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I cannot fee. For befides the difgrace that must attend us, if any of our interefts are fupinely disregarded, I have no fmall apprehenfions of the confequence, (the Thebans affected as they are towards us, and the Phocians exhaufted of their treasures) if Philip be left at full liberty to lead his armies into thefe territories, when his prefent enterprises are accomplished. If any one among you can be fo far immerfed in indolence as to fuffer this, he must chufe to be witness of the mifery of his own country, rather than to hear of that which ftrangers fufier; and to seek afliftants for himfelf, when it is now in his power to grant affiftance to others. That this must be the confequence, if we do not exert ourfelves on the prefent occafion, there can fcarcely remain the leaft doubt among

us.

But, as to the neceffity of fending fuccours, this, it may be faid, we are agreed in; this is our refolution. But how fhall we be enabled? that is the point to be explained. Be not furprifed, Athenians, if my fentiments on this occafion seem repugnant to the general fenfe of this affembly. Appoint magiftrates for the infpection of your laws: not in order to enact any new laws; you have already a fufficient number; but to repeal thofe, whofe ill effects you now experience. I mean the laws relating to the theatrical funds (thus openly I declare it) and fome about the foldiery. By the firit, the foldier's pay goes as theatrical expences to the ufclefs and inactive; the others fcreen thofe from juftice, who decline the fervice of the field, and thus damp the ardour of those difpofed to ferve us. When you have repealed thefe, and rendered it confiftent with fafety to advise you justly, then seek for fome perfon to propole that decree, which you all are fenfible the common good requires. But, till this be done, expect not that any man will urge your true intereft, when, for urging your true intereft, you repay him with deftruction. Ye will never find fuch zeal; especially fince the confequence can be only this; he who offers his opinion, and moves for your concurrence, fuffers fome unmerited calamity; but your affairs are not in the least advanced: nay, this additional inconvenience must arife, that for the future it will appear more dangerous to advise you, than even at prefent. And the authors of thefe laws fhould also 'be the authors of their repeal. For it is not just that the public favour fhould be

beflowed on them who, in framing these laws, have greatly injured the community; and that the odium fhould fall on him, whofe freedom and fincerity are of important fervice to us all. Until thefe regulations be made, you are not to think any man fo great that he may violate thefe laws with impunity; or fo devoid of reafon, as to plunge himself into open and foreseen deftruction.

And be not ignorant of this, Athenians, that a decree is of no fignificance, unless attended with refolution and alacrity to execute it. For were decrees of themfelves fufficient to engage you to perform your duty, could they even execute the things which they enact; fo many would not have been made to fo little, or rather to no good purpofe; nor would the infolence of Philip have had fo long a date. For, if decrees can punifh, he hath long fince felt all their fury. But they have no fuch power: for, though propofing and refolving be firft in order, yet, in force and efficacy, action is fuperior. Let this then be your principal concern; the others you cannot want; for you have men among you capable of advifing, and you are of all people moft acute in apprehending: now, let your intereft direct you, and it will be in your power to be as remarkable for acting. What feafon indeed, what opportunity do you wait for, more favourable than the prefent? Or when will you exert your vigour, if not now, my countrymen ? Hath not this man feized all thofe places that were ours? Should he become master of this country too, muft we not fink into the loweft ftate of infamy? Are not they whom we have promifed to affift, whenever they are engaged in war, now attacked themselves? Is he not our enemy? Is he not in poffeffion of our dominions? Is he not a barbarian? Is he not every base thing words can exprefs? If we are infenfible to all this, if we almoft aid his defigns; heavens! can we then afk to whom the confequences are owing? Yes, I know full well, we never will impute them to ourselves. Juft as in the dangers of the field: not one of those who fly will accuse himfelf; he will rather blame the general, or his fellow-foldiers: yet every fingle man that fled was acceffary to the defeat. He who blames others might have maintained his own poft; and, had every man maintained his, fuccefs might have enfued. Thus then, in the prefent cafe, is there a man whofe counfel feems liable to objec

tion? Let the next rife, and not inveigh against him, but declare his own opinion. Doth another offer fone more falutary counsel? Pursue it, in the name of Heaven. "But then it is not pleafing." This is not the fault of the fpeaker, unlefs in that he hath neglected to exprefs his affection in prayers and wishes. To pray is eafy, Athenians; and in one petition may be collected as many inftances of good fortune as we pleafe. To determine juftly, when affairs are to be confidered, is not fo eafy. But what is most useful fhould ever be preferred to that which is agreeable, where both cannot be obtained.

