὲ χρόνῳ πάντως ἦλθʼ ἀποτεισομένη.
τοῦτʼ ἤδη πάσῃ πόλει ἔρχεται ἕλκος ἄφυκτον,
εἰς δὲ κακὴν ταχέως ἤλυθε δουλοσύνην,
ἢ στάσιν ἔμφυλον πόλεμόν θʼ εὕδοντʼ ἐπεγείρει,
ὃς πολλῶν ἐρατὴν ὤλεσεν ἡλικίην.
ἐκ γὰρ δυσμενέων ταχέως πολυήρατον ἄστυ
τρύχεται ἐν συνόδοις τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι φίλαις.
ταῦτα μὲν ἐν δήμῳ στρέφεται κακά· τῶν δὲ πενιχρῶν
ἱκνοῦνται πολλοὶ γαῖαν ἐς ἀλλοδαπήν,
πραθέντες δεσμοῖσί τʼ ἀεικελίοισι δεθέντες.
…
οὕτω δημόσιον κακὸν ἔρχεται οἴκαδʼ ἑκάστῳ,
αὔλειοι δʼ ἔτʼ ἔχειν οὐκ ἐθέλουσι θύραι,
ὑψηλὸν δʼ ὑπὲρ ἕρκος ὑπέρθορεν, εὗρε δὲ πάντως,
εἰ καί τις φεύγων ἐν μυχῷ ᾖ θαλάμου.
ταῦτα διδάξαι θυμὸς Ἀθηναίους με κελεύει,
ὡς κακὰ πλεῖστα πόλει δυσνομίη παρέχει,
εὐνομίη δʼ εὔκοσμα καὶ ἄρτια πάντʼ ἀποφαίνει,
καὶ θαμὰ τοῖς ἀδίκοις ἀμφιτίθησι πέδας,
τραχέα λειαίνει, παύει κόρον, ὕβριν ἀμαυροῖ,
αὐαίνει δʼ ἄτης ἄνθεα φυόμενα,
εὐθύνει δὲ δίκας σκολιάς, ὑπερήφανά τʼ ἔργα
πραΰνει, παύει δʼ ἔργα διχοστασίης,
παύει δʼ ἀργαλέης ἔριδος χόλον· ἔστι δʼ ὑπʼ αὐτῆς
πάντα κατʼ ἀνθρώπους ἄρτια καὶ πινυτά.

[¶5] 256. You have heard, men of Athens, what Solon says of men of such character, and of the gods who protect our city. That saying about the protection of our city by the gods is, as I hope and firmly believe, eternally true; and in a manner I think that even the events of this scrutiny furnish the commonwealth with a new example of the divine favor.

> Greek: 256. ἀκούετʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, περὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἀνθρώπων οἷα Σόλων λέγει, καὶ περὶ τῶν θεῶν, οὕς φησι τὴν πόλιν σῴζειν. ἐγὼ δʼ ἀεὶ μὲν ἀληθῆ τὸν λόγον τοῦτον ἡγοῦμαι καὶ βούλομαι, ὡς ἄρʼ οἱ θεοὶ σῴζουσιν ἡμῶν τὴν πόλιν· τρόπον δέ τινʼ ἡγοῦμαι καὶ τὰ νῦν συμβεβηκότα πάντʼ ἐπὶ ταῖς εὐθύναις ταυταισὶ δαιμονίας τινὸς εὐνοίας ἔνδειγμα τῇ πόλει γεγενῆσθαι.

[¶6] 257. For consider this: a man who had scandalously misconducted his embassy, and who had given away whole provinces in which the gods should have been worshipped by you and your allies, disfranchised one who had prosecuted him at duty’s call. And all for what? That he himself may win neither compassion nor indulgence for his own transgressions. Moreover, in accusing him, he went out of his way to speak evil of me, and again at the Assembly he declared he would lay an indictment, with other such threats. And why? In order that you may extend your best indulgence to me when I, who have the most accurate knowledge of his villainies, and have watched him closely throughout, appear as his prosecutor.

> Greek: 257. σκοπεῖτε γάρ. ἄνθρωπος πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ πρεσβεύσας, καὶ χώρας ἐκδεδωκὼς ἐν αἷς τοὺς θεοὺς ὑφʼ ὑμῶν καὶ τῶν συμμάχων τιμᾶσθαι προσῆκεν, ἠτίμωσʼ ὑπακούσαντά τινʼ αὐτοῦ κατήγορον. ἵνα τί; ἵνα μήτʼ ἐλέου μήτε συγγνώμης ἐφʼ οἷς αὐτὸς ἠδίκηκεν τύχῃ. ἀλλὰ καὶ κατηγορῶν ἐκείνου κακῶς λέγειν προείλετʼ ἐμέ, καὶ πάλιν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ γραφὰς ἀποίσειν καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἠπείλει. ἵνα τί; ἵνʼ ὡς μετὰ πλείστης συγγνώμης παρʼ ὑμῶν ὁ τὰ τούτου πονηρεύματʼ ἀκριβέστατʼ εἰδὼς ἐγὼ καὶ παρηκολουθηκὼς ἅπασι κατηγορῶ.

[¶7] 258. Again, thanks to his continual evasions, he has at last been brought to trial at the very moment when, for the sake of the future if for no other reason, you cannot possibly, or consistently with your own security, allow a man so steeped in corruption to go scot-free; for, while it is always your duty, men of Athens, to abhor and to chastise traitors and bribe-mongers, a conviction at this crisis will be peculiarly seasonable and profitable to all mankind.

> Greek: 258. ἀλλὰ καὶ διακρουόμενος πάντα τὸν ἔμπροσθεν χρόνον εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τοιοῦτον ὑπῆκται καιρὸν ἐν ᾧ τῶν ἐπιόντων ἕνεκα, εἰ μηδενὸς ἄλλου, οὐχ οἷόν τʼ οὐδʼ ἀσφαλὲς ὑμῖν δεδωροδοκηκότα τοῦτον ἀθῷον ἐᾶσαι· ἀεὶ μὲν γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, προσήκει μισεῖν καὶ κολάζειν τοὺς προδότας καὶ δωροδόκους, μάλιστα δὲ νῦν ἐπὶ καιροῦ τοῦτο γένοιτʼ ἂν καὶ πάντας ὠφελήσειεν ἀνθρώπους κοινῇ.

[¶8] 259. A strange and distressing epidemic, men of Athens, has invaded all Greece, calling for extraordinary good fortune, and for the most anxious treatment on your part. The magnates of the several cities, who are entrusted with political authority, are betraying their own independence, unhappy men! They are imposing on themselves a servitude of their own choosing, disguising it by specious names, as the friendship of Philip, fraternity, good-fellowship, and such flummery. The rest of the people, and all the various authorities of the several states, instead of chastising these persons and putting them to death on the spot, as they ought, are filled with admiration and envy, and would all like to be Philip’s friends too.

> Greek: 259. νόσημα γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δεινὸν ἐμπέπτωκεν εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα, καὶ χαλεπὸν καὶ πολλῆς τινὸς εὐτυχίας καὶ παρʼ ὑμῶν ἐπιμελείας δεόμενον. οἱ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι γνωριμώτατοι καὶ προεστάναι τῶν κοινῶν ἀξιούμενοι, τὴν αὑτῶν προδιδόντες ἐλευθερίαν οἱ δυστυχεῖς, αὐθαίρετον αὑτοῖς ἐπάγονται δουλείαν, Φιλίππῳ ξενίαν καὶ ἑταιρίαν [καὶ φιλίαν] καὶ τοιαῦθʼ ὑποκοριζόμενοι· οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ καὶ τὰ κύριʼ ἅττα ποτʼ ἔστʼ ἐν ἑκάστῃ τῶν πόλεων, οὓς ἔδει τούτους κολάζειν καὶ παραχρῆμʼ ἀποκτιννύναι, τοσοῦτʼ ἀπέχουσι τοῦ τοιοῦτόν τι ποιεῖν ὥστε θαυμάζουσι καὶ ζηλοῦσι καὶ βούλοιντʼ ἂν αὐτὸς ἕκαστος τοιοῦτος εἶναι.

[¶9] 260. Yet this infatuation, this hankering after Philip, men of Athens, until very recently had only destroyed the predominance of the Thessalians and their national prestige, but now it is already sapping their independence, for some of their citadels are actually garrisoned by Macedonians. It has invaded Peloponnesus and caused the massacres at Elis. It infected those unhappy people with such delirious insanity that, to overmaster one another and to gratify Philip, they stained their hands with the blood of their own kindred and fellow-citizens.

> Greek: 260. καίτοι τοῦτο τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ζηλώματα Θετταλῶν μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μέχρι μὲν χθὲς ἢ πρώην τὴν ἡγεμονίαν καὶ τὸ κοινὸν ἀξίωμʼ ἀπωλωλέκει, νῦν δʼ ἤδη καὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν παραιρεῖται· τὰς γὰρ ἀκροπόλεις αὐτῶν ἐνίων Μακεδόνες φρουροῦσιν· εἰς Πελοπόννησον δʼ εἰσελθὸν τὰς ἐν Ἤλιδι σφαγὰς πεποίηκε, καὶ τοσαύτης παρανοίας καὶ μανίας ἐνέπλησε τοὺς ταλαιπώρους ἐκείνους ὥσθʼ, ἵνʼ ἀλλήλων ἄρχωσι καὶ Φιλίππῳ χαρίζωνται, συγγενεῖς αὑτῶν καὶ πολίτας μιαιφονεῖν.

[¶10] 261. It has not stopped there. It has entered Arcadia, and turned Arcadian politics upside down; and now many of that nation, who ought to pride themselves as highly as you upon their independence—for you and they are the only indigenous peoples in Greece—admire Philip, set up his effigy in bronze, decorate it with garlands, and, to crown all, have enacted a decree that, if he ever visits Peloponnesus, he shall be made welcome within their walls. The Argives have followed their example.

> Greek: 261. καὶ οὐδʼ ἐνταῦθʼ ἕστηκεν, ἀλλʼ εἰς Ἀρκαδίαν εἰσελθὸν πάντʼ ἄνω καὶ κάτω τἀκεῖ πεποίηκε, καὶ νῦν Ἀρκάδων πολλοί, προσῆκον αὐτοῖς ἐπʼ ἐλευθερίᾳ μέγιστον φρονεῖν ὁμοίως ὑμῖν (μόνοι γὰρ πάντων αὐτόχθονες ὑμεῖς ἐστε κἀκεῖνοι) Φίλιππον θαυμάζουσι καὶ χαλκοῦν ἱστᾶσι καὶ στεφανοῦσι, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον, ἂν εἰς Πελοπόννησον ἴῃ, δέχεσθαι ταῖς πόλεσιν εἰσὶν ἐψηφισμένοι.

[¶11] 262. Holy Mother Earth! if I am to speak as a sane man, we stand in need of the utmost vigilance, when this infection, moving in its circuit, has invaded our own city. Therefore take your precautions now, while we are still secure. Let the men who have brought it here be punished with infamy. If not, beware lest you discern the wisdom of my words too late, when you have lost the power of doing what you ought.

> Greek: 262. ταὐτὰ δὲ ταῦτʼ Ἀργεῖοι. ταῦτα νὴ τὴν Δήμητρα, εἰ δεῖ μὴ ληρεῖν, εὐλαβείας οὐ μικρᾶς δεῖται, ὡς βαδίζον γε κύκλῳ καὶ δεῦρʼ ἐλήλυθεν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὸ νόσημα τοῦτο. ἕως οὖν ἔτʼ ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ, φυλάξασθε καὶ τοὺς πρώτους εἰσαγαγόντας ἀτιμώσατε· εἰ δὲ μή, σκοπεῖθʼ ὅπως μὴ τηνικαῦτʼ εὖ λέγεσθαι δόξει τὰ νῦν εἰρημένα, ὅτʼ οὐδʼ ὅ τι χρὴ ποιεῖν ἕξετε.

[¶12] 263. Do you not see, men of Athens, what a conspicuous and striking example is offered by those miserable Olynthians, who owe their rain, unhappy men, to nothing so much as to such conduct as I have described? You may easily discover the truth by a review of their experience. At the time when their cavalry was only four hundred strong, and their whole force numbered no more than five thousand, for there was then no coalition of all the Chalcidians, they were invaded by the Lacedaemonians with a large force, both naval and military; and you will remember that in those days the Lacedaemonians may be said to have held command both of land and of sea. Yet in spite of the strength of the attacking force, they never lost a town or even an outpost, they won many engagements, they slew three of the enemy commanders, and finally brought the war to an end on their own terms.

> Greek: 263. οὐχ ὁρᾶθʼ ὡς ἐναργές, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ σαφὲς παράδειγμʼ οἱ ταλαίπωροι γεγόνασιν Ὀλύνθιοι; οἳ παρʼ οὐδὲν οὕτως ὡς τὸ τοιαῦτα ποιεῖν ἀπολώλασιν οἱ δείλαιοι. ἔχοιτε δʼ ἂν ἐξετάσαι καθαρῶς ἐκ τῶν συμβεβηκότων αὐτοῖς. ἐκεῖνοι γάρ, ἡνίκα μὲν τετρακοσίους ἱππέας ἐκέκτηντο μόνον καὶ σύμπαντες οὐδὲν ἦσαν πλείους πεντακισχιλίων τὸν ἀριθμόν, οὔπω Χαλκιδέων πάντων εἰς ἓν συνῳκισμένων, Λακεδαιμονίων ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐλθόντων πολλῇ καὶ πεζῇ καὶ ναυτικῇ δυνάμει (ἴστε γὰρ δήπου τοῦθʼ ὅτι γῆς καὶ θαλάττης ἦρχον ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν Λακεδαιμόνιοι κατʼ ἐκείνους τοὺς χρόνους), ἀλλʼ ὅμως τηλικαύτης ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐλθούσης δυνάμεως οὔτε τὴν πόλιν οὔτε φρούριον οὐδὲν ἀπώλεσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μάχας πολλὰς ἐκράτησαν καὶ τρεῖς τῶν πολεμάρχων ἀπέκτειναν καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον, ὅπως ἐβούλοντο, οὕτω τὸν πόλεμον κατέθεντο.

[¶13] 265. But when some of them began to accept bribes, when the populace was so stupid, or, let us say, so unlucky, as to give more credence to those persons than to patriotic speakers, when Lasthenes had roofed his house with timber sent as a present from Macedonia, and Euthycrates was keeping a large herd of cattle for which he had paid nothing to anybody, when one man returned home with a flock of sheep and another with a stud of horses, when the masses, whose interests were endangered, instead of being angry and demanding the punishment of the traitors, stared at them, envied them, honored them, and thought them fine fellows,— when, I say, the business had gone so far as that, and corruption had won the day, then, though they numbered more than ten thousand and had a thousand cavalry, though all their neighbors were in alliance with them, though you came to their aid with ten thousand mercenaries, fifty war-galleys, and four thousand of your citizen-force, nothing could save them.

> Greek: 265. ἐπειδὴ δὲ δωροδοκεῖν ἤρξαντό τινες, καὶ διʼ ἀβελτερίαν οἱ πολλοί, μᾶλλον δὲ διὰ δυστυχίαν, τούτους πιστοτέρους ἡγήσαντο τῶν ὑπὲρ αὑτῶν λεγόντων, καὶ Λασθένης μὲν ἤρεψε τὴν οἰκίαν τοῖς ἐκ Μακεδονίας ξύλοις, Εὐθυκράτης δὲ βοῦς ἔτρεφεν πολλὰς τιμὴν οὐδενὶ δούς, ἕτερος δέ τις ἧκεν ἔχων πρόβατα, ἄλλος δέ τις ἵππους, οἱ δὲ πολλοί, [καὶ] καθʼ ὧν ταῦτʼ ἐγίγνετο, οὐχ ὅπως ὠργίζοντο ἢ κολάζειν ἠξίουν τοὺς ταῦτα ποιοῦντας, ἀλλʼ ἀπέβλεπον, ἐζήλουν, ἐτίμων, ἄνδρας ἡγοῦντο·

[¶14] 266. Before the war had lasted a year they had lost every town in Chalcidice through treachery, and Philip could no longer pay any attention to the traitors, and hardly knew what to capture first. He took five hundred horsemen with all their equipment by the treason of their officers—a number beyond all precedent. The perpetrators of that infamy were not put to the blush by the sun that shone on their shame or by the soil of their native land on which they stood, by temples or by sepulchres, by the ignominy that waited on their deeds: such madness, men of Athens, such obliquity, does corruption engender! Therefore it behoves you, you the commonalty of Athens, to keep your senses, to refuse toleration to such practices, and to visit them with public retribution. For indeed it would be monstrous if, after passing so stern a decree of censure upon the men who betrayed the Olynthians, you should have no chastisement for those who repeat their iniquity in your own midst. Read the decree concerning the Olynthians. (The Decree is read) Gentlemen of the jury, by the universal judgement of Greeks and barbarians alike, you acted well and righteously in passing this vote of censure upon traitors and reprobates.

