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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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;
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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;
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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·
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.
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.
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.
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.
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;
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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;
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?
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;
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?
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;
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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;
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.
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.
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·