But if there be a man who will leave us the theatrical funds, and propofe other fub fidies for the fervice of the war, are we not rather to attend to him? I grant it, Athenians! if that man can be found. But I fhould account it wonderful, if it ever did, if it ever can happen to any man on earth, that while he lavishes his prefent poffeffions on unneceffary occafions, fome future funds hould be procured to fupply his real neceffities. But fuch proposals find a powerful advocate in the breaft of every hearer. So that nothing is fo eafy as to deceive one's felf; for what we with, that we readily believe; but fuch expectations are oftentimes inconfiftent with our affairs. On this occafion, therefore, let your af fairs direct you; then will you be enabled to take the field; then you will have your full pay. And men, whofe judgments are well directed, and whofe fouls are great, could not fupport the infamy which must attend them, if obliged to defert any of the operations of a war, from the want of money. They could not, after fnatching up their arms, and marching againft the Corinthians and Megareans, fuffer Philip to inflave the states of Greece, through the want of provifions for their forces. I fay not this wantonly, to raife the refentment of fome among you. No; I am not fo unhappily perverfe as to study to be hated, when no good purpose can be answered by it: but it is my opinion, that every honeft fpeaker fhould prefer the intereft of the fate to the favour of his hearers. This (I am affured, and perhaps you need not be informed) was the principle which actuated the public conduct of thofe of our ancellors who fpoke in this affembly (men, whom the prefent fet of orators are ever ready to applaud, but whofe example they by no means imitate): fuch were Ariftides, Nicias, the former Demofthenes, and Pe

ricles. But fince we have had speakers, who, before their public appearance, afk you, "What do you defire? What shall I "propofe? How can I oblige you?" The intereft of our country hath been facrificed to momentary pleafure, and popular favour. Thus have we been diftreffed ; thus have thefe men rifen to greatnefs, and you funk into difgrace.

And here let me intreat your attention to a fummary account of the conduct of your ancestors, and of your own. I fhall mention but a few things, and thefe well known, (for, if you would purfue the way to happiness, you need not look abroad for leaders) our own countrymen point it out. Thefe our ancestors, therefore, whom the orators never courted, never treated with that indulgence with which you are flattered, held the fovereignty of Greece with general confent, five-and-forty years; depofited above ten thousand ta lents in our public treafury; kept the king of this country in that fubjection, which a barbarian owes to Greeks; erected mo. numents of many and illuftrious actions, which they themselves atchieved by land and fea; in a word, are the only perfons who have tranfmitted to pofterity fuch glory as is fuperior to envy. Thus great do they appear in the affairs of Greece. Let us now view them within the city, both in their public and private conduct. And, firft, the edifices which their adminiftrations have given us, their decorations of our temples, and the offerings depofited by them, are fo numerous and fo magnificent, that all the efforts of pofterity cannot exceed them. Then, in private life, fo exemplary was their moderation, their adherence to the ancient manners fo fcrupulously exact, that if any of you ever dif. covered the house of Aristides, or Miltiades, or any of the illuftrious men of those times, he must know that it was not diftinguished by the leaft extraordinary fplendor. For they did not fo conduct the public bufinefs as to aggrandife themfelves; their fole great object was to exalt the ftate. And thus, by their faithful attachment to Greece, by their piety to the gods, and by that equality which they maintained among themselves, they were raifed (and no wonder) to the fummit of profperity.