> Greek: 266. ἐπειδὴ ταῦθʼ οὕτω προήγετο καὶ τὸ δωροδοκεῖν ἐκράτησε, χιλίους μὲν ἱππέας κεκτημένοι, πλείους δʼ ὄντες ἢ μύριοι, πάντας δὲ τοὺς περιχώρους ἔχοντες συμμάχους, μυρίοις δὲ ξένοις καὶ τριήρεσι πεντήκονθʼ ὑμῶν βοηθησάντων αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἔτι τῶν πολιτῶν τετρακισχιλίοις, οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς τούτων ἐδυνήθη σῶσαι, ἀλλὰ πρὶν μὲν ἐξελθεῖν ἐνιαυτὸν τοῦ πολέμου τὰς πόλεις ἁπάσας ἀπωλωλέκεσαν τὰς ἐν τῇ Χαλκιδικῇ [προδιδόντες], καὶ Φίλιππος οὐκέτʼ εἶχεν ὑπακούειν τοῖς προδιδοῦσιν, οὐδʼ [εἶχεν] ὅ τι πρῶτον λάβῃ. πεντακοσίους δʼ ἱππέας προδοθέντας ὑπʼ αὐτῶν τῶν ἡγουμένων ἔλαβεν αὐτοῖς ὅπλοις ὁ Φίλιππος, ὅσους οὐδεὶς πώποτʼ ἄλλος ἀνθρώπων. καὶ οὔτε τὸν ἥλιον ᾐσχύνονθʼ οἱ ταῦτα ποιοῦντες οὔτε τὴν γῆν πατρίδʼ οὖσαν, ἐφʼ ἧς ἕστασαν, οὔθʼ ἱερὰ οὔτε τάφους οὔτε τὴν μετὰ ταῦτα γενησομένην αἰσχύνην ἐπὶ τοιούτοις ἔργοις· οὕτως ἔκφρονας, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ παραπλῆγας τὸ δωροδοκεῖν ποιεῖ. ὑμᾶς οὖν, ὑμᾶς εὖ φρονεῖν δεῖ τοὺς πολλούς, καὶ μὴ ἐπιτρέπειν τὰ τοιαῦτα, ἀλλὰ κολάζειν δημοσίᾳ. καὶ γὰρ ἂν καὶ ὑπερφυὲς εἴη, εἰ κατὰ μὲν τῶν Ὀλυνθίους προδόντων πολλὰ καὶ δείνʼ ἐψηφίσασθε, τοὺς δὲ παρʼ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς ἀδικοῦντας μὴ κολάζοντες φαίνοισθε. λέγε τὸ ψήφισμα τὸ περὶ τῶν Ὀλυνθίων. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ.

[¶15] 268. Therefore, inasmuch as bribe-taking is the forerunner of such treasons, and for the sake of bribes men commit them, whenever, men of Athens, you see any man taking bribes, you may be sure that he is also a traitor. If one man betrays opportunities, another negotiations, another soldiery, each one is making havoc of the business he controls, and all alike deserve your reprobation.

> Greek: 268. ταῦθʼ ὑμεῖς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, ὀρθῶς καὶ καλῶς πᾶσιν Ἕλλησι καὶ βαρβάροις δοκεῖτʼ ἐψηφίσθαι κατʼ ἀνδρῶν προδοτῶν καὶ θεοῖς ἐχθρῶν. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν τὸ δωροδοκεῖν πρότερον τοῦ τὰ τοιαῦτα ποιεῖν ἐστι καὶ διʼ ἐκεῖνο καὶ τάδε πράττουσί τινες, ὃν ἄν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δωροδοκοῦντʼ ἴδητε, τοῦτον καὶ προδότην εἶναι νομίζετε. εἰ δʼ ὁ μὲν καιρούς, ὁ δὲ πράγματα, ὁ δὲ στρατιώτας προδίδωσιν, ὧν ἂν ἕκαστος, οἶμαι, κύριος γένηται, ταῦτα διαφθείρει· μισεῖν δʼ ὁμοίως τοὺς τοιούτους πάντας προσήκει.

[¶16] 269. In dealing with them you, men of Athens, and you alone among the nations of the world, can find examples to imitate in your own history, and may emulate in act the forefathers whom you justly commend. For if at the present time you are at peace, and cannot emulate the battles, the campaigns, the hazards of war, in which they won renown, you may at least imitate their sound judgement.

> Greek: 269. ἔστι δʼ ὑμῖν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, περὶ τούτων μόνοις τῶν πάντων ἀνθρώπων οἰκείοις χρῆσθαι παραδείγμασι, καὶ τοὺς προγόνους, οὓς ἐπαινεῖτε δικαίως, ἔργῳ μιμεῖσθαι. καὶ γὰρ εἰ μὴ τὰς μάχας μηδὲ τὰς στρατείας μηδὲ τοὺς κινδύνους, ἐν οἷς ἦσαν ἐκεῖνοι λαμπροί, συμβαίνει καιρός, ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ἡσυχίαν ὑμεῖς ἐν τῷ παρόντι, ἀλλὰ τό γʼ εὖ φρονεῖν αὐτῶν μιμεῖσθε.

[¶17] 270. That is wanted in all circumstances; and an honest judgement costs you no more pains and vexation than a vicious judgement. Each of you will sit in this court for just as long a time, whether, by reaching a right decision and giving a right verdict upon this case, he amends the condition of the commonwealth and does credit to his ancestry, or, by a wrong decision, impairs that condition and dishonors that ancestry. What, then, was their judgement in such a case?—Clerk, take this and read it.—For I would have you know that you are treating with indifference offences such as your forefathers once punished with death. (A Public Inscription is read) You hear, men of Athens, the record which declares Arthmius, son of Pythonax, of Zelea, to be enemy and foeman of the Athenian people and their allies, him and all his kindred.

> Greek: 270. τούτου γὰρ πανταχοῦ χρεία, καὶ οὐδέν ἐστι πραγματωδέστερον οὐδʼ ὀχληρότερον τὸ καλῶς φρονεῖν τοῦ κακῶς, ἀλλʼ ἐν τῷ ἴσῳ χρόνῳ νυνὶ καθήμενος ὑμῶν ἕκαστος, ἂν μὲν ἃ χρὴ γιγνώσκῃ περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων καὶ ψηφίζηται, βελτίω τὰ κοινὰ ποιήσει τῇ πόλει καὶ ἄξια τῶν προγόνων πράξει, ἂν δʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ, φαυλότερα, καὶ ἀνάξια τῶν προγόνων ποιήσει. τί οὖν ἐκεῖνοι περὶ τούτων ἐφρόνουν; ταυτὶ λαβὼν ἀνάγνωθι, γραμματεῦ· δεῖ γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἰδεῖν ὅτι ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις ἔργοις ῥᾳθυμεῖτε, ὧν θάνατον κατεγνώκασιν οἱ πρόγονοι. λέγε. ΣΤΗΛΗ.

[¶18] 271. His offence was conveying gold from barbarians to Greeks. Hence, apparently, we may conclude that your ancestors were anxious to prevent any man, even an alien, taking rewards to do injury to Greece; but you take no thought to discountenance wrongs done by your own citizens to your own city.

> Greek: 271. ἀκούετʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῶν γραμμάτων λεγόντων Ἄρθμιον τὸν Πυθώνακτος τὸν Ζελείτην ἐχθρὸν εἶναι καὶ πολέμιον τοῦ δήμου τοῦ Ἀθηναίων καὶ τῶν συμμάχων αὐτὸν καὶ γένος πᾶν. διὰ τί; ὅτι τὸν χρυσὸν τὸν ἐκ τῶν βαρβάρων εἰς τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἤγαγεν. οὐκοῦν ἔστιν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἐκ τούτων ἰδεῖν ὅτι οἱ πρόγονοι μὲν ὑμῶν, ὅπως μηδʼ ἄλλος ἀνθρώπων μηδεὶς ἐπὶ χρήμασι μηδὲν ἐργάσεται κακὸν τὴν Ἑλλάδα, ἐφρόντιζον, ὑμεῖς δʼ οὐδὲ τὴν πόλιν αὐτὴν ὅπως μηδεὶς τῶν πολιτῶν ἀδικήσει προορᾶσθε.

[¶19] 272. Does anyone say that this inscription has been set up just anywhere? No; although the whole of our citadel is a holy place, and although its area is so large, the inscription stands at the right hand beside the great brazen Athene which was dedicated by the state as a memorial of victory in the Persian war, at the expense of the Greeks. In those days, therefore, justice was so venerable, and the punishment of these crimes so meritorious, that the retribution of such offenders was honored with the same position as Pallas Athene’s own prize of victory. Today we have instead—mockery, impunity, dishonor, unless you restrain the licence of these men.

> Greek: 272. νὴ Δίʼ, ἀλλʼ ὅπως ἔτυχεν ταῦτα τὰ γράμμαθʼ ἕστηκεν. ἀλλʼ ὅλης οὔσης ἱερᾶς τῆς ἀκροπόλεως ταυτησὶ καὶ πολλὴν εὐρυχωρίαν ἐχούσης, παρὰ τὴν χαλκῆν τὴν μεγάλην Ἀθηνᾶν ἐκ δεξιᾶς ἕστηκεν, ἣν ἀριστεῖον ἡ πόλις τοῦ πρὸς τοὺς βαρβάρους πολέμου, δόντων τῶν Ἑλλήνων τὰ χρήματα ταῦτα, ἀνέθηκεν. τότε μὲν τοίνυν οὕτω σεμνὸν ἦν τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὸ κολάζειν τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα ποιοῦντας ἔντιμον, ὥστε τῆς αὐτῆς ἠξιοῦτο στάσεως τό τʼ ἀριστεῖον τῆς θεοῦ καὶ αἱ κατὰ τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτʼ ἀδικούντων τιμωρίαι· νῦν δὲ γέλως, ἄδεια, εἰ μὴ τὴν ἄγαν ταύτην ἐξουσίαν σχήσετε νῦν ὑμεῖς.

[¶20] 273. In my judgement, men of Athens, you will do well, not to emulate your forefathers in some one respect alone, but to follow their conduct step by step. I am sure you have all heard the story of their treatment of Callias, son of Hipponicus, who negotiated the celebrated peace under which the King of Persia was not to approach within a day’s ride of the coast, nor sail with a ship of war between the Chelidonian islands and the Blue Rocks. At the inquiry into his conduct they came near to putting him to death, and mulcted him in fifty talents, because he was said to have taken bribes on embassy.

> Greek: 273. νομίζω τοίνυν ὑμᾶς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, οὐ καθʼ ἕν τι μόνον τοὺς προγόνους μιμουμένους ὀρθῶς ἂν ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἔπραττον ἐφεξῆς. ἐκεῖνοι τοίνυν, ὡς ἅπαντες εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι τὸν λόγον τοῦτον ἀκηκόατε, Καλλίαν τὸν Ἱππονίκου ταύτην τὴν ὑπὸ πάντων θρυλουμένην εἰρήνην πρεσβεύσαντα, ἵππου μὲν δρόμον ἡμέρας πεζῇ μὴ καταβαίνειν ἐπὶ τὴν θάλατταν βασιλέα, ἐντὸς δὲ Χελιδονίων καὶ Κυανέων πλοίῳ μακρῷ μὴ πλεῖν, ὅτι δῶρα λαβεῖν ἔδοξε πρεσβεύσας, μικροῦ μὲν ἀπέκτειναν, ἐν δὲ ταῖς εὐθύναις πεντήκοντʼ ἐπράξαντο τάλαντα.

[¶21] 274. Yet no one can cite a more honorable peace made by the city before or since; but that is not what they regarded. They attributed the honorable peace to their own valor and to the high repute of their city, the refusal or acceptance of money to the character of the ambassador; and they expected an honest and incorruptible character in any man who entered the service of the state.

> Greek: 274. καίτοι καλλίω ταύτης εἰρήνην οὔτε πρότερον οὔθʼ ὕστερον οὐδεὶς ἂν εἰπεῖν ἔχοι πεποιημένην τὴν πόλιν. ἀλλʼ οὐ τοῦτʼ ἐσκόπουν. τούτου μὲν γὰρ ἡγοῦντο τὴν αὑτῶν ἀρετὴν καὶ τὴν τῆς πόλεως δόξαν αἰτίαν εἶναι, τοῦ δὲ προῖκʼ ἢ μὴ τὸν τρόπον τοῦ πρεσβευτοῦ· τοῦτον οὖν δίκαιον ἠξίουν παρέχεσθαι καὶ ἀδωροδόκητον τὸν προσιόντα τοῖς κοινοῖς.

[¶22] 275. They held the taking of bribes to be too inimical and unprofitable to the state to be tolerated in any transaction or in any person; but you, men of Athens, having before you a peace which at once has pulled down the walls of your allies and is building up the houses of your ambassadors, which robbed the city of her possessions and earned for them wealth beyond the dreams of avarice, instead of putting them to death of your own accord, wait for the appearance of a prosecutor. You are giving them a trial of words with their evil deeds before your eyes.

> Greek: 275. ἐκεῖνοι μὲν τοίνυν οὕτως ἐχθρὸν ἡγοῦντο τὸ δωροδοκεῖν καὶ ἀλυσιτελὲς τῇ πόλει, ὥστε μήτʼ ἐπὶ πράξεως μηδεμιᾶς μήτʼ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὸς ἐᾶν γίγνεσθαι· ὑμεῖς δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὴν αὐτὴν εἰρήνην ἑορακότες τὰ μὲν τῶν συμμάχων τῶν ὑμετέρων τείχη καθῃρηκυῖαν, τὰς δὲ τῶν πρέσβεων οἰκίας οἰκοδομοῦσαν, καὶ τὰ μὲν τῆς πόλεως κτήματʼ ἀφῃρημένην, τούτοις δʼ ἃ μηδʼ ὄναρ ἤλπισαν πώποτε κτησαμένην, οὐκ αὐτοὶ τούτους ἀπεκτείνατε, ἀλλὰ κατηγόρου προσδεῖσθε, καὶ λόγῳ κρίνεθʼ ὧν ἔργῳ τἀδικήματα πάντες ὁρῶσιν.

[¶23] 276. Yet we need not restrict ourselves to bygone history, or rely upon those ancient precedents in our appeal to retributive justice. Within your own lifetime, in the time of the generation now living, not a few men have been tried and condemned. Passing by other instances, let me recall to your memory one or two men who have been punished by death after an embassy far less mischievous to the city. Please take and read this decree. (The Decree is read) By the terms of this decree, men of Athens, you condemned to death the ambassadors named.

> Greek: 276. οὐ τοίνυν τὰ παλαίʼ ἄν τις ἔχοι μόνον εἰπεῖν καὶ διὰ τούτων τῶν παραδειγμάτων ὑμᾶς ἐπὶ τιμωρίαν παρακαλέσαι· ἀλλʼ ἐφʼ ὑμῶν τουτωνὶ τῶν ἔτι ζώντων [ἀνθρώπων] πολλοὶ δίκην δεδώκασιν, ὧν ἐγὼ τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους παραλείψω, τῶν δʼ ἐκ πρεσβείας, ἣ πολὺ ταύτης ἐλάττω κακὰ τὴν πόλιν εἴργασται, θανάτῳ ζημιωθέντων ἑνὸς ἢ δυοῖν ἐπιμνησθήσομαι. καί μοι λέγε τουτὶ τὸ ψήφισμα λαβών. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ.

