was this Column placed merely
as Chance diredled the Situation ?
as Chance diredled the Situation ?
Demosthenes - Orations - v2
None of thefe Circumftances did he regard, nor was
anxious, that the Republic might fail in Safety, but overfet,
and funk, and to the utmoft of his Power betrayed her to her
Enemies. Art thou not then a Plagiary? Yes; and impious.
Art thou not a Tranfcribcr of Sentences? Yes ; and an Enemy
to the Gods. The Verfcs you had often repeated upon the
Stage, and which you faithfully remembered, thofe you paflcd
over in Silence, but what you never aded in your Life, }'ou
very curioufly fought for, and repeated in public to ruin }^our
Fellow-Citizens,
Now confider the Remarks he made with regard to Solon.
He faid the Statue of Solon, clothed in his Tunic, and holding
his Hands within the Folds of his Robe, was eredled as an
Vol. II. Q^ Example
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? 114 ORATIONSOF
Example of the Modefty of the Orators in his Time. Thus
did he malignantly aim at Timarchus, and reproach him with
the Vivacity of his Adion. But the People of Salamis afTure
us, that Statue has not been fifty years ereded, yet from Solon
to the prefent Time we reckon full two hundred and fifty.
The Statuary therefore, who gave him his Attitude was not
himfelf, nor was even his Grand-father, alive at that Time. Such
were the Remarks he made to the Judges, and imitated Solon's
Attitude. But far more important to the Republic, to have
entered into the Spirit and Senfe of Solon, which he never
imitated, but in every polTible Inftance contradidled. For
when Salamis revolted from the Athenians, and they had de-
creed, it fhould be punifhable with Death, even to mention
the recovering it, Solon undertook the Danger, and fung fome
elegiac Verfes he made upon the Occafion, recovered the Ifland
to the Republic, and removed the Ignominy fhe had fuffered.
But JEfchines betrayed and delivered into the Hands of Philip
the City of Amphipolis, which the Perfian Monarch, and every
State of Greece acknowledged to be yours, and afterwards fup-
ported Philocrates, who confirmed the Treachery by Decree.
An honourable Inftance (was it not? ) of his remembering Solon,
But he not only a6led in this Manner here in Athens, for when
he arrived at Macedonia, he never once pronounced the Name
ot thofe Territories, for the Recovery of which he was appointed
an Ambaflador. This he himfelf declared; for you muft re-
member his flying, " I could indeed fay fomething concerning
" Am-
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? DEMOSTHENES, 115
" Amphipolis, but have left it for Demofthenes to fpeak upon
" that Subjed:. " I advanced upon the Tribunal and declared,
" he had left me nothing to fay of his Conferences with Philip,
" for he would rather give away Part of his Blood, than of
*' thofe Conferences. But, Iprefume, he thought it indecent,
" after having received Philip's Money, to oppofe him in that
*' very Purpofe for which he gave his Money, for he certainly
" gave it, that he might not be obliged toreftore Amphipolis. "
Now take and read me thefe elegiac Verfes of Solon, by
which you will be convinced, that Solon detefted Men like
iElchines. But indeed, JEfchines, it is by no means neceffary,
that an Orator fhould fpeak with his Hand under his Robe,
No; but an AmbafTador fhould perform his Embafly with his
Hand under his Robe. Yet when you ftretched forth yours in
Macedonia, and held it open, and brought Shame upon this Peo-
ple, were you then a magnificent Orator ? Or when you curioufly
collecSted thofe miferable Conceits, and exercifed the Sweetnefs
of your Voice in repeating them, did you not imagine you
fhould fuffer the Vengeance due to fuch and fo many Villainies,
although you wandered round the City with that extraordinary
Bonnet upon your Head, and uttered your Invedives againft
me? (42) Read.
Solon's
(42) Solon, to avoid the Funifliment having made fome Verfes proper for the
denounced againft whoever fhould pro- Occafion, he got them by Heart, chaunt-
pofe to renew the War for the Recovery ed them, fays Plutarch, as if under an
of Salamis, counterfeited Madnefs, and immediate Infpiration, and appeared in
Q 2 public
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? ii6 O R A T I O N S O F
Solon's Elegiac Verses. *
. Nor Jove fupreme, whofe fecret Will is Fate,
' Nor the blefl: Gods have doom'd th' Athenian State;
For Pallas, with her Father's Glories crown'd,,
Spreads the Protedtion of her ^Egis round.