Such was the state of Athens at that time, when the men I have mentioned were in power. But what is your condition under thefe indulgent minifters who now direct us? Is it the fame, or nearly the fame?

S sz

Other

Other things I fhall pass over, though
I might expatiate on them. Let it only
be obferved, that we are now, as you all
fee, left without competitors; the Lace-
demonians loft; the Thebans engaged at
home; and not one of all the other ftates
of confequence fufficient to difpute the fo-
vereignty with us. Yet, at a time when
we might have enjoyed our own dominions
in fecurity, and been the umpires in all
difputes abroad; our territories have been
wreited from us; we have expended above
one thousand five hundred talents to no
purpofe; the allies which we gained in war
have been loft in time of peace; and to
this degree of power have we raised an
enemy against ourfelves. (For let the
man ftand forth who can fhew, whence
Philip hath derived his greatness, if not
from us.)

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"Well! if thefe affairs have but an un"favourable aspect, yet those within the city are much more flourishing than "ever." Where are the proofs of this? The walls which have been whitened the ways we have repaired? the supplies of water, and fuch trifles? Turn your eyes to the men, of whofe adminiftrations thefe are the fruits. Some of whom, from the lowest state of poverty, have arisen suddenly to affluence; fome from meanness to renown: others have made their own private houses much more magnificent than the public edifices. Juft as the ftate hath fallen, their private fortunes have been raifed.

And what caufe can we affign for this? How is it that our affairs were once fo flourishing, and now in such disorder? Because formerly, the poeple dared to take up arms themselves; were themfelves mafters of those in employment, difpofers themfelves of all emoluments: fo that every citizen thought himself happy to derive honours and authority, and all advantages whatever from the people. But now, on the contrary, favours are all difpenfed, affairs all tranfacted by the minifters; while you, quite enervated, robbed of your riches, your allies, ftand in the mean rank of fervants and affiftants: happy if thefe men grant you the theatrical appointments, and fend you fcraps of the public meal. And, what is of all moft fordid, you hold yourfelves obliged to them for that which is your own, while they confine you within thefe walls, lead you on gently to their purposes, and foothe and tame you to obedience. Nor is it poffible,

that they who are engaged in low and gro velling purfuits, can entertain great and generous fentiments. No! fuch as their employments are, fo muft their difpofitions prove.-Aud now I call Heaven to witnefs, that it will not furprise me, if I fuffer more by mentioning this your condition, than they who have involved you in it! Freedom of fpeech you do not allow on all occafions; and that you have now admitted it, excites my wonder.

But if you will at length be prevailed on to change your conduct; if you will take the field, and act worthy of Athenians; if thefe redundant fums which you receive at home be applied to the advancement of your affairs abroad; perhaps, my countrymen! perhaps fome inftance of confummate good fortune may attend you, and ye may become fo happy as to defpife those pittances, which are like the morfels that a physician allows his patient. For thefe do not reftore his vigour, but just keep him from dying. So, your distri butions cannot ferve any valuable purpose, but are juft fufficient to divert your attention from all other things, and thus increafe the indolence of every one among you.

"What then! is But I fhall be asked, "it your opinion that these fums fhould "pay our army?"-And befides this, that the ftate fhould be regulated in fuch a manner, that every one may have his fhare of public bufinefs, and approve himself an ufeful citizen, on what occafion foever his aid may be required. Is it in his power to live in peace? He will live here with greater dignity, while thefe fupplies prevent him from being tempted by indigence Is he called to any thing dishonourable forth by an emergency like the prefent? Let him difcharge that facred duty which he owes to his country, by applying these fums to his fupport in the field. Is there a man among you paft the age of fervice? Let him, by infpecting and conducting the public bufinefs, regularly merit his hare of the diftributions which he now receives, without any duty er joined, or any return made to the community. And thus, with fcarcely any alteration, either of abolishing or innovating, all irregularities are removed, and the ftate completely fettled; by appointing one general regulation, which hall entitle our citizens to receive, and at the fame time oblige them to take arms, to adminifter justice, to act in all cafes as their time of life, and our affairs

require.