[¶24] 277. One of them was Epicrates, who, as I am informed by persons older than myself, was an honest, useful, and popular politician, and one of the men who marched from Peiraeus and restored the democracy. No such consideration availed him; and that was right, for a man who accepts so important a mission is not to be virtuous by halves. He must not use the public confidence he has earned as an opportunity for knavery; his duty is simply to do you no wilful wrong at all.

> Greek: 277. κατὰ τουτὶ τὸ ψήφισμʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῶν πρέσβεων ἐκείνων ὑμεῖς θάνατον κατέγνωτε, ὧν εἷς ἦν Ἐπικράτης, ἀνήρ, ὡς ἐγὼ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἀκούω, σπουδαῖος καὶ πολλὰ χρήσιμος τῇ πόλει, καὶ τῶν ἐκ Πειραιῶς καταγαγόντων τὸν δῆμον καὶ ἄλλως δημοτικός. ἀλλʼ ὅμως οὐδὲν αὐτὸν ὠφέλησε τούτων, δικαίως· οὐ γὰρ ἐφʼ ἡμισείᾳ χρηστὸν εἶναι δεῖ τὸν τὰ τηλικαῦτα διοικεῖν ἀξιοῦντα, οὐδὲ τὸ πιστευθῆναι προλαβόντα παρʼ ὑμῶν εἰς τὸ μείζω δύνασθαι κακουργεῖν καταχρῆσθαι, ἀλλʼ ἁπλῶς μηδὲν ὑμᾶς ἀδικεῖν ἑκόντα.

[¶25] 278. Well, if the present defendants have omitted any single one of the misdeeds for which those persons were sentenced to death, execute me on the spot. Look at the decree: “Whereas the said ambassadors have disobeyed their instructions.” That is the first charge alleged. And did not these men disobey their instructions? Did not the decree say, “for the Athenians and the Allies of the Athenians,” and did not they declare the Phocians to be excluded? Did it not instruct them to swear in the magistrates in the several cities, and did they not swear in only such persons as Philip sent to them? Did not the decree say that they were not to meet Philip alone in any place whatsoever, and did they not continually have private dealings with Philip?

> Greek: 278. εἰ τοίνυν τι τούτοις ἄπρακτόν ἐστι τούτων ἐφʼ οἷς ἐκείνων θάνατος κατέγνωσται, ἔμʼ ἀποκτείνατʼ ἤδη. σκοπεῖτε γάρ. ἐπειδὴ παρὰ τὰ γράμματα φησὶν ἐπρέσβευσαν ἐκεῖνοι. καὶ τοῦτʼ ἔστι τῶν ἐγκλημάτων πρῶτον. οὗτοι δʼ οὐ παρὰ τὰ γράμματα; οὐ τὸ μὲν ψήφισμα Ἀθηναίοις καὶ τοῖς Ἀθηναίων συμμάχοις, οὗτοι δὲ Φωκέας ἐκσπόνδους ἀπέφηναν; οὐ τὸ μὲν ψήφισμα τοὺς ἄρχοντας ὁρκοῦν τοὺς ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν, οὗτοι δʼ, οὓς Φίλιππος αὐτοῖς προσέπεμψε, τούτους ὥρκισαν; οὐ τὸ μὲν ψήφισμα οὐδαμοῦ μόνους ἐντυγχάνειν Φιλίππῳ, οὗτοι δʼ οὐδὲν ἐπαύσαντʼ ἰδίᾳ χρηματίζοντες;

[¶26] 279. “Whereas,” says the old decree, “certain of them are convicted of making untruthful reports to the Council.” Why, these men are convicted of making untruthful reports even to the Assembly. On what evidence?—you remember that brilliant quibble. On the evidence of facts: the report was exactly contradicted by the event. It goes on: “and of sending untruthful dispatches.” So did they. “And of bearing false witness against allies, and of taking bribes.” For “bearing false witness” read “utterly destroying”—a vastly greater injury. But as to their having taken bribes, we should still, if they denied it, have to make the charge good; but since they admit it, surely there should have been a summary arrest and punishment.

> Greek: 279. καὶ ἠλέγχθησάν τινες αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ βουλῇ οὐ τἀληθῆ ἀπαγγέλλοντες. οὗτοι δέ γε κἀν τῷ δήμῳ. καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ; τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ λαμπρόν· ὑπʼ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων· οἷς γὰρ ἀπήγγειλαν οὗτοι, πάντα δήπου γέγονεν τἀναντία. οὐδʼ ἐπιστέλλοντες φησὶ τἀληθῆ. οὐκοῦν οὐδʼ οὗτοι. καὶ καταψευδόμενοι τῶν συμμάχων καὶ δῶρα λαμβάνοντες. ἀντὶ μὲν τοίνυν τοῦ καταψευδόμενοι παντελῶς ἀπολωλεκότες· πολλῷ δὲ δήπου τοῦτο δεινότερον τοῦ καταψεύσασθαι. ἀλλὰ μὴν ὑπέρ γε τοῦ δῶρʼ εἰληφέναι, εἰ μὲν ἠρνοῦντο, ἐλέγχειν λοιπὸν ἂν ἦν, ἐπειδὴ δʼ ὡμολόγουν, ἀπάγειν δήπου προσῆκεν.

[¶27] 280. What follows, men of Athens? Such being the facts, will you, the descendants of these men, some of whom are still living, be content that Epicrates, the champion of democracy, the hero of the march from Peiraeus, should have been degraded and punished; that more recently Thrasybulus, a son of Thrasybulus the great democrat, who restored free government from Phyle, should have paid a fine of ten talents that even a descendant of Harmodius and of the greatest of all your benefactors, the men to whom, in requital of their glorious deeds, you have allotted by statute a share of your libations and drink-offerings in every temple and at every public service, whom, in hymns and in worship, you treat as the equals of gods and demigods,— will you be content that all these men should have been subjected to the inexorable penalty of law; that they should find no succor in mercy or compassion, in weeping children bearing honored names, or in any other plea?

> Greek: 280. τί οὖν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι; τούτων οὕτως ἐχόντων, ὑμεῖς ⟨ἐξ⟩ ἐκείνων τῶν ἀνδρῶν ὄντες, οἱ δὲ καὶ τινὲς αὐτῶν ἔτι ζῶντες, ὑπομενεῖτε τὸν μὲν εὐεργέτην τοῦ δήμου καὶ τὸν ἐκ Πειραιῶς, Ἐπικράτην, ἐκπεσεῖν καὶ κολασθῆναι; καὶ πάλιν πρώην Θρασύβουλον ἐκεῖνον τὸν Θρασυβούλου τοῦ δημοτικοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἀπὸ Φυλῆς καταγαγόντος τὸν δῆμον, τάλαντα δέκʼ ὠφληκέναι, καὶ τὸν ἀφʼ Ἁρμοδίου καὶ τῶν τὰ μέγιστʼ ἀγάθʼ ὑμᾶς εἰργασμένων, οὓς νόμῳ διὰ τὰς εὐεργεσίας ἃς ὑπῆρξαν εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἅπασι τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις σπονδῶν καὶ κρατήρων κοινωνοὺς πεποίησθε, καὶ ᾁδετε καὶ τιμᾶτʼ ἐξ ἴσου τοῖς ἥρωσι καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς, τούτους μὲν πάντας τὴν ἐκ τῶν νόμων δίκην ὑπεσχηκέναι, καὶ μήτε συγγνώμην μήτʼ ἔλεον μήτε παιδία κλάονθʼ ὁμώνυμα τῶν εὐεργετῶν μήτʼ ἄλλο μηδὲν αὐτοὺς ὠφεληκέναι·

[¶28] 281. And then, when you have in your power a son of Atrometus the dominie, and of Glaucothea, the fuglewoman of those bacchanalian routs for which another priestess suffered death, will you release the son of such parents, a man who has never been of the slightest use to the commonwealth, neither he, nor his father, nor any member of his precious family?

> Greek: 281. τὸν δʼ Ἀτρομήτου τοῦ γραμματιστοῦ καὶ Γλαυκοθέας τῆς τοὺς θιάσους συναγούσης, ἐφʼ οἷς ἑτέρα τέθνηκεν ἱέρεια, τοῦτον ὑμεῖς λαβόντες, τὸν τῶν τοιούτων, τὸν οὐδὲ καθʼ ἓν χρήσιμον τῇ πόλει, οὐκ αὐτόν, οὐ πατέρα, οὐκ ἄλλον οὐδένα τῶν τούτου, ἀφήσετε;

[¶29] 282. Has the state ever had to thank any one of them in the whole course of his life for so much as a horse, or a war-galley, or a military expedition, or a chorus, or any public service, assessed contribution, or free gift, or for any deed of valor or any benefit whatsoever? Yet even if he could claim credit for all those services, but could not add that he has been an honest and disinterested ambassador, he ought assuredly to suffer death. If he has neither the one claim nor the other, will you not punish him?

> Greek: 282. ποῖος γὰρ ἵππος, ποία τριήρης, ποία στρατεία, τίς χορός, τίς λῃτουργία, τίς εἰσφορά, τίς εὔνοια, ποῖος κίνδυνος, τί τούτων ἐν παντὶ τῷ χρόνῳ γέγονεν παρὰ τούτων τῇ πόλει; καίτοι κἂν εἰ ταῦτα πάνθʼ ὑπῆρχεν, ἐκεῖνα δὲ μὴ προσῆν, δικαίως καὶ προῖκα πεπρεσβευκέναι, ἀπολωλέναι δήπου προσῆκεν αὐτῷ. εἰ δὲ μήτε ταῦτα μήτʼ ἐκεῖνα, οὐ τιμωρήσεσθε;

[¶30] 283. Remember what he told you himself when he prosecuted Timarchus,—that there is no merit in a city that is nerveless in its dealings with malefactors, or in a polity where indulgence and importunity are stronger than the laws. You must not, he said, have any pity for Timarchus’s mother, an aged woman, or his children, or anyone else: you must fix your mind on the thought that, if you desert the laws and the constitution, you will find no one to pity you.

> Greek: 283. οὐκ ἀναμνησθήσεσθʼ ὧν κατηγορῶν ἔλεγεν Τιμάρχου, ὡς οὐδέν ἐστʼ ὄφελος πόλεως ἥτις μὴ νεῦρʼ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας ἔχει, οὐδὲ πολιτείας ἐν ᾗ συγγνώμη καὶ παραγγελία τῶν νόμων μεῖζον ἰσχύουσιν· οὐδʼ ἐλεεῖν ὑμᾶς οὔτε τὴν μητέρα δεῖν τὴν Τιμάρχου, γραῦν γυναῖκα, οὔτε τὰ παιδίʼ οὔτʼ ἄλλον οὐδένα, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ὁρᾶν, ὅτι, εἰ προήσεσθε τὰ τῶν νόμων καὶ τῆς πολιτείας, οὐχ εὑρήσετε τοὺς ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐλεήσοντας.

[¶31] 284. The unfortunate Timarchus is still disfranchised because he was a witness of Aeschines’ misdeeds, and why should you allow Aeschines to go scot-free? If he demanded such severity of retribution from men who had transgressed only against himself and his friends, what retribution are you, a legal jury bound by oath, to exact from men who have grievously transgressed against the commonwealth, and of whom he is proved to be one?

> Greek: 284. ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ταλαίπωρος ἄνθρωπος ἠτιμώσεται, ὅτι τοῦτον εἶδεν ἀδικοῦντα, τούτῳ δʼ ἀθῴῳ δώσετʼ εἶναι; διὰ τί; εἰ γὰρ παρὰ τῶν εἰς ἑαυτοὺς ἐξαμαρτόντων τηλικαύτην ἠξίωσε δίκην Αἰσχίνης λαβεῖν, παρὰ τῶν εἰς τὰ τῆς πόλεως τηλικαῦθʼ ἡμαρτηκότων, ὧν εἷς οὗτος ὢν ἐξελέγχεται, πηλίκην ὑμᾶς προσήκει λαβεῖν τοὺς ὀμωμοκότας καὶ δικάζοντας;

[¶32] 285. He will say that the trial of Timarchus will improve the morals of our young men. Then this trial will improve the integrity of our statesmen, on whom depend the gravest political hazards; and they also have a claim on your consideration. But let me show you that he did not bring Timarchus to ruin because of his anxious care—Heaven help us! for the modesty of your children. Your children, men of Athens, are already modest; and God forbid that Athens should ever be in such evil case as to require an Aphobetus or an Aeschines to teach young people modesty!

> Greek: 285. νὴ Δίʼ, οἱ νέοι γὰρ ἡμῖν διʼ ἐκεῖνον ἔσονται τὸν ἀγῶνα βελτίους. οὐκοῦν καὶ διὰ τόνδʼ οἱ πολιτευόμενοι, διʼ ὧν τὰ μέγιστα κινδυνεύεται τῇ πόλει· προσήκει δὲ καὶ τούτων φροντίζειν. ἵνα τοίνυν εἰδῆθʼ ὅτι καὶ τοῦτον ἀπώλεσεν, [τὸν Τίμαρχον,] οὐ μὰ Δίʼ οὐχὶ τῶν ὑμετέρων παίδων, ὅπως ἔσονται σώφρονες, προορῶν (εἰσὶ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ νῦν σώφρονες· μὴ γὰρ οὕτω γένοιτο κακῶς τῇ πόλει ὥστʼ Ἀφοβήτου καὶ Αἰσχίνου σωφρονιστῶν δεηθῆναι τοὺς νεωτέρους), ἀλλʼ ὅτι βουλεύων ἔγραψεν, ἄν τις ὡς Φίλιππον ὅπλʼ ἄγων ἁλῷ ἢ σκεύη τριηρικά, θάνατον εἶναι τὴν ζημίαν·

[¶33] 286. He did it because Timarchus had moved in the Council a decree making the conveyance of arms or ships’ tackle to Philip a capital offence. As evidence of that, let me ask how long Timarchus had been a public speaker? A very long time; and during all that time Aeschines was in Athens; yet he never took offence, he never began to think it a shame that a man of such character should make speeches, until he had visited Macedonia and sold himself. Please take and read the actual decree of Timarchus. (The Decree is read) The man who for your sake proposed the prohibition, under penalty of death, of carrying arms to Philip is vilified and disgraced; the man who surrendered to Philip the armaments of our allies is his accuser.

> Greek: 286. σημεῖον δέ· πόσον γὰρ ἐδημηγόρει χρόνον Τίμαρχος; πολύν. οὐκοῦν τοῦτον ἦν Αἰσχίνης ἅπαντʼ ἐν τῇ πόλει, καὶ οὐδεπώποτʼ ἠγανάκτησεν οὐδὲ δεινὸν ἡγήσατʼ εἶναι τὸ πρᾶγμα, εἰ ὁ τοιοῦτος λέγει, ἕως εἰς Μακεδονίαν ἐλθὼν ἑαυτὸν ἐμίσθωσεν· λέγε δή μοι τὸ ψήφισμα λαβὼν αὐτὸ τὸ τοῦ Τιμάρχου. ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ.

[¶34] 287. Immorality—save the mark!—was the theme of his speech, while at his side stood his two brothers-in-law, the very sight of whom is enough to set you in an uproar,—the disgusting Nicias, who went to Egypt as the hireling of Chabrias, and the abominable Cyrebio, the unmasked harlequin of the pageants. But that was nothing: under his eyes sat his brother Aphobetus. In truth, on that day all that declaiming against immorality was like water flowing upstream.