But dire Corruption wide extends its Sway;
Athenians hear its Didates, and obey.
Oppreffive Demagogues our Counfels guide.
Though various Mifchiefs wait to quell their Pride.
Untaught with chearful Appetite to tafte
The calm Delights, that crown the temperate Feaftj
A Luft of Gold their reftlefs Bofoms fires,
A Luft of Gold their guilty Schemes infpires.
Vain are all Laws, or human or divine.
To guard the public Wealth, or facred Shrine,
While private Life is fill'd with mutual Fraud,
By Juftice and her facred Laws unaw'd.
Silent She fits, the pafl:, the prefent views.
And in her own good Time the guilty Scene purfues. .
Thus other States their mortal Wound receive,
And fervile Chains their freeborn Sons enflave ;
Sedition^
public with a Bonnet on his Head. In Spirit. They are a Colledion of poli-
this laft Circnmftance ^fchines feems to tical Maxims, that feem to prefage the
have been ridiculoufly careful to imitate Diflblution of every State wherein they
the Spirit of Solon. appear. Let this Reflexion, by which
* Thefe Verfes have all the Simplicity they may be happily applied to our pre-
of the Age, in which they were written, fent Hiftory, excufe the Poetiy, either
but very little poetical Elegance and in the Original, or the Trandation.
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? DEMOSTHENES. 117
Sedition rages ; Wars, long-flu mbering, rife,
And the lov'd Youth in Prime of Beauty dies ;
For foon the Foe lays wafte that haplefs State,
Where joylefs Difcord dwells, and foul Debate.
For the poor Wretch an harder Lot remains,
Sold like a Slave to pine in foreign Chains.
His proper Woes the Man of Wealth await,
Bound o'er his Walls, and thunder at his Gate;
Clofe on th' unhappy Fugitive they prefs.
And find him in his Chamber's dark recefs.
Thus my good Genius fpeaks, and bids advife
The Sons of Athens to be juft and wife ;
To mark attentive what a Stream of Woes
From civil Difcord, and Contention flows ;
What beauteous Order fhines, where Juftice reigns,,.
And binds the Sons of Violence in Chains.
Folly, of thoufand Forms, before her flies.
And in the Bud the flowerins Mifchief dies,
She guides the Judge's Sentence, quells the proud.
And midft Sedition's Rage appalls the Croud j
While clamorous Fadion, and Contention ceafe,,
And Man is blefl: with Happpinefs and Peace. .
*
Do you not hear, O Men of Athens, what Solon declares
of fuch Men, and his Opinion of the Gods, whom he calls the
Guardians.
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? ii8 ORATIONSOF
Guardians of Athens? For myfelf, I chearfully aflent to the
Truth of this Opinion, that the Gods are Guardians of this
Republic, and in fome Meafure am convinced, that all the
Circumftances, which have appeared during this Trial, are
fignal Proofs of the divine Favour. For only reflect, that the
Man, who hath committed fo many enormous Crimes in his
Embafly, and traiteroufly given away whole Provinces, in
which the Gods ought to be worfhiped by you, and your
Confederates; this Man hath accufed, and rendered incapable
of giving Evidence againft him, a Citizen, who was determi-
ned to profecute him. What Proofs of the divine Favour
in this Inftance? That he himfelf may find neither Compaflion,
nor Pardon for his own Guilt. Then in his Accufation of
Timarchus he chofe to mention me with much Malignity, and
afterwards in an Aflembly of the People, among other Me-
naces threatned me with a Profecution. To what good Purpofe
can this anfwer? That I, who am clearly informed, and have
pundually followed him through all his Villainies, may with
greater Indulgence ftand forth his Accufer. Befides, having
eluded to this Moment every Attempt to bring him to Juflice,
he hath now reduced himfelf to fuch Circumftances, that even
upon Account of thofe imminent Dangers, which threaten uf,
if for no other Reafon, it is neither pofTible, nor fafe to fuffcr
him to efcape unpuniflied. You ought indeed, O Men of
Athens, eternally to deteft and puniQi thefe Betrayers, thefe
Receivers of Bribes, but more efpecially at this Time, and for
the
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? DEMOSTHENES. 119
the general Prefervation of the Grecian States. For a Diftem-
per, O Men of Athens, terrible, and pernicious, hath aflaulted
Greece; a Diftemper, that demands much Favour from the
Gods, and from you the flridtcft Attention, to prevent its In-
fedion. They, who are moft diftingiiifhed in Oligarchies, and
thought worthy of prefiding over the Adminiftration of their feve-
ral Cities, are become the Betrayers of Liberty, and, unhappy
Men ! bring upon themfelves a voluntary Slavery, which, among
many other fuch Titles, they fpecioufly call the Hofpitality,
and Familiarity, and Friendfhip of Philip. Yet even in de-
mocratical States, like this of Athens, and the Forms of Govern-
ment, that prevail in every other City, the Citizens, whofe
Vengeance ought to fall upon thefe Traitors, and punifh them
with inftant Death, are fo far from acfling in this Manner, that
they admire, and emulate them, and every one wiflies gladly,
that he himfelf were fuch a Man.