require. But it never hath, nor could it have been moved by me, that the rewards of the diligent and active fhould be beflowed on the useless citizen: or that you fhould fit here, fupine, languid, and irrefolute, listening to the exploits of fome general's foreign troops (for thus it is at prefent-not that I would reflect on him who ferves you in any inftance. But you yourfelves, Athenians, fhould perform thofe fervices, for which you heap honours upon others, and not recede from that illuftri ous rank of virtue, the price of all the glorious toils of your ancestors, and by them bequeathed to you.

Thus have I laid before you the chief points in which I think you interested. It is your part to embrace that opinion, which the welfare of the ftate in general, and that of every fingle member, recommends to your acceptance.

Leland.

4. The third Olynthiac Oration: pronounced in the same year.

INTRODUCTION.

The preceding oration had no farther effect upon the Athenians, than to prevail on them to fend orders to Charidemus, who commanded for them at the Hellefpont, to make an attempt to relieve Olynthus. He accordingly led fome forces into Chalcis, which, in conjunction with the forces of Olynthus, ravaged Pallene, a peninfula of Macedon, towards Thrace and Bottia, a country on the confines of Chalcis, which among other towns contained Pella, the capital of Macedon. But thefe attempts could not divert Philip from his refolution of reducing Olynthus, which he had now publicly avowed, The Olynthians, therefore, found it neceffary to have once more recourse to Athens: and to request that they would fend troops, compofed of citizens, animated with a fincere ardor for their interest, their own glory, and the common cause. Demofthenes, in the following oration, infifts on the importance of faving Olynthus; alarms his hearers with the apprehenfion of the war, which actually threatened Attica, and even the capital; urges the neceffity of perfonal fervice; and returns to his charge of the mifapplication of the public money; but in fuch a manner,

as fheweth, that his former remon ftrances had not the defired effect.

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I AM perfuaded, Athenians! that you would account it lefs valuable to poles the greatest riches, than to have the true intereft of the ftate on this emergency clearly laid before you. It is your part, therefore, readily and chearfully to tend to all who are difpofed to offer their opinions. For your regards need not be confined to thofe, whofe counfels are the effect of premeditation: it is your good fortune to have men among you, who can at once fuggeft many points of moment. From opinions, therefore, of every kind, you may eafily chufe that most conducive to your interest.

And now, Athenians, the prefent juncture calls upon us; we almost hear its voice, declaring loudly, that you yourselves must engage in thefe affairs, if you have the leaft attention to your own fecurity. You entertain I know not what fentiments, on this occafion: my opinion is, that the reinforcements fhould be inftantly decreed; that they fhould be raifed with all poffible expedition; that fo our fuccours may be fent from this city, and all former inconveniencies be avoided; and that you should fend ambaffadors to notify these things, and to fecure our interefts by their prefence. For as he is a man of confummate policy, complete in the art of turning every incident to his own advantage there is the utmost reafon to fear, that partly by conceffions, where they may be seasonable; partly by menaces, (and his menaces may be believed) and partly by rendering us and our abience fufpected; he may tear from us fomething of the laft importance, and force it into his own fervice.

Thofe very circumftances, however, which contribute to the power of Philip, are happily the most favourable to us. For that uncontrolled command, with which he governs all tranfactions public and fecret; his intire direction of his army, as their leader, their fovereign, and their treasurer; and his diligence, in giving life to every part of it, by his prefence; these things greatly contribute to carrying on a war with expedition and fuccefs, but are powerful obitacles to that accommodation, which he would gladly make with the Olynthians. For the Olynthians fee plainly, that they do not now fight for glory, or for part of their territory, but to defend their ftate from diffolution and fla

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very. They know how he rewarded those traitors of Amphipolis, who made him maf ter of that city; and thofe of Pydna, who opened their gates to him. In a word, free ftates, I think, mutt ever look with fufpicion on an abfolute monarchy: but a neighbouring monarchy must double their apprehenfions.