> Greek: 287. ὁ μὲν τοίνυν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν γράψας μὴ ἄγειν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ πρὸς Φίλιππον ὅπλα, εἰ δὲ μή, θανάτῳ ζημιοῦσθαι, ἀπόλωλε καὶ ὕβρισται· ὁ δὲ καὶ τὰ τῶν ὑμετέρων συμμάχων ὅπλʼ ἐκείνῳ παραδοὺς οὑτοσὶ κατηγόρει, καὶ περὶ πορνείας ἔλεγεν, ὦ γῆ καὶ θεοί, δυοῖν μὲν κηδεσταῖν παρεστηκότοιν, οὓς ἰδόντες ἂν ὑμεῖς ἀνακράγοιτε, Νικίου τε τοῦ βδελυροῦ, ὃς ἑαυτὸν ἐμίσθωσεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον Χαβρίᾳ, καὶ τοῦ καταράτου Κυρηβίωνος, ὃς ἐν ταῖς πομπαῖς ἄνευ τοῦ προσώπου κωμάζει. καὶ τί ταῦτα; ἀλλὰ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὁρῶν Ἀφόβητον. ἀλλὰ δῆτʼ ἄνω ποταμῶν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ πάντες οἱ περὶ πορνείας ἐρρύησαν λόγοι.

[¶35] 288. And now, to illustrate the discredit into which our city has been dragged by this man’s trickery and mendacity, omitting much that I might mention, I will point to a symptom that you have all observed. In former times, men of Athens, all Greece used to watch anxiously for your decisions. Today we prowl the streets wondering what the other communities have resolved, all agog to hear what is the news from Arcadia, what is the news from the Amphictyons, what will be Philip’s next movement, whether he is alive or dead.

> Greek: 288. καὶ μὴν εἰς ὅσην ἀτιμίαν τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν ἡ τούτου πονηρία καὶ ψευδολογία καταστήσασʼ ἔχει, πάντα τἄλλʼ ἀφείς, ὃ πάντες ὑμεῖς ἴστʼ ἐρῶ. πρότερον μὲν γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τί παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐψήφισται, τοῦτʼ ἐπετήρουν οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες Ἕλληνες· νῦν δʼ ἤδη περιερχόμεθʼ ἡμεῖς τί δέδοκται τοῖς ἄλλοις σκοποῦντες, καὶ ὠτακουστοῦντες τί τὰ τῶν Ἀρκάδων, τί τὰ τῶν Ἀμφικτυόνων, ποῖ πάρεισι Φίλιππος, ζῇ ἢ τέθνηκεν.

[¶36] 289. You know that such is our behavior. What alarms me is the thought, not that Philip is alive, but that in Athens the spirit that loathes and punishes evil-doers is dead. Philip does not terrify me, if only your condition is healthy; but if there is to be impunity in this court for men who hunger after Philip’s pay, and if men who have won your confidence, men who have hitherto scorned the imputation of intriguing for Philip, are to appear as their advocates, that does terrify me.— What does this mean, Eubulus?

> Greek: 289. οὐ τοιαῦτα ποιοῦμεν; ἐγὼ δʼ οὐ δέδοικʼ εἰ Φίλιππος ζῇ, ἀλλʼ εἰ τῆς πόλεως τέθνηκε τὸ τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας μισεῖν καὶ τιμωρεῖσθαι. οὐδὲ φοβεῖ με Φίλιππος, ἂν τὰ παρʼ ὑμῶν ὑγιαίνῃ, ἀλλʼ εἰ παρʼ ὑμῖν ἄδεια γενήσεται τοῖς παρʼ ἐκείνου μισθαρνεῖν βουλομένοις, καὶ συνεροῦσί τινες τούτοις τῶν ὑφʼ ὑμῶν πεπιστευμένων, καὶ πάντα τὸν ἔμπροσθεν χρόνον ἀρνούμενοι μὴ πράττειν ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου νῦν ἀναβήσονται, ταῦτα φοβεῖ με.

[¶37] 290. At the trial of your cousin Hegesilaus, and recently at that of Thrasybulus, an uncle of Niceratus, before the first vote of the jury you would not even answer when you were called; on the question of damages you did get up to speak, but you had not a word to say in their favor, and merely asked the jury to excuse you. So you do not mount the tribune for your own kinsmen and for men who have a claim on your services, and will you mount it for Aeschines, who, when Aristophon prosecuted Philonicus, and in denouncing him denounced your own policy, joined in the attack upon you, and so ranged himself with your enemies?

> Greek: 290. τί γὰρ δή ποτʼ, Εὔβουλε, Ἡγησίλεῳ μὲν κρινομένῳ, ὃς ἀνεψιός ἐστί σοι, καὶ Θρασυβούλῳ πρώην, τῷ Νικηράτου θείῳ, ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς πρώτης ψήφου οὐδʼ ὑπακοῦσαι καλούμενος ἤθελες, εἰς δὲ τὸ τίμημʼ ἀναβὰς ὑπὲρ μὲν ἐκείνων οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἔλεγες, ἐδέου δὲ τῶν δικαστῶν συγγνώμην ἔχειν σοί; εἶθʼ ὑπὲρ μὲν συγγενῶν καὶ ἀναγκαίων ἀνθρώπων οὐκ ἀναβαίνεις, ὑπὲρ Αἰσχίνου δʼ ἀναβήσει, ὅς, ἡνίκʼ ἔκρινεν Ἀριστοφῶν Φιλόνικονκαὶ διʼ ἐκείνου τῶν σοὶ πεπραγμένων κατηγόρει, συγκατηγόρει μετʼ ἐκείνου σοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τῶν σῶν εἷς ἐξητάζετο;

[¶38] 291. After terrifying the people, and telling them that they must go down to Peiraeus at once, pay the war-tax and turn the theatric fund into a war-chest, or else vote for the resolution that was supported by Aeschines and moved by that abominable Philocrates, with the result that we got a discreditable instead of an equitable peace, and after all the ruin that has been wrought by their subsequent misdeeds, are you reconciled with them after that?

> Greek: 291. ἐπειδὴ δὲ σὺ μὲν τουτουσὶ δεδιξάμενος καὶ φήσας καταβαίνειν εἰς Πειραιᾶ δεῖν ἤδη καὶ χρήματʼ εἰσφέρειν καὶ τὰ θεωρικὰ στρατιωτικὰ ποιεῖν, ἢ χειροτονεῖν ἃ συνεῖπε μὲν οὗτος, ἔγραψε δʼ ὁ βδελυρὸς Φιλοκράτης, ἐξ ὧν αἰσχρὰν ἀντʼ ἴσης συνέβη γενέσθαι τὴν εἰρήνην, οὗτοι δὲ τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἀδικήμασι πάντʼ ἀπολωλέκασι, τηνικαῦτα διήλλαξαι;

[¶39] 292. In the Assembly you solemnly cursed Philip; you swore by the head of your children that you desired his utter destruction, and will you now be the defender of Aeschines? How can Philip be utterly destroyed, if you rescue the men who take his bribes?

> Greek: 292. καὶ ἐν μὲν τῷ δήμῳ κατηρῶ [Φιλίππῳ] καὶ κατὰ τῶν παίδων ὤμνυες ἦ μὴν ἀπολωλέναι Φίλιππον ἂν βούλεσθαι· νῦν δὲ βοηθήσεις τούτῳ; πῶς οὖν ἀπολεῖται, ὅταν τοὺς παρʼ ἐκείνου δωροδοκοῦντας σὺ σῴζῃς;

[¶40] 293. Why did you prosecute Moerocles, because he had extorted twenty drachmas apiece from the lessees of the silver-mines; why did you indict Cephisophon for misappropriating sacred funds, because he was three days late in paying seven minas into the bank, if, instead of prosecuting, you now try to rescue men who have confessed, who have been caught in the act, who are convicted of taking bribes for the destruction of our allies?

> Greek: 293. τί γὰρ δήποτε Μοιροκλέα μὲν ἔκρινες, εἰ παρὰ τῶν τὰ μέταλλʼ ἐωνημένων εἴκοσιν ἐξέλεξεν δραχμὰς παρʼ ἑκάστου, καὶ Κηφισοφῶντα γραφὴν ἱερῶν χρημάτων ἐδίωκες, εἰ τρισὶν ὕστερον ἡμέραις ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν ἔθηκεν ἑπτὰ μνᾶς· τοὺς δʼ ἔχοντας, ὁμολογοῦντας, ἐξελεγχομένους ἐπʼ αὐτοφώρῳ ἐπὶ τῷ τῶν συμμάχων ὀλέθρῳ ταῦτα πεποιηκότας, τούτους οὐ κρίνεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ σῴζειν κελεύεις;

[¶41] 294. Yes, these are formidable offences, calling for the utmost vigilance and precaution; while the charges you brought against those two men were comparatively ludicrous, as these considerations will show. Were there any persons in Elis who embezzled public money? In all probability, yes. Did any one of them take part in the recent overthrow of free government there?

> Greek: 294. καὶ μὴν ὅτι ταῦτα μέν ἐστιν φοβερὰ καὶ προνοίας καὶ φυλακῆς πολλῆς δεόμενα, ἐφʼ οἷς δʼ ἐκείνους σὺ ἔκρινες, γέλως, ἐκείνως ὄψεσθε. ἦσαν ἐν Ἤλιδι κλέπτοντες τὰ κοινά τινες; καὶ μάλʼ εἰκός γε. ἔστιν οὖν ὅστις μετέσχεν αὐτόθι νῦν τούτων τοῦ καταλῦσαι τὸν δῆμον; οὐδὲ εἷς. τί δʼ; ἐν Μεγάροις οὐκ οἴεσθʼ εἶναί τινα καὶ κλέπτην καὶ μὲν οἴομαι. ἆρʼ οὖν διὰ τούτους ἀπώλετʼ Ὄλυνθος; οὔ. τί δʼ; ἐν Μεγάροις οὐκ οἴεσθʼ εἶναί τινα καὶ κλέπτην καὶ παρεκλέγοντα τὰ κοινά; ἀνάγκη. καὶ πέφηνέ τις αἴτιος αὐτόθι νῦν τούτων τῶν συμβεβηκότων πραγμάτων; οὐδὲ εἷς.

[¶42] 295. Not one. When there was still such a city as Olynthus, were there any thieves there? I take it there were. Did Olynthus perish through their sins? No. Do you suppose there were no thieves and pilferers of public funds in Megara? There must have been such. Has any one of them been shown to be responsible for the present political troubles there? Not one. Then who are the people who commit these monstrous crimes? Persons who fancy themselves important enough to be called friends of Philip, men itching for military commands and eager for political distinction, men who claim superiority over the common herd. At Megara the other day was not Perillus tried before the Three Hundred on a charge of visiting Philip? And did not Ptoeodorus, the first man in all Megara for wealth, birth, and reputation, come forward and beg him off, and then send him back to Philip? The sequel was that one of the pair returned with an alien army at his back, while the other was hatching the plot at home. Take that as a specimen.

> Greek: 295. ἀλλὰ ποῖοί τινες οἱ τὰ τηλικαῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἀδικοῦντες; οἱ νομίζοντες [αὑτοὺς] ἀξιόχρεως εἶναι τοῦ Φιλίππου ξένοι καὶ φίλοι προσαγορεύεσθαι, οἱ στρατηγιῶντες καὶ προστασίας ἀξιούμενοι, οἱ μείζους τῶν πολλῶν οἰόμενοι δεῖν εἶναι. οὐ Πέριλλος ἐκρίνετʼ ἔναγχος ἐν Μεγάροις ἐν τοῖς τριακοσίοις, ὅτι πρὸς Φίλιππον ἀφίκετο, καὶ παρελθὼν Πτοιόδωρος αὐτὸν ἐξῃτήσατο, καὶ πλούτῳ καὶ γένει καὶ δόξῃ πρῶτος Μεγαρέων, καὶ πάλιν ὡς Φίλιππον ἐξέπεμψε, καὶ μετὰ ταῦθʼ ὁ μὲν ἧκεν ἄγων τοὺς ξένους, ὁ δʼ ἔνδον ἐτύρευε; τοιαῦτα.

## 7. Sections 296–343

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/7/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-the-false-embassy/7/#p-N

[¶0] 296. Indeed, there is no danger, no danger whatsoever, that requires more anxious vigilance than allowing any man to become stronger than the people. Let no man be delivered, and let no man be destroyed, merely because this man or that so desires; let hem who is delivered or destroyed by the evidence of facts be entitled to receive from this court the verdict that is his due. That is the democratic principle.

> Greek: 296. οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅ τι τῶν πάντων μᾶλλον εὐλαβεῖσθαι δεῖ ἢ τὸ μείζω τινὰ τῶν πολλῶν ἐᾶν γίγνεσθαι. μή μοι σῳζέσθω μηδʼ ἀπολλύσθω μηδείς, ἂν ὁ δεῖνα βούληται, ἀλλʼ ὃν ἂν τὰ πεπραγμένα σῴζῃ καὶ τοὐναντίον, τούτῳ τῆς προσηκούσης ψήφου παρʼ ὑμῶν ὑπαρχέτω τυγχάνειν· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι δημοτικόν.

[¶1] 297. Furthermore, at Athens many men have upon occasion risen to power—the great Callistratus, for instance, Aristophon, Diophantus, and others of earlier date. But what was the field of their supremacy? The popular assembly. In courts of justice no man to this day has ever been superior to the people, or to the laws, or to the judicial oath. Then permit no such superiority to Aeschines today. To enforce the warning that it is better to take those precautions than to be credulous, I will read to you an oracle of the gods,—to whom Athens owes her salvation far more than to her most prominent politicians. Read the oracles. (The Oracles are read) Men of Athens, you hear the admonitions of the gods.

> Greek: 297. ἔτι τοίνυν πολλοὶ παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐπὶ καιρῶν γεγόνασιν ἰσχυροί, Καλλίστρατος, αὖθις Ἀριστοφῶν, Διόφαντος, τούτων ἕτεροι πρότερον. ἀλλὰ ποῦ τούτων ἕκαστος ἐπρώτευεν; ἐν τῷ δήμῳ· ἐν δὲ τοῖς δικαστηρίοις οὐδείς πω μέχρι τῆς τήμερον ἡμέρας ὑμῶν οὐδὲ τῶν νόμων οὐδὲ τῶν ὅρκων κρείττων γέγονεν. μὴ τοίνυν μηδὲ νῦν τοῦτον ἐάσητε. ὅτι γὰρ ταῦτα φυλάττοισθʼ ἂν εἰκότως μᾶλλον ἢ πιστεύοιτε, τῶν θεῶν ὑμῖν μαντείαν ἀναγνώσομαι, οἵπερ ἀεὶ σῴζουσι τὴν πόλιν πολλῷ τῶν προεστηκότων μᾶλλον. λέγε τὰς μαντείας. ΜΑΝΤΕΙΑΙ.

[¶2] 298. If they are addressed to you in time of war, they bid you beware of your commanders, for commanders are the leaders of warfare; if after conclusion of peace, of your statesmen, for they are your leaders, they have your obedience, by them you may haply be deceived. The oracle also bids you keep the commonwealth together, that all may be of one mind, and may not gratify the enemy.

> Greek: 298. ἀκούετʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῶν θεῶν οἷʼ ὑμῖν προλέγουσιν. εἰ μὲν τοίνυν πολεμούντων ὑμῶν ταῦτʼ ἀνῃρήκασι, τοὺς στρατηγοὺς λέγουσι φυλάττεσθαι· πολέμου γάρ εἰσιν ἡγεμόνες οἱ στρατηγοί· εἰ δὲ πεποιημένων εἰρήνην, τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς πολιτείας ἐφεστηκότας· οὗτοι γὰρ ἡγοῦνται, τούτοις πείθεσθʼ ὑμεῖς, ὑπὸ τούτων δέος ἐστὶ μὴ παρακρουσθῆτε. καὶ τὴν πόλιν συνέχειν [φησὶν ἐν τῇ μαντείᾳ], ὅπως ἂν μίαν γνώμην ἔχωσιν ἅπαντες καὶ μὴ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἡδονὴν ποιῶσι.

[¶3] 299. What do you think, men of Athens? Will Philip be gratified by the deliverance or by the punishment of the man who has done all this mischief? By his deliverance surely; but the oracle bids you strive that the enemy shall not rejoice. Therefore, you are all exhorted by Zeus, by Dione, by all the gods, to punish with one mind those who have made themselves the servants of your enemies. There are foes without; there are traitors within. It is the business of foes to give bribes, of traitors to take bribes, and to rescue those who have taken them.

> Greek: 299. πότερʼ οὖν οἴεσθʼ ἄν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὸν τοσαῦτα κάκʼ εἰργασμένον σωθέντα, ἢ δίκην δόντα, ἡδονὴν Φιλίππῳ ποιῆσαι; ἐγὼ μὲν οἴομαι σωθέντα. φησὶ δέ γʼ ἡ μαντεία δεῖν ὅπως ἂν μὴ χαίρωσιν οἱ ἐχθροὶ ποιεῖν. ἅπασι τοίνυν μιᾷ γνώμῃ παρακελεύεται κολάζειν τοὺς ὑπηρετηκότας τι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ὁ Ζεύς, ἡ Διώνη, πάντες οἱ θεοί. ἔξωθεν οἱ ἐπιβουλεύοντες, ἔνδοθεν οἱ συμπράττοντες. οὐκοῦν τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων μὲν ἔργον διδόναι, τῶν συμπραττόντων δὲ λαμβάνειν καὶ τοὺς εἰληφότας ἐκσῴζειν.

[¶4] 300. Moreover, it can be shown by mere human reasoning that it is extremely injurious and dangerous to permit the intimacy of a prominent statesman with men whose purposes are at variance with those of the people. If you will consider by what means Philip acquired his political supremacy and performed his most signal achievements, you will find that it was by buying treachery from willing sellers, and by corrupting leading politicians and stimulating their ambition.

> Greek: 300. ἔτι τοίνυν κἂν ἀπʼ ἀνθρωπίνου λογισμοῦ τοῦτʼ ἴδοι τις, ὅτι πάντων ἐχθρότατον καὶ φοβερώτατον τὸ τὸν προεστηκότʼ ἐᾶν οἰκεῖον γίγνεσθαι τοῖς μὴ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιθυμοῦσι τῷ δήμῳ. τίσι γὰρ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐγκρατὴς γέγονεν Φίλιππος ἁπάντων, καὶ τίσιν τὰ μέγιστα κατείργασται τῶν πεπραγμένων, σκέψασθε. τῷ παρὰ τῶν πωλούντων τὰς πράξεις ὠνεῖσθαι, τῷ τοὺς προεστηκότας ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν διαφθείρειν καὶ ἐπαίρειν, τούτοις.

[¶5] 301. Both these practices it is within your power, if you so choose, to frustrate today, if you will first refuse to listen to the defenders of treachery, and prove that they cannot exercise that authority over you of which they boast, and then punish before the eyes of the world the man who has traitorously sold himself.

> Greek: 301. ταῦτα τοίνυν ἐφʼ ὑμῖν ἐστιν ἀμφότερα, ἐὰν βούλησθε, ἀχρεῖα ποιῆσαι τήμερον, ἂν τῶν μὲν μὴ ʼθέλητʼ ἀκούειν τοῖς τοιούτοις συνηγορούντων, ἀλλʼ ἐπιδείξητʼ ἀκύρους ὄντας ὑμῶν (νῦν γάρ φασιν εἶναι κύριοι), τὸν δὲ πεπρακόθʼ ἑαυτὸν κολάσητε, καὶ τοῦθʼ ἅπαντες ἴδωσιν.

[¶6] 302. You have good reason, men of Athens, to be indignant with every man who by such conduct has thrown overboard your allies, your friends, and those opportunities on which, for any nation, success or failure depends, but with no man more fiercely or more righteously than with Aeschines. For a man who once ranged himself with those who distrusted Philip, and made unassisted the first discovery of Philip’s hostility to all Greece, and then became a deserter and a traitor and suddenly appeared as Philip’s champion—does he not deserve a hundred deaths?

> Greek: 302. παντὶ μὲν γὰρ εἰκότως ἂν ὀργισθείητʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοιαῦτα πεποιηκότι καὶ προδεδωκότι συμμάχους καὶ φίλους καὶ καιρούς, μεθʼ ὧν ἢ καλῶς ἢ κακῶς ἑκάστοις ἔχει τὰ πάντα, οὐ μὴν οὐδενὶ μᾶλλον οὐδὲ δικαιότερον ἢ τούτῳ. ὃς γὰρ ἑαυτὸν τάξας τῶν ἀπιστούντων εἶναι Φιλίππῳ, καὶ μόνος καὶ πρῶτος ἰδὼν ὅτι κοινὸς ἐχθρὸς ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν ἁπάντων τῶν Ἑλλήνων, ηὐτομόλησε καὶ προὔδωκε καὶ γέγονεν ἐξαίφνης ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου, πῶς οὐ πολλάκις οὗτος ἄξιός ἐστʼ ἀπολωλέναι;

[¶7] 303. Yet that such are the facts, he will not be able to deny. For who originally introduced Ischander to you, declaring him to have come as the representative of the Arcadian friends of Athens? Who raised the cry that Philip was forming coalitions in Greece and Peloponnesus while you slept? Who made those long and eloquent speeches, and read the decrees of Miltiades and Themistacles and the oath which our young men take in the temple of Aglaurus?

> Greek: 303. ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι ταῦθʼ οὕτως ἔχει, αὐτὸς οὐχ οἷός τʼ ἀντειπεῖν ἔσται. τίς γάρ ἐσθʼ ὁ τὸν Ἴσχανδρον προσάγων ὑμῖν τὸ κατʼ ἀρχάς, ὃν παρὰ τῶν ἐν Ἀρκαδίᾳ φίλων τῇ πόλει δεῦρʼ ἥκειν ἔφη; τίς ὁ συσκευάζεσθαι τὴν Ἑλλάδα καὶ Πελοπόννησον Φίλιππον βοῶν, ὑμᾶς δὲ καθεύδειν; τίς ὁ τοὺς μακροὺς καὶ καλοὺς λόγους ἐκείνους δημηγορῶν, καὶ τὸ Μιλτιάδου καὶ ⟨τὸ⟩ Θεμιστοκλέους ψήφισμʼ ἀναγιγνώσκων καὶ τὸν ἐν τῷ τῆς Ἀγλαύρου τῶν ἐφήβων ὅρκον;

[¶8] 304. Was it not Aeschines? Who persuaded you to send embassies almost as far as the Red Sea, declaring that Greece was the object of Philip’s designs, and that it was your duty to anticipate the danger and not be disloyal to the Hellenic cause? Was it not Eubulus who proposed the decree, and the defendant Aeschines who went as ambassador to the Peloponnesus? What he said there after his arrival, either in conversation or in public speeches, is best known to himself: what he reported on his return I am sure you have not forgotten.

> Greek: 304. οὐχ οὗτος; τίς ὁ πείσας ὑμᾶς μόνον οὐκ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐρυθρὰν θάλατταν πρεσβείας πέμπειν, ὡς ἐπιβουλευομένης μὲν ὑπὸ Φιλίππου τῆς Ἑλλάδος, ὑμῖν δὲ προσῆκον προορᾶν ταῦτα καὶ μὴ προΐεσθαι τὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων; οὐχ ὁ μὲν γράφων τὸ ψήφισμʼ Εὔβουλος ἦν, ὁ δὲ πρεσβεύων εἰς Πελοπόννησον Αἰσχίνης οὑτοσί; ἐλθὼν δʼ ἐκεῖσε ἅττα μέν ποτε διελέχθη καὶ ἐδημηγόρησεν, αὐτὸς ἂν εἰδείη, ἃ δʼ ἀπήγγειλε πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ὑμεῖς οἶδʼ ὅτι μέμνησθε πάντες.

[¶9] 305. For he made a speech in which he repeatedly called Philip a barbarian and a man of blood. He told you that the Arcadians were delighted to hear that Athens was really waking up and attending to business. He related an incident which, he said, had filled him with deep indignation. On his journey home he had met Atrestidas travelling from Philip’s court with some thirty women and children in his train. He was astonished, and inquired of one of the travellers who the man and his throng of followers were;

> Greek: 305. βάρβαρόν τε γὰρ πολλάκις καὶ ἀλάστορα τὸν Φίλιππον ἀποκαλῶν ἐδημηγόρει, καὶ τοὺς Ἀρκάδας ὑμῖν ἀπήγγελλεν ὡς ἔχαιρον, εἰ προσέχει τοῖς πράγμασιν ἤδη καὶ ἐγείρεται ἡ τῶν Ἀθηναίων πόλις. ὃ δὲ πάντων μάλιστʼ ἀγανακτῆσαι ἔφη· συντυχεῖν γὰρ ἀπιὼν Ἀτρεστίδᾳ παρὰ Φιλίππου πορευομένῳ, καὶ μετʼ αὐτοῦ γύναια καὶ παιδάριʼ ὡς τριάκοντα βαδίζειν, αὐτὸς δὲ θαυμάσας ἐρέσθαι τινὰ τῶν ὁδοιπόρων τίς ἅνθρωπός ἐστι καὶ τίς ὄχλος ὁ μετʼ αὐτοῦ, ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἀκοῦσαι ὅτι Ἀτρεστίδας παρὰ Φιλίππου τῶν Ὀλυνθίων αἰχμάλωτα δωρειὰν ταῦτʼ ἔχων ἀπέρχεται, δεινὸν αὐτῷ τι δόξαι καὶ δακρῦσαι καὶ ὀδύρασθαι τὴν Ἑλλάδα, ὡς κακῶς διάκειται, ἣ τοιαῦτα πάθη περιορᾷ γιγνόμενα.

[¶10] 306. and when he was told that they were Olynthian captives whom Atrestidas was bringing away with him as a present from Philip, he thought it a terrible business, and burst into tears. Greece, he sorrowfully reflected, is in evil plight indeed, if she permits such cruelties to pass unchecked. He counselled you to send envoys to Arcadia to denounce the persons who were intriguing for Philip; for, he said, he had been informed that, if only Athens would give attention to the matter and send ambassadors, the intriguers would promptly be brought to justice.

> Greek: 306. καὶ συνεβούλευεν ὑμῖν πέμπειν τινὰς εἰς Ἀρκαδίαν, οἵτινες κατηγορήσουσι τῶν τὰ Φιλίππου πραττόντων· ἀκούειν γὰρ ἔφη τῶν φίλων, ὡς ἐὰν ἐπιστροφὴν ἡ πόλις ποιήσηται καὶ πρέσβεις πέμψῃ, δίκην ἐκεῖνοι δώσουσιν.

[¶11] 307. Such was his speech on that occasion; a noble speech, worthy of our Athenian traditions. But after he had visited Macedonia, and beheld his own enemy and the enemy of all Greece, did his language bear the slightest resemblance to those utterances? Not in the least: he bade you not to remember your forefathers, not to talk about trophies, not to carry succor to anybody. As for the people who recommended you to consult the Greeks on the terms of peace with Philip, he was amazed at the suggestion that it was necessary that any foreigner should be convinced when the questions were purely domestic.

> Greek: 307. ταῦτα μὲν τοίνυν τότε καὶ μάλʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καλὰ καὶ τῆς πόλεως ἄξιʼ ἐδημηγόρει. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἀφίκετʼ εἰς Μακεδονίαν καὶ τὸν ἐχθρὸν εἶδε τὸν αὑτοῦ καὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων, [τὸν Φίλιππον,] ἆρά γʼ ὅμοιʼ ἢ παραπλήσια τούτοις; πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ, ἀλλὰ μήτε τῶν προγόνων μεμνῆσθαι μήτε τρόπαια λέγειν μήτε βοηθεῖν μηδενί, τῶν τε κελευόντων μετὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων περὶ τῆς πρὸς Φίλιππον εἰρήνης βουλεύεσθαι θαυμάζειν, εἰ περὶ τῶν ὑμετέρων ἰδίων ἄλλον τινὰ δεῖ πεισθῆναι·

[¶12] 308. And as for Philip,—why, good Heavens, he was a Greek of the Greeks, the finest orator and the most thorough—going friend of Athens you could find in the whole world. And yet there were some queer, ill-conditioned fellows in Athens who did not blush to abuse him, and even to call him a barbarian!

> Greek: 308. εἶναί τε τὸν Φίλιππον αὐτόν, Ἡράκλεις, Ἑλληνικώτατον ἀνθρώπων, δεινότατον λέγειν, φιλαθηναιότατον· οὕτω δʼ ἀτόπους τινὰς ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ δυσχερεῖς ἀνθρώπους εἶναι ὥστʼ οὐκ αἰσχύνεσθαι λοιδορουμένους αὐτῷ καὶ βάρβαρον αὐτὸν ἀποκαλοῦντας. ἔστιν οὖν ὅπως ταῦτʼ ἄν, ἐκεῖνα προειρηκώς, ὁ αὐτὸς ἀνὴρ μὴ διαφθαρεὶς ἐτόλμησεν εἰπεῖν; τί δʼ;

[¶13] 309. Is it, then, conceivable that the man who made the earlier of those speeches should also have made the later unless he had been corrupted? Is it possible that the same man who was then inflamed with abhorrence of Atrestidas on account of those Olynthian women and children, should now be content to cooperate with Philocrates, who brought free-born Olynthian ladies to this city for their dishonor? Philocrates is now so notorious for the infamous life he has lived that I need not apply to him any degrading or offensive epithet. When I merely mention that he did bring the ladies, there is not a man in this court, whether on the jury or among the onlookers, who does not know the sequel, and who does not, I am sure, feel compassion for those miserable and unfortunate beings. Yet Aeschines had no compassion for them. He did not shed tears over Greece on their account, indignant that they should suffer outrage in an allied country at the hands of Athenian ambassadors.

> Greek: 309. ἔσθʼ ὅστις ἂν τὸν Ἀτρεστίδαν τότε μισήσας διὰ τοὺς τῶν Ὀλυνθίων παῖδας καὶ γύναια, ταὐτὰ Φιλοκράτει νῦν πράττειν ὑπέμεινεν, ὃς γυναῖκας ἐλευθέρας τῶν Ὀλυνθίων ἤγαγε δεῦρʼ ἐφʼ ὕβρει, καὶ οὕτως ἐπὶ τῷ βδελυρῶς βεβιωκέναι γιγνώσκεται ὥστε μηδὲν ἔμʼ αἰσχρὸν εἰπεῖν νυνὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ δεῖν μηδὲ δυσχερές, ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον εἰπόντος μόνον, ὅτι Φιλοκράτης γυναῖκας ἤγαγε, πάντας ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι καὶ τοὺς περιεστηκότας τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα, καὶ ἐλεεῖν εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι τὰς ἀτυχεῖς καὶ ταλαιπώρους ἀνθρώπους, ἃς οὐκ ἠλέησεν Αἰσχίνης, οὐδʼ ἐδάκρυσεν ἐπὶ ταύταις τὴν Ἑλλάδα, εἰ παρὰ τοῖς συμμάχοις ὑπὸ τῶν πρέσβεων ὑβρίζονται.

[¶14] 310. No; our discredited ambassador will keep all his tears for himself. Very likely he will bring his children into court and put them in a conspicuous position. But do you, gentlemen of the jury, as you look at those children of his, reflect how many children of your own friends and allies are wanderers, roaming the world in beggary, suffering hardships which they owe to this man; and that they deserve your compassion infinitely more than the offspring of a malefactor and a traitor, while, by adding to the treaty of peace the words and to their posterity, he and his friends robbed your own children even of hope. When you witness his tears, remember that you hold in your power a man who bade you send accusers to Arcadia to testify against the agents of Philip.