Convinced of what hath now been offered, and poffeffed with every other juft and worthy fentiment; you must be refolved, Athenians! you must exert your fpirit; you muft apply to the war, now, if ever; your fortunes, your perfons, your whole powers, are now demanded. There is no excufe, no pretence left, for declining the performance of your duty. For that which you were all ever urging loudly, that the Olynthians thould be engaged in a war with Philip, hath now happened of itself; and this in a manner most agreeable to our intereft. For, if they had entered into this war at our perfuafion, they must have been precarious allies, without fteadiness or refolution: but, as their private injuries have made them enemies to Philip, it is probable that enmity will be lafting, both on account of what they fear, and what they have already fuffered. My countrymen! let not fo favourable an opportunity efcape you: do not repeat that error which hath been fo often fatal to you. For when, at our return from affifting the Euboeans, Hierax, and Stratocles, citizens of Amphipolis, mounted this gallery, and prefied you to fend out your navy, and to take their city under your protection; had we discovered that refolution in our own caufe, which we exerted for the fafety of Euboea; then had Amphipolis been yours; and all thofe difficulties had been avoided, in which you have been fince involved. Again, when we received advice of the fieges of Pydna, Potidæa, Methone, Pegafe, and other places, (for I would not detain you with a particular recital) had we ourfelves marched with a due fpirit and alacrity to the relief of the first of thefe cities, we fhould now find much more compliance, much more humility in Philip. But by ftill neglecting the prefent, and imagining our future interefts will not demand our care: we have aggrandized our enemy, we have raised him to a degree of eminence, greater than any king of Macedon hath ever yet enjoyed. Now we have another opportun'ty. That which the Olynthians, of themfelves, prefent to the ftate: one no lefs, confiderable than any of the former,

And, in my opinion, Athenians! if a man were to bring the dealings of the gods towards us to a fair account, though many things might appear not quite agreeable to our wishes, yet he would acknowledge that we had been highly favoured by them; and with great reafon: for that many places have been loft in the course of war, is truly to be charged to our own weak conduct. But that the difficulties, arifen from hence, have not long affected us; and that an alliance now prefents itself to remove them, if we are difpofed to make the juft ufe of it; this I cannot but afcribe to the divine goodness. But the fame thing happens in this cafe, as in the ufe of riches. If a man be careful to fave thofe he hath acquired, he readily acknowledges the kindness of fortune: but if by his imprudence they be once lof; with them he alfo lofes the fenfe of gratitude. So in political affairs, they who neglect to improve their opportunities, forget the favours which the gods have, bestowed; for it is the ultimate event which generally determines mens judgment of every thing precedent. And, therefore, all affairs hereafter thould engage your ftriételt care; that, by correcting our errors, we may wipe off the inglorious ftain of palt actions. But fhould we be deaf to thefe men too, and should he be suffered to fubvert Olynthus; fay, what can prevent him from marching his forces into whatever territory he pleafes.

Is there not a man among you, Athenians! who reflects by what steps, Philip, from a beginning fo inconfiderable, hath mounted to this height of power? First, he took Amphipolis: then he became master of Pydna; then Potidæa fell; then Methone: then came his inroad into Theffaly: after this, having difpofed affairs at Pheræ, at Pegafa, at Magnefia, intirely as he pleased, he marched into Thrace. Here, while engaged in expelling fome, and eftablifhing other princes, he fell fick. Again, recovering, he never turned a moment from his courfe to eafe or indulgence, but inftantly attacked the Olynthians. His expeditions against the Illyrians, the Pæonians, against Arymbas, I país all over.But I may be asked, why this recital, now? That you may know and fee your own error, in ever neglecting fome part of your affairs, as if beneath your regard: and that active fpirit with which Philip pursueth his defigns: which ever fires him; and which never can permit him to reft fatisfied with those things he hath already

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