> Greek: 310. ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ κλαήσει τοῦ τὰ τοιαῦτα πεπρεσβευκότος, καὶ τὰ παιδίʼ ἴσως παράξει κἀναβιβᾶται. ὑμεῖς δʼ ἐνθυμεῖσθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, πρὸς μὲν τὰ τούτου παιδία, ὅτι πολλῶν συμμάχων ὑμετέρων καὶ φίλων παῖδες ἀλῶνται καὶ πτωχοὶ περιέρχονται δεινὰ πεπονθότες διὰ τοῦτον, οὓς ἐλεεῖν πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑμῖν ἄξιον ἢ τοὺς τοῦ ἠδικηκότος καὶ προδότου πατρός, καὶ ὅτι τοὺς ὑμετέρους παῖδας οὗτοι, καὶ τοῖς ἐκγόνοις προσγράψαντες ⟨εἰς⟩ τὴν εἰρήνην, καὶ τῶν ἐλπίδων ἀπεστερήκασι· πρὸς δὲ τὰ αὐτοῦ τούτου δάκρυα, ὅτι νῦν ἔχετʼ ἄνθρωπον, ὃς εἰς Ἀρκαδίαν ἐκέλευεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου πράττοντας πέμπειν τοὺς κατηγορήσοντας.

[¶15] 311. And so today you have no need to send a mission to Peloponnesus, to make a long journey, or to pay travelling expenses; you have only to advance one by one to this platform, and there cast a just and a righteous vote for your country’s sake against the man who, having at the outset, as I described to you, spoken so eloquently about Marathon and Salamis, about battles and victories, from the moment he set foot on Macedonian soil contradicted his own utterances, forbade you to remember the example of your forefathers, or recall old victories, or carry succor to your friends, or take common counsel with the Greeks, and well-nigh bade you to dismantle the defences of your city.

> Greek: 311. νῦν τοίνυν ὑμᾶς οὐκ εἰς Πελοπόννησον δεῖ πρεσβείαν πέμπειν, οὐδʼ ὁδὸν μακρὰν βαδίσαι, οὐδʼ ἐφόδιʼ ἀναλίσκειν, ἀλλʼ ἄχρι τοῦ βήματος ἐνταυθὶ προσελθόνθʼ ἕκαστον ὑμῶν τὴν ὁσίαν καὶ δικαίαν ψῆφον ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος θέσθαι κατʼ ἀνδρός, ὅς, ὦ γῆ καὶ θεοί, ἐκεῖνʼ ἃ διεξῆλθον ἐν ἀρχῇ δεδημηγορηκώς, τὸν Μαραθῶνα, τὴν Σαλαμῖνα, τὰς μάχας, τὰ τρόπαια, ἐξαίφνης ὡς ἐπέβη Μακεδονίας, πάντα τἀναντία τούτοις, μὴ προγόνων μεμνῆσθαι, μὴ τρόπαια λέγειν, μὴ βοηθεῖν μηδενί, μὴ κοινῇ μετὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων βουλεύεσθαι, μόνον οὐ καθελεῖν τὰ τείχη.

[¶16] 312. No more disgraceful speeches have ever been made in your hearing during the whole course of your history. Lives there a man, Greek or barbarian, so boorish, so unversed in history, or so ill-disposed to our commonwealth that, if he were asked the question, “Tell me, in all the country that we call Greece and inhabit today, is there an acre that would still bear that name, or remain the home of the Greeks who now possess it, if the heroes of Marathon and Salamis, our forefathers, had not in their defence performed those glorious deeds of valor,” is there one man who would not make reply: “No; the whole country would have become the prey of the barbarian invaders”?

> Greek: 312. καίτοι τούτων αἰσχίους λόγοι οὐδένες πώποτʼ ἐν τῷ παντὶ χρόνῳ γεγόνασι παρʼ ὑμῖν. τίς γάρ ἐστιν Ἑλλήνων ἢ βαρβάρων οὕτω σκαιὸς ἢ ἀνήκοος ἢ σφόδρα μισῶν τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἡμετέραν, ὅστις, εἴ τις ἔροιτο, εἰπέ μοι, τῆς νῦν οὔσης Ἑλλάδος ταυτησὶ καὶ οἰκουμένης ἔσθʼ ὅ τι ταύτην ἂν τὴν προσηγορίαν εἶχεν ἢ ᾠκεῖθʼ ὑπὸ τῶν νῦν ἐχόντων Ἑλλήνων, εἰ μὴ τὰς ἀρετὰς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἐκείνας οἱ Μαραθῶνι κἀν Σαλαμῖνι παρέσχοντο, οἱ ἡμέτεροι πρόγονοι; οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι φήσειεν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ταῦθʼ ὑπὸ τῶν βαρβάρων ἂν ἑαλωκέναι.

[¶17] 313. Even among your foes there is not a man who would despoil those heroes of their meed of praise and gratitude; and does an Aeschines forbid you, their own descendants, to commemorate their names—all for the sake of his miserable bribes? There are indeed rewards in which the dead have no part or lot; but the praise that waits on glorious achievements is the peculiar guerdon of those who have gloriously died—for then jealousy is no longer their adversary. Let the man who would rob the dead of their reward be stripped of his own honors: that retribution you will levy on him for your forefathers’ sake. By those speeches of yours, you reprobate, you made havoc of our policy, traducing and disparaging with your tongue the achievements of our forefathers.

> Greek: 313. εἶθʼ οὓς μηδὲ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μηδεὶς ἂν τούτων τῶν ἐγκωμίων καὶ τῶν ἐπαίνων ἀποστερήσειε, τούτων Αἰσχίνης ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἐᾷ μεμνῆσθαι, τοὺς ἐξ ἐκείνων, ἵνʼ αὐτὸς ἀργύριον λάβῃ; καὶ μὴν τῶν μὲν ἄλλων ἀγαθῶν οὐ μέτεστι τοῖς τεθνεῶσιν, οἱ δʼ ἐπὶ τοῖς καλῶς πραχθεῖσιν ἔπαινοι τῶν οὕτω τετελευτηκότων ἴδιον κτῆμʼ εἰσίν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ φθόνος αὐτοῖς ἔτι τηνικαῦτʼ ἐναντιοῦται. ὧν ἀποστερῶν ἐκείνους οὗτος, αὐτὸς ἂν τῆς ἐπιτιμίας δικαίως νῦν στερηθείη, καὶ ταύτην ὑπὲρ τῶν προγόνων ὑμεῖς δίκην λάβοιτε παρʼ αὐτοῦ. τοιούτοις μέντοι λόγοις, ὦ κακὴ κεφαλή, σὺ τὰ τῶν προγόνων ἔργα συλήσας καὶ διασύρας, τῷ λόγῳ πάντα τὰ πράγματʼ ἀπώλεσας.

[¶18] 314. And from these performances you emerge a land-owner, a person of high consideration! Take another point. Before he did all that mischief to the commonwealth, he used to admit that he had been a clerk; he was grateful to you for his appointments; his demeanor was quite modest. But since he has perpetrated wrongs without number, he has become mightily supercilious. If a man speaks of “Aeschines, the man who was once a clerk,” he makes a private quarrel of it, and talks of defamation of character. Behold him pacing the market-place with the stately stride of Pythocles, his long robe reaching to his ankles, his cheeks puffed out, as who should say, “One of Philip’s most intimate friends, at your service!” He has joined the clique that wants to get rid of democracy,—that regards the established political order as an inconstant wave,—mere midsummer madness. And once he made obeisance to the Rotunda!

> Greek: 314. εἶτα γεωργεῖς ἐκ τούτων καὶ σεμνὸς γέγονας. καὶ γὰρ τοῦτο. πρὸ μὲν τοῦ πάντα κάκʼ εἰργάσθαι τὴν πόλιν ὡμολόγει γεγραμματευκέναι καὶ χάριν ὑμῖν ἔχειν τοῦ χειροτονηθῆναι, καὶ μέτριον παρεῖχεν ἑαυτόν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ μυρίʼ εἴργασται κακά, τὰς ὀφρῦς ἀνέσπακε, κἂν ὁ γεγραμματευκὼς Αἰσχίνης εἴπῃ τις, ἐχθρὸς εὐθέως καὶ κακῶς φησιν ἀκηκοέναι, καὶ διὰ τῆς ἀγορᾶς πορεύεται θοἰμάτιον καθεὶς ἄχρι τῶν σφυρῶν, ἴσα βαίνων Πυθοκλεῖ, τὰς γνάθους φυσῶν, τῶν Φιλίππου ξένων καὶ φίλων εἷς οὗτος ὑμῖν ἤδη, τῶν ἀπαλλαγῆναι τοῦ δήμου βουλομένων καὶ κλύδωνα καὶ μανίαν τὰ καθεστηκότα πράγμαθʼ ἡγουμένων, ὁ τέως προσκυνῶν τὴν θόλον.

[¶19] 315. Now I wish by a brief recapitulation to remind you of the manner in which Philip discomfited your policy with these scoundrels as his confederates. It is well worth while to examine and contemplate the whole imposition. At the outset he was really desirous of peace, for his whole country was overrun by banditti, and his ports were blockaded, so that he got no advantage from all his wealth. Accordingly he sent those envoys who addressed you in his name with so much courtesy—Neoptolemus, Aristodemus, and Ctesiphon.

> Greek: 315. βούλομαι τοίνυν ὑμῖν ἐπανελθεῖν ἐπὶ κεφαλαίων ὃν τρόπον ὑμᾶς κατεπολιτεύσατο Φίλιππος προσλαβὼν τούτους τοὺς θεοῖς ἐχθρούς. πάνυ δʼ ἄξιον ἐξετάσαι καὶ θεάσασθαι τὴν ἀπάτην ὅλην. τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς τῆς εἰρήνης ἐπιθυμῶν, διαφορουμένης αὐτοῦ τῆς χώρας ὑπὸ τῶν λῃστῶν καὶ κεκλειμένων τῶν ἐμπορίων, ὥστʼ ἀνόνητον ἐκεῖνον ἁπάντων εἶναι τῶν ἀγαθῶν, τοὺς τὰ φιλάνθρωπα λέγοντας ἐκείνους ἀπέστειλεν ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ, τὸν Νεοπτόλεμον, τὸν Ἀριστόδημον, τὸν Κτησιφῶντα·

[¶20] 316. But as soon as he was visited by us ambassadors, he promptly took Aeschines into his pay, that he might support and co-operate with the infamous Philocrates, and overpower those of us whose intentions were honest. He then composed a letter to you, as the best means of obtaining the peace he desired.

> Greek: 316. ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἤλθομεν ὡς αὐτὸν ἡμεῖς οἱ πρέσβεις, ἐμισθώσατο μὲν τοῦτον εὐθέως, ὅπως συνερεῖ καὶ συναγωνιεῖται τῷ μιαρῷ Φιλοκράτει καὶ τῶν τὰ δίκαια βουλομένων [ἡμῶν] πράττειν περιέσται, συνέγραψε δʼ ἐπιστολὴν ὡς ὑμᾶς, ᾗ μάλιστʼ ἂν ᾤετο τῆς εἰρήνης τυχεῖν.

[¶21] 317. Even then it was still out of his power to achieve any important result to your disadvantage, unless he should destroy the Phocians. That was no easy task, for, as luck would have it, his affairs had reached a crisis of such a nature that either he could not realize any of his purposes, or else he was obliged to commit falsehood and perjury, with the whole world, both Greek and barbarian, to witness his wickedness.

> Greek: 317. ἦν δʼ οὐδὲν μᾶλλον μέγʼ αὐτῷ καθʼ ὑμῶν οὐδʼ οὕτω πρᾶξαι, εἰ μὴ Φωκέας ἀπολεῖ. τοῦτο δʼ οὐκ ἦν εὔπορον· συνῆκτο γὰρ αὐτῷ τὰ πράγματα, ὥσπερ ἐκ τύχης, εἰς καιρὸν τοιοῦτον, ὥστʼ ἢ μηδὲν ὧν ἐβούλετʼ εἶναι διαπράξασθαι, ἢ ἀνάγκην εἶναι ψεύσασθαι κἀπιορκῆσαι καὶ μάρτυρας τῆς αὑτοῦ κακίας πάντας Ἕλληνας καὶ βαρβάρους ποιήσασθαι.

[¶22] 318. For if he should accept the Phocians as allies, and with your help take the oath of friendship to them, he must at once violate the oaths he had already sworn to the Thessalians and the Thebans, with the latter of whom he had covenanted to help them in the subjugation of Boeotia, and with the former to restore their rights at the Amphictyonic Council. If, on the other hand, he was loth to accept them—and in fact the prospect did not please him—he expected that you would send troops to Thermopylae to stop his passage, as indeed you would have done if you had not been outwitted. In that event, he calculated that he would be unable to get through.

> Greek: 318. εἰ μὲν γὰρ προσδέξαιτο Φωκέας συμμάχους καὶ μεθʼ ὑμῶν τοὺς ὅρκους αὐτοῖς ἀποδοίη, τοὺς πρὸς Θετταλοὺς καὶ Θηβαίους ὅρκους παραβαίνειν εὐθὺς ἀναγκαῖον ἦν, ὧν τοῖς μὲν τὴν Βοιωτίαν συνεξαιρήσειν ὠμωμόκει, τοῖς δὲ τὴν πυλαίαν συγκαταστήσειν· εἰ δὲ μὴ προσδέχοιτο, ὥσπερ οὐ προσίετο, οὐκ ἐάσειν ὑμᾶς παρελθεῖν αὐτὸν ἡγεῖτο, ἀλλὰ βοηθήσειν εἰς Πύλας, ὅπερ, εἰ μὴ παρεκρούσθητε, ἐποιήσατʼ ἄν· εἰ δὲ τοῦτο γένοιτο, οὐκ ἐνεῖναι παρελθεῖν ἐλογίζετο.

[¶23] 319. He did not need any information from others to reach that conclusion. He was himself a sufficient witness, for, after his first defeat of the Phocians and the overthrow of their leader and commander Onomarchus, although no one in the whole world, Greek or barbarian, sent aid to them save you alone, so far from getting through Thermopylae, or accomplishing any of the purposes of the passage, he had been unable even to approach the pass.

> Greek: 319. καὶ τοῦτʼ οὐ παρʼ ἄλλων αὐτὸν ἔδει πυθέσθαι, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς ὑπῆρχε μάρτυς ἑαυτῷ τοῦ πράγματος· ὅτε γὰρ Φωκέας ἐκράτησε τὸ πρῶτον καὶ διέφθειρε τοὺς ξένους αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν ἡγούμενον καὶ στρατηγοῦντʼ Ὀνόμαρχον, τότε τῶν ὄντων ἀνθρώπων ἁπάντων οὐδενός, οὔθʼ Ἕλληνος οὔτε βαρβάρου, Φωκεῦσι βοηθήσαντος πλὴν ὑμῶν, οὐχ ὅπως παρῆλθεν ἢ διεπράξαθʼ ὧν ἐβουλήθη τι παρελθών, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ προσελθεῖν ἐγγὺς ἐδυνήθη.

[¶24] 320. I take it he was perfectly well aware that now, with Thessaly at variance with him—the Pheraeans, for example, refusing to join his following—with the Thebans getting the worst of the war, defeated in an engagement, and a trophy erected at their expense, he would be unable to force the passage if you sent troops to Thermopylae, and that he could not even make the attempt without serious loss unless he should also resort to some trickery. “How, then,” he thought, “shall I escape open falsehood, and attain all my objects without incurring the charge of perjury? Only if I can find Athenians to hood-wink the Athenian people, for then I shall have no share in the ensuing dishonor.”

> Greek: 320. ᾔδει δὴ σαφῶς, οἶμαι, τοῦθʼ ὅτι νῦν, ἡνίκʼ ἐστασίαζε μὲν αὐτῷ τὰ Θετταλῶν, καὶ Φεραῖοι πρῶτον οὐ συνηκολούθουν, ἐκρατοῦντο δὲ Θηβαῖοι καὶ μάχην ἥττηντο καὶ τρόπαιον ἀπʼ αὐτῶν εἱστήκει, οὐκ ἔνεστι παρελθεῖν, εἰ βοηθήσεθʼ ὑμεῖς, οὐδʼ, ἂν ἐπιχειρῇ, χαιρήσει, εἰ μή τις τέχνη προσγενήσεται. πῶς οὖν μήτε ψεύσωμαι φανερῶς, μήτʼ ἐπιορκεῖν δόξας πάνθʼ ἃ βούλομαι διαπράξωμαι; πῶς; οὕτως, ἂν Ἀθηναίων τινὰς εὕρω τοὺς Ἀθηναίους ἐξαπατήσοντας· ταύτης γὰρ οὐκέτʼ ἐγὼ τῆς αἰσχύνης κληρονομῶ.

[¶25] 321. Accordingly his envoys warned you that he would not accept the Phocian alliance, but then Aeschines and his friends, taking up the tale, assured the people that, although for the sake of the Thebans and the Thessalians Philip could not with decency accept the alliance, yet if he should become master of the situation, and get his peace, he would thereafter do exactly what we should now ask him to agree to.

> Greek: 321. ἐντεῦθεν οἱ μὲν παρʼ ἐκείνου πρέσβεις προὔλεγον ὑμῖν ὅτι Φωκέας οὐ προσδέχεται Φίλιππος συμμάχους, οὗτοι δʼ ἐκδεχόμενοι τοιαῦτʼ ἐδημηγόρουν, ὡς φανερῶς μὲν οὐχὶ καλῶς ἔχει τῷ Φιλίππῳ προσδέξασθαι τοὺς Φωκέας συμμάχους διὰ τοὺς Θηβαίους καὶ τοὺς Θετταλούς, ἂν δὲ γένηται τῶν πραγμάτων κύριος καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης τύχῃ, ἅπερ ἂν συνθέσθαι νῦν ἀξιώσαιμεν αὐτόν, ταῦτα ποιήσει τότε.

[¶26] 322. So on the strength of these expectations and inducements he obtained his peace, with the Phocians excluded; but it was still necessary to stop the reinforcement of Thermopylae, for which fifty war-galleys were lying at anchor to enable you to check Philip’s advance.

> Greek: 322. τὴν μὲν τοίνυν εἰρήνην ταύταις ταῖς ἐλπίσι καὶ ταῖς ἐπαγωγαῖς εὕροντο παρʼ ὑμῶν ἄνευ Φωκέων· τὴν δὲ βοήθειαν ἔδει κωλῦσαι τὴν εἰς τὰς Πύλας, ἐφʼ ἣν αἱ πεντήκοντα τριήρεις ὅμως ἐφώρμουν, ἵνʼ, εἰ πορεύοιτο Φίλιππος, κωλύοιθʼ ὑμεῖς. πῶς οὖν;

[¶27] 323. How could it be done? What new artifice could he invent for that purpose? Someone must filch your opportunities of action, and surprise you with an unexpected crisis, so that you might lose the power, if not the will, of sending the expedition. That, then, was clearly what these men undertook. As you have often heard, I was unable to get away in time; I had chartered a ship, but was prevented from sailing.

> Greek: 323. τίς τέχνη πάλιν αὖ γενήσεται περὶ ταύτης; τοὺς χρόνους ὑμῶν ἀφελέσθαι καὶ ἐπιστῆσαι τὰ πράγματʼ ἀγαγόντας ἄφνω, ἵνα μηδʼ ἂν βούλησθε δύνησθʼ ἐξελθεῖν. οὐκοῦν τοῦθʼ οὗτοι πράττοντες φαίνονται, ἐγὼ δʼ, ὥσπερ ἀκηκόατʼ ἤδη πολλάκις, οὐχὶ δυνηθεὶς προαπελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μισθωσάμενος πλοῖον κατακωλυθεὶς ἐκπλεῦσαι.

[¶28] 324. But it was further necessary that the Phocians should acquire confidence in Philip and make a voluntary surrender, so that no delay should intervene, and no unfriendly resolution come to hand from you. “Very well,” thought Philip, “a report shall be made by the Athenian ambassadors that the Phocians are to be protected; and so, though they persist in mistrusting me, they will deliver themselves into my hands through confidence in the Athenians. We will enlist the sympathy of the Athenian people in the hope that, supposing themselves to have got everything they want, they will pass no obstructive resolution. These men shall carry from us such flattering reports and assurances that, whatsoever may befall, they will make no movement.”

> Greek: 324. ἀλλὰ καὶ πιστεῦσαι Φωκέας ἔδει Φιλίππῳ καὶ ἑκόντας ἑαυτοὺς ἐνδοῦναι, ἵνα μηδεὶς χρόνος ἐγγένηται τοῖς πράγμασι μηδʼ ἐναντίον ἔλθῃ ψήφισμα παρʼ ὑμῶν μηδέν. οὐκοῦν ὡς μὲν οἱ Φωκεῖς σωθήσονται, παρὰ τῶν Ἀθηναίων πρέσβεων ἀπαγγελθήσεται, ὥστε καὶ εἴ τις ἐμοὶ διαπιστεῖ, τούτοις πιστεύσας αὑτὸν ἐγχειριεῖ· τοὺς δʼ Ἀθηναίους αὐτοὺς μεταπεμψόμεθʼ ἡμεῖς, ἵνα πάνθʼ, ὅσʼ ἂν βούλωνται, νομίσαντες ὑπάρχειν σφίσι μηδὲν ἐναντίον ψηφίσωνται· οὗτοι δὲ τοιαῦτʼ ἀπαγγελοῦσι παρʼ ἡμῶν καὶ ὑποσχήσονται ἐξ ὧν μηδʼ ἂν ὁτιοῦν ᾖ κινηθήσονται.

[¶29] 325. In this manner and by the aid of this artifice our ruin was accomplished by men themselves doomed to perdition. For at once, instead of witnessing the restoration of Thespiae and Plataea, you heard of the enslavement of Orchomenus and Coronea. Instead of the humiliation of Thebes and the abasement of her pride and insolence, the walls of your own allies the Phocians were demolished, and demolished by those very Thebans whom Aeschines in his speech had sent to live in scattered villages.

> Greek: 325. τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον καὶ τοιαύταις τέχναις ὑπὸ τῶν κάκιστʼ ἀπολουμένων ἀνθρώπων πάντα τὰ πράγματʼ ἀπώλετο. καὶ γάρ τοι παραχρῆμα, ἀντὶ μὲν τοῦ Θεσπιὰς καὶ Πλαταιὰς ἰδεῖν οἰκιζομένας, Ὀρχομενὸν καὶ Κορώνειαν ἠκούσατʼ ἠνδραποδισμένας, ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ τὰς Θήβας ταπεινὰς γενέσθαι καὶ περιαιρεθῆναι τὴν ὕβριν καὶ τὸ φρόνημα [αὐτῶν], τὰ τῶν συμμάχων τῶν ὑμετέρων [Φωκέων] τείχη κατεσκάπτετο· Θηβαῖοι δʼ ἦσαν οἱ κατασκάπτοντες, οἱ διοικισθέντες ὑπʼ Αἰσχίνου τῷ λόγῳ.

[¶30] 326. Instead of the surrender to you of Euboea in exchange for Amphipolis, Philip is establishing positions in Euboea as a base of attack upon you, and is constantly plotting against Geraestus and Megara. Instead of recovering Oropus, we are making an armed expedition to secure Drymus and the district of Panactus, an operation in which we never engaged so long as the Phocians were safe.

> Greek: 326. ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ τὴν Εὔβοιαν ἀντʼ Ἀμφιπόλεως ὑμῖν παραδοθῆναι, ὁρμητήριʼ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς ἐν Εὐβοίᾳ Φίλιππος προσκατασκευάζεται καὶ Γεραιστῷ καὶ Μεγάροις ἐπιβουλεύων διατελεῖ. ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ τὸν Ὠρωπὸν ὑμῖν ἀποδοθῆναι, περὶ Δρυμοῦ καὶ τῆς πρὸς Πανάκτῳ χώρας μεθʼ ὅπλων ἐξερχόμεθα, ὅ, τέως ἦσαν Φωκεῖς σῷοι, οὐδεπώποτʼ ἐποιήσαμεν.

[¶31] 327. Instead of the re-establishment of ancient rites in the Temple of Apollo, and the restitution of treasure to the god, men who were once Amphictyons are fugitives and exiles, and men who never in all former time were members of it, Macedonians and barbarians, are now forcing their way into the Amphictyonic Council. If anyone says a word about the sacred treasure, he is thrown down the precipice; and Athens is robbed of her precedence in the consultation of the Oracle.

> Greek: 327. ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ τὰ πάτριʼ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ κατασταθῆναι καὶ τὰ χρήματʼ εἰσπραχθῆναι τῷ θεῷ, οἱ μὲν ὄντες Ἀμφικτύονες φεύγουσι καὶ ἐξελήλανται, καὶ ἀνάστατος αὐτῶν ἡ χώρα γέγονεν, οἱ δʼ οὐπώποτʼ ἐν τῷ πρόσθεν χρόνῳ γενόμενοι Μακεδόνες καὶ βάρβαροι, νῦν Ἀμφικτύονες εἶναι βιάζονται· ἐὰν δέ τις περὶ τῶν ἱερῶν χρημάτων μνησθῇ, κατακρημνίζεται, ἡ πόλις δὲ τὴν προμαντείαν ἀφῄρηται.

[¶32] 328. To Athens the whole business is an insoluble puzzle. Philip has escaped falsehood, and has accomplished all his purposes, while you, after expecting the complete fulfilment, have witnessed the entire disappointment, of your desires. You are nominally at peace; yet peace has brought you greater calamities than war. Meantime these men have made money by your misfortunes, and until today have never been brought to justice.

> Greek: 328. καὶ γέγονεν τὰ πράγματα πάνθʼ ὥσπερ αἴνιγμα τῇ πόλει. ὁ μὲν οὐδὲν ἔψευσται καὶ πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἐβουλήθη διαπέπρακται, ὑμεῖς δʼ ἅπερ εὔξαισθʼ ἂν ἐλπίσαντες, τἀναντία τούτων ἑοράκατε γιγνόμενα, καὶ δοκεῖτε μὲν εἰρήνην ἄγειν, πεπόνθατε δὲ δεινότερʼ ἢ πολεμοῦντες· οὗτοι δὲ χρήματʼ ἔχουσιν ἐπὶ τούτοις καὶ μέχρι τῆς τήμερον ἡμέρας δίκην οὐ δεδώκασιν.

[¶33] 329. That they have done it all for bribes, and that they have the price of their perfidy in their pockets, has, I suppose, long ago been manifest to you for many reasons; and I am afraid that, contrary to my desire, I may be wearying you by submitting detailed proofs of facts well known to you.

> Greek: 329. ὅτι γὰρ ταῦθʼ ἁπλῶς δεδωροδόκηται καὶ τιμὴν ἔχουσιν ἁπάντων τούτων οὗτοι, πολλαχόθεν μὲν ἔγωγʼ οἶμαι δῆλον ὑμῖν εἶναι πάλαι, καὶ δέδοικα μὴ τοὐναντίον οὗ βούλομαι ποιῶ, σφόδρʼ ἀκριβῶς δεικνύναι πειρώμενος διοχλῶ πάλαι τοῦτʼ αὐτοὺς ὑμᾶς εἰδότας· ὅμως δʼ ἔτι καὶ τόδʼ ἀκούσατε.

[¶34] 330. However, I must ask you to listen to one more argument. Gentlemen of the jury, would you set up in the market-place a statue of any of the ambassadors whom Philip sent? Or would you give to them free maintenance in the Town Hall, or any of the other privileges with which you reward your benefactors? Surely not; but why not? For in you there is no lack of gratitude or justice or kindness. It is, you will say—and it is a fair and honest reply—because they did everything for Philip and nothing for us.

> Greek: 330. ἔσθʼ ὅντινʼ ὑμεῖς, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τῶν πρέσβεων ὧν ἔπεμψε Φίλιππος χαλκοῦν στήσαιτʼ ἂν ἐν ἀγορᾷ; τί δέ; δοίητʼ ἂν ἐν πρυτανείῳ σίτησιν ἢ ἄλλην τινὰ δωρειάν, αἷς τιμᾶτε τοὺς εὐεργέτας; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ οἶμαι. διὰ τί; (οὔτε γὰρ ὑμεῖς γʼ ἀχάριστοί ἐστʼ οὔτʼ ἄδικοι ἄνθρωποι οὔτε κακοί.) ὅτι πάνθʼ ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου καὶ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἔπραξαν, εἴποιτʼ ἄν, καὶ ἀληθῆ καὶ δίκαια.

[¶35] 331. Then do you suppose that Philip acts on an entirely different principle from yours, and gives all those handsome presents to Aeschines and his friends because they conducted their mission duly and honestly in your interest? That is not so. You have observed the reception he gave to the envoy Hegesippus and his colleagues. Not to mention other details, he banished by proclamation the Athenian poet Xenocleides for offering them hospitality as fellow-citizens. Such is his behavior towards your representatives when they honestly speak out what they think; those who have sold themselves he treats as he treated Aeschines and his friends. My argument requires no other witnesses and no stronger proofs; nor can anyone erase these proofs from your minds.

> Greek: 331. εἶτʼ οἴεσθʼ ὑμεῖς μὲν οὕτω γιγνώσκειν, τὸν δὲ Φίλιππον οὐχ οὕτω, ἀλλὰ τούτοις διδόναι τηλικαύτας καὶ τοσαύτας δωρειὰς διότι ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καλῶς καὶ δικαίως ἐπρέσβευσαν; οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα. τὸν γὰρ Ἡγήσιππον ὁρᾶτε καὶ τοὺς μετʼ αὐτοῦ πρέσβεις πῶς ἐδέξατο. τὰ μὲν ἄλλα σιωπῶ, ἀλλὰ Ξενοκλείδην τουτονὶ τὸν ποιητὴν ἐξεκήρυξεν, ὅτι αὐτοὺς ὑπεδέξατο πολίτας ὄντας. τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν λέγουσι δικαίως ὅσʼ ἂν φρονῶσι τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον προσφέρεται, τοῖς δὲ πεπρακόσιν αὑτοὺς ὡς τούτοις. ταῦτʼ οὖν μαρτύρων, ταῦτʼ ἐλέγχων τινῶν ἔτι δεῖται μειζόνων; ταῦτʼ ἀφαιρήσεταί τις ὑμῶν;

[¶36] 332. Some one came up to me just now in front of the court, and told me a very odd thing. Aeschines, he said, had prepared himself to denounce the general Chares, hoping to cajole you by his eloquent treatment of that topic. I will not lay too much stress on the observation that, whenever Chares has been brought to trial, he has been found to have acted faithfully and loyally, so far as in him lay, in your interests, though he has often failed of success by the fault of the people who do mischief for money. I will go so far as to grant for argument’s sake that every word Aeschines will utter against him is true. But even on that assumption it is absolutely ridiculous that a man in Chares’ position should be denounced by a man like Aeschines.

> Greek: 332. εἶπε τοίνυν μοί τις ἄρτι προσελθὼν πρὸ τοῦ δικαστηρίου πρᾶγμα καινότατον πάντων, Χάρητος κατηγορεῖν αὐτὸν παρεσκευάσθαι, καὶ διὰ τούτου τοῦ τρόπου καὶ τούτων τῶν λόγων ἐξαπατήσειν ὑμᾶς ἐλπίζειν. ἐγὼ δʼ ὅτι μὲν πάντα τρόπον κρινόμενος Χάρης εὕρηται πιστῶς καὶ εὐνοϊκῶς, ὅσον ἦν ἐπʼ ἐκείνῳ, πράττων ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, διὰ τοὺς δʼ ἐπὶ χρήμασι λυμαινομένους τοῖς πράγμασι πολλῶν ὑστερῶν, οὐ σφόδρʼ ἰσχυρίζομαι, ἀλλʼ ὑπερβολὴν ποιήσομαι· ἔστω γὰρ πάντʼ ἀληθῆ λέξειν περὶ αὐτοῦ τουτονί. καὶ οὕτω τοίνυν κομιδῇ γέλως ἐστὶ κατηγορεῖν ἐκείνου τουτονί.

[¶37] 333. Observe that I do not blame Aeschines for any of the misadventures of the war, for which the generals are duly called to account. Nor do I blame him because the city made the peace: so far I acquit him. What then is the basis of my speech and of my indictment? That, when the city was making the peace, he supported Philocrates, and did not support speakers whose proposals were patriotic; that he took bribes; that thereafter, on the later embassy, he deliberately squandered his opportunities; that he deceived the city, and confounded its policy, by suggesting the hope that Philip would satisfy all our desires; and that subsequently, when others warned you to beware of the perpetrator of so many iniquities, he addressed you as his advocate.

> Greek: 333. ἐγὼ γὰρ Αἰσχίνην οὐδενὸς αἰτιῶμαι τῶν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ πραχθέντων (τούτων γάρ εἰσιν οἱ στρατηγοὶ ὑπεύθυνοι), οὐδὲ τοῦ ποιήσασθαι τὴν πόλιν εἰρήνην, ἀλλʼ ἄχρι τούτου πάντʼ ἀφίημι. τί οὖν λέγω καὶ πόθεν ἄρχομαι κατηγορεῖν; τοῦ ποιουμένης τῆς πόλεως εἰρήνην Φιλοκράτει συνειπεῖν, ἀλλὰ μὴ τοῖς τὰ βέλτιστα γράφουσι, [καὶ] τοῦ δῶρʼ εἰληφέναι, τοῦ μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἐπὶ τῆς ὑστέρας πρεσβείας τοὺς χρόνους κατατρῖψαι καὶ μηδὲν ὧν προσετάξαθʼ ὑμεῖς ποιῆσαι, τοῦ φενακίσαι τὴν πόλιν καὶ παραστήσαντʼ ἐλπίδας, ὡς ὅσα βουλόμεθʼ ἡμεῖς Φίλιππος πράξει, πάντʼ ἀπολωλεκέναι, τοῦ μετὰ ταῦθʼ, ἑτέρων προλεγόντων φυλάττεσθαι τὸν τοσαῦτʼ ἠδικηκότα, τοῦτον ἐκείνῳ συνηγορεῖν.

[¶38] 334. These are my accusations. Do not forget them. For a just and equitable peace I would be grateful; I would have commended and advised you to decorate negotiators who had not first sold themselves and then deceived you with falsehoods. Granted that you were wronged by any commander,—he is not concerned in the present inquiry. Did any commander bring Halus to destruction? or the Phocians? or Doriscus? or Cersobleptes? or the Sacred Mount? or Thermopylae? Was it a commander who gave Philip an open road to Attica through the territory of friends and allies? Who has made Coronea and Orchomenus and Euboea alien ground for us? Who nearly did the same with Megara only yesterday? Who has made the Thebans strong?

> Greek: 334. ταῦτα κατηγορῶ, ταῦτα μέμνησθε, ἐπεὶ δικαίαν εἰρήνην καὶ ἴσην καὶ μηδὲν πεπρακότας ἀνθρώπους μηδὲ ψευσαμένους ὕστερον κἂν ἐπῄνουν καὶ στεφανοῦν ἐκέλευον. στρατηγὸς δʼ εἴ τις ἠδίκηκεν ὑμᾶς, οὐχὶ κοινωνεῖ ταῖς νῦν εὐθύναις. ποῖος γὰρ στρατηγὸς Ἅλον, τίς δὲ Φωκέας ἀπολώλεκε; τίς δὲ Δορίσκον; τίς δὲ Κερσοβλέπτην; τίς δʼ Ἱερὸν ὄρος; τίς δὲ Πύλας; τίς δὲ πεποίηκεν ἄχρι τῆς Ἀττικῆς ὁδὸν διὰ συμμάχων καὶ φίλων εἶναι Φιλίππῳ; τίς δὲ Κορώνειαν, τίς δʼ Ὀρχομενόν, τίς Εὔβοιαν ἀλλοτρίαν;

[¶39] 335. These are enormous losses, but for none of them is any general to blame. Philip does not hold any of these advantages as a concession made with your consent in the terms of peace. We owe them all to these men and to their venality. If, then, Aeschines shirks the issue, if he tries to lead you astray by talking of anything rather than the charges I bring, I will tell you how to receive his irrelevance. “We are not sitting in judgement on any military commander. You are not being tried on the charges you refute. Do not tell us that this man or that man is to blame for the destruction of the Phocians; prove to us that you are not to blame. If Demosthenes committed any crime, why bring it up now? Why did you not lay your complaint at the statutory investigation of his conduct? For that silence alone you deserve your doom.”

> Greek: 335. τίς Μέγαρα πρώην ὀλίγου; τίς Θηβαίους ἰσχυρούς; τούτων γὰρ οὐδὲν τοσούτων καὶ τηλικούτων ὄντων διὰ τοὺς στρατηγοὺς ἀπώλετο, οὐδʼ ἐν τῇ εἰρήνῃ συγχωρηθὲν πεισθέντων ὑμῶν ἔχει Φίλιππος, ἀλλὰ διὰ τούτους ἀπόλωλε καὶ τὴν τούτων δωροδοκίαν. ἂν τοίνυν ταῦτα μὲν φεύγῃ, πλανᾷ δὲ καὶ πάντα μᾶλλον λέγῃ, ἐκείνως αὐτὸν δέχεσθε. οὐ στρατηγῷ δικάζομεν, οὐ περὶ τούτων κρίνει. μὴ λέγʼ εἴ τις αἴτιός ἐστι καὶ ἄλλος τοῦ Φωκέων ὀλέθρου, ἀλλʼ ὡς οὐ σὺ αἴτιος δεῖξον. τί οὖν, εἴ τι Δημοσθένης ἠδίκει, νῦν λέγεις, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὅτε τὰς εὐθύνας ἐδίδου κατηγόρεις; διʼ αὐτὸ γὰρ εἶ τοῦτʼ ἀπολωλέναι δίκαιος.

[¶40] 336. “You need not tell us that peace is a lovely and profitable thing; for nobody blames you because the city concluded peace. Deny, if you can, that the peace we have is a disgraceful and ignominious peace; deny that after its conclusion we were deceived, and that by that deception all was lost. The blame for all these calamities has been brought home to you. Why do you still speak the praises of the man who inflicted them?” Keep guard over his tricks in that fashion, and he will have nothing to say. He will only aggravate the thunders of his voice, and exhaust himself with his own vociferation.

> Greek: 336. μὴ λέγʼ ὡς καλὸν εἰρήνη, μηδʼ ὡς συμφέρον· οὐδεὶς γὰρ αἰτιᾶταί σε τοῦ ποιήσασθαι τὴν πόλιν εἰρήνην· ἀλλʼ ὡς οὐκ αἰσχρὰ καὶ ἐπονείδιστος, καὶ πόλλʼ ὕστερον ἐξηπατήμεθα, καὶ πάντʼ ἀπώλετο, ταῦτα λέγε. τούτων γὰρ ἁπάντων ἡμῖν αἴτιος σὺ δέδειξαι. καὶ τί δὴ μέχρι νυνὶ τὸν τὰ τοιαῦτα πεποιηκότʼ ἐπαινεῖς; ἂν οὕτω φυλάττητʼ αὐτόν, οὐχ ἕξει τί λέγῃ, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἄλλως ἐνταῦθʼ ἐπαρεῖ τὴν φωνὴν καὶ πεφωνασκηκὼς ἔσται.

[¶41] 337. On that famous voice of his, however, I really must offer some observations. For I am informed that he sets great store thereby, and that he hopes to overawe you by an exhibition of histrionic talent. When he tried to represent the woes of the House of Thyestes, or of the men who fought at Troy, you drove him from the stage with hisses and cat-calls, and came near to pelting him with stones, insomuch that in the end he gave up his profession of actor of small parts; and I think you would be behaving very strangely if now, when he has wrought measurable mischief, not on the stage, but in his dealings with the most momentous affairs of state, you should be favorably impressed by his beautiful voice.

> Greek: 337. καίτοι καὶ περὶ τῆς φωνῆς ἴσως εἰπεῖν ἀνάγκη· πάνυ γὰρ μέγα καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ φρονεῖν αὐτὸν ἀκούω, ὡς καθυποκρινούμενον ὑμᾶς. ἐμοὶ δὲ δοκεῖτʼ ἀτοπώτατον ἁπάντων ἂν ποιῆσαι, εἰ, ὅτε μὲν τὰ Θυέστου καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ Τροίᾳ κάκʼ ἠγωνίζετο, ἐξεβάλλετʼ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐξεσυρίττετʼ ἐκ τῶν θεάτρων καὶ μόνον οὐ κατελεύεθʼ οὕτως ὥστε τελευτῶντα τοῦ τριταγωνιστεῖν ἀποστῆναι, ἐπειδὴ δʼ οὐκ ἐπὶ τῆς σκηνῆς, ἀλλʼ ἐν τοῖς κοινοῖς καὶ μεγίστοις τῆς πόλεως πράγμασι μυρίʼ εἴργασται κακά, τηνικαῦθʼ ὡς καλὸν φθεγγομένῳ προσέχοιτε.

[¶42] 338. No, gentlemen; you must not yield to unworthy emotion. If you are holding an examination for the office of herald, you do well to look for a man with a fine loud voice; but if you are choosing an ambassador or a candidate for public office, you seek an honest man, a man who exhibits a proud spirit as your representative, and a spirit of equality as your fellow-citizen. I, for example, showed no respect for Philip; I kept my respect for the captives, I rescued them, I spared no effort. Aeschines, on the other hand, grovelled at Philip’s feet, sang his Hymn of Victory, and disregards you altogether.

> Greek: 338. μηδαμῶς· μηδὲν ὑμεῖς ἀβέλτερον πάθητε, ἀλλὰ λογίζεσθʼ ὅτι δεῖ κήρυκα μὲν ἂν δοκιμάζητε, εὔφωνον σκοπεῖν, πρεσβευτὴν δὲ καὶ τῶν κοινῶν ἀξιοῦντά τι πράττειν δίκαιον καὶ φρόνημʼ ἔχονθʼ ὑπὲρ μὲν ὑμῶν μέγα, πρὸς δʼ ὑμᾶς ἴσον, ὥσπερ ἐγὼ Φίλιππον μὲν οὐκ ἐθαύμασα, τοὺς δʼ αἰχμαλώτους ἐθαύμασα, ἔσωσα, οὐδὲν ὑπεστειλάμην. οὗτος δʼ ἐκείνου μὲν προὐκαλινδεῖτο, τοὺς παιᾶνας ᾖδεν, ὑμῶν δʼ ὑπερορᾷ.

[¶43] 339. Again, when you observe eloquence, or vocal power, or any such merit, in a right-minded and patriotic speaker, by all means congratulate him and help him to exercise his gift, for you all share in its advantages. But when you find such powers in the possession of a corrupt and evil-minded man, the slave of filthy lucre, discourage him, and listen to him with aversion and animosity; for if knavery enjoys in your eyes the reputation of ability, it becomes a peril to the commonwealth.

> Greek: 339. ἔτι τοίνυν ὅταν μὲν ἴδητε δεινότητʼ ἢ εὐφωνίαν ἤ τι τῶν ἄλλων τῶν τοιούτων ἀγαθῶν ἐπὶ χρηστοῦ καὶ φιλοτίμου γεγενημένον ἀνθρώπου, συγχαίρειν καὶ συνασκεῖν πάντας δεῖ· κοινὸν γὰρ ὑμῖν πᾶσι τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῦτʼ ἀγαθὸν γίγνεται· ὅταν δʼ ἐπὶ δωροδόκου καὶ πονηροῦ καὶ παντὸς ἥττονος λήμματος, ἀποκλείειν καὶ πικρῶς καὶ ἐναντίως ἀκούειν, ὡς πονηρία δυνάμεως δόξαν εὑρομένη παρʼ ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐστίν.

[¶44] 340. You have before your eyes the dangers with which the city is encompassed as the result of the reputation he has achieved. Now other forms of ability are almost wholly independent of conditions; but the ability of the speaker is paralyzed by the recalcitrance of his audience. Listen to him, then, as to a knave and a bribe-taker, who will have no truthful word to utter.

> Greek: 340. ὁρᾶτε δʼ, ἀφʼ ὧν οὗτος εὐδοκιμεῖ πηλίκα τῇ πόλει περιέστηκε πράγματα. αἱ μὲν τοίνυν ἄλλαι δυνάμεις ἐπιεικῶς εἰσιν αὐτάρκεις, ἡ δὲ τοῦ λέγειν, ἂν τὰ παρʼ ὑμῶν τῶν ἀκουόντων ἀντιστῇ, διακόπτεται. οὕτως οὖν ἀκούετε τούτου ὡς πονηροῦ καὶ δωροδόκου καὶ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἐροῦντος ἀληθές.

[¶45] 341. Observe in conclusion that, apart from all other reasons, the conviction of this man is eminently desirable in view of your future relations with Philip. For if Philip ever finds himself under the necessity of treating Athens with common justice, he will have to remodel his methods. At present his chosen policy is to cheat the many and court the few; but, when he learns that his favorites have been brought to ruin, he will wish for the future to deal with the many, who are the real masters of our state.

> Greek: 341. ὅτι δʼ οὐ μόνον κατὰ τἄλλα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν Φίλιππον πράγματα πανταχῶς συμφέρει τοῦτον ἑαλωκέναι, θεάσασθε. εἴτε γὰρ ἥξει ποτʼ εἰς ἀνάγκην τῶν δικαίων τι ποιεῖν τῇ πόλει, τὸν τρόπον μεταθήσεται· νῦν μὲν γὰρ ᾕρηται τοὺς πολλοὺς ἐξαπατῶν ὀλίγους θεραπεύειν, ἂν δὲ τούτους ἀπολωλότας πύθηται, ὑμῖν τοῖς πολλοῖς καὶ πάντων κυρίοις τὰ λοιπὰ ποιεῖν βουλήσεται.

[¶46] 342. Or if he persists in the lawlessness and the insolence that he displays today, you, by putting these men out of the way, will have delivered Athens from men ready to go to all lengths in his service. For if the fear that they would be called to account did not deter them, what conduct can you expect from them if you should give them a licence to do what they please? Will they not outvie Euthycrates, Lasthenes, and all the traitors of history?

> Greek: 342. εἴτʼ ἐπὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ἧσπερ νῦν ἐξουσίας καὶ ἀσελγείας μενεῖ, τοὺς ὁτιοῦν ἂν ἐκείνῳ ποιήσαντας ἀνῃρηκότες ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἔσεσθε, ἂν τούτους ἀνέλητε· οἳ γὰρ οἰόμενοι δίκην ὑφέξειν τοιαῦτʼ ἔπραξαν, τούτους, ἂν τὰ παρʼ ὑμῶν αὐτοῖς ἐφεθῇ, τί οἴεσθε ποιήσειν; ποῖον Εὐθυκράτη, ποῖον Λασθένη, τίνʼ οὐχ ὑπερβαλεῖσθαι προδότην;

[¶47] 343. Every other man will be a worse citizen, when he sees that men who have made traffic of the common interests emerge with wealth and reputation, and with all the advantages of Philip’s friendship, while the lot of those who approved themselves honest men and spent their money in your service is vexation and ill-will, and the enmity of those whom I need not name. Let it not be so! For the sake of your honor, of your religion, of your security, of everything you value, you must not acquit this man. Visit him with exemplary punishment, and let his fate be a warning not to our own citizens alone but to every man who lives in the Hellenic world.

> Greek: 343. τίνα δʼ οὐ πάντων τῶν ἄλλων χείρω πολίτην ὑπάρξειν, ὁρῶντα τοῖς μὲν ἅπαντα πεπρακόσι χρήματα, δόξαν, ἀφορμὴν τὴν Φιλίππου ξενίαν περιοῦσαν, τοῖς δὲ δικαίους τε παρέχουσιν ἑαυτοὺς καὶ προσανηλωκόσι χρήματα πράγματα, ἀπεχθείας, φθόνον περιόντα παρʼ ἐνίων; μηδαμῶς· οὔτε γὰρ πρὸς δόξαν οὔτε πρὸς εὐσέβειαν οὔτε πρὸς ἀσφάλειαν οὔτε πρὸς ἄλλʼ οὐδὲν ὑμῖν συμφέρει τοῦτον ἀφεῖναι, ἀλλὰ τιμωρησαμένους παράδειγμα ποιῆσαι πᾶσι, καὶ τοῖς πολίταις καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις Ἕλλησιν.