Yet this Diftemper, attended with fuch Emulation, O
Men of Athens, very lately ruined the Sovereignty and general
Dignity of the Theflalians, and now abfolutely deprives them
even of their Liberty; for the Macedonians have Garrifons in
fome of their Citadels. It then entered into Peloponnefus;
wrought fuch Deftrudion in Elis ; filled the miferable People
with fuch a Spirit of violating the Laws, with fuch Excefs of
Madnefs, that in Hopes of exerting an Authority over each
other, and of obliging Philip, they polluted themfelves with
I the
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? 120 O R A T I O N S O F
the Blood of their Relations, and Fellow-Citizens. Neither
did it flop there, but advancing into Arcadia, threw every thing
into Confufion ; and now the Arcadian Democracies, which
ought, like yours, to be greatly anxious in the Caufe of Liberty
(for of all the Grecians, you and the Arcadians are the only
original Natives of your Countries) admire Philip, ere? l Statues
of Brafs to him, prefent him with Crowns, and if ever he fiiould
go into Feloponnefus, they have decreed to receive him in their
Cities. In the very fame Manner the Argives. Thele Cir-
cumflances, by the Deity of Ceres, if we purpofj to be ferious,
demand no little Prudence ; efpccially, fince after having taken
its Progrefs round us, this Diftemper, O Men of Athens, hath
made its way into this City. While you are therefore yet in
Safety, guard yourfelves againfl it, and ftigmatize with Infamy
the Traitors, who have introduced itamongfl us. Or otherwife,
be cautious, left what I now fay may not hereafter apoear too
juftly Ipoken, when you fhali no longer have it in your Power
to act as your Situation fliall demand.
Do you not behold how confpicuous, O Men of Athens,
and evident an Example of this Truth are the unhappy Olynthi-
ans ? From no other Errour, than their having adled in this
Manner, have they perifhed miferably, as you may clearly be
convinced by a Series of Events. When they could command
only four hundred Florfe, and the whole Number of their Citi-
zens did not exceed five thoufandj when they were not yet
joined
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? DEMOSTHENES. 121
joined by the Chalcideans, they were invaded by the Lacedae-
monians with a very confiderablc Force both by Sea and Land;
for you know the Lacedaemonians, at that Time, held the
Sovereignty of Greece both by Land and Sea. However, al-
though fo formidable a Power invaded them, yet they never
loft any one City or Fortrefs, but were victorious in feveral
Engagements, killed three Commanders in Chief of the Enemy,
and at length concluded the War upon their own Conditions.
But when fome of them began to receive Prefents, and the
People, through Weaknels, or rather through Misfortune,
imagined thefe Traitors more faithful to them, than the Citizens,
who with Integrity fupported their Interefts ; when Lafthenes
covered his Houfe with Macedonian Shingles, and Euthycrates
fed his Herds of Oxen, for which he never paid in Macedonia ;
when one of their Magiftrates brought Sheep from thence, and
another Horfes, yet the People, againft whom thefe Treafons
were committed, were not only not angry, nor pvmiftied the
Traitors, who committed them, but looked up to them with
Admiration, envied, honoured, and efteemed them, as Men
of fuperior Abilities. While Affiiirs proceeded in this Manner,
and Corruption grew powerful, although they now commanded
a thoufand Horfe, and their Numbers amounted to more than
ten thoufand; although all their Neighbours were their Con-
federates, and you fent them Succours of ten thoufand Merce-
naries and fifty Gallies, with a Body of four thoufand Citizens,
yet nothing was capable of preferving them, but before one Year
Vol. n. R of
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? 122 ORATIONSOF
of War had expired, thefe Traitors had delivered up all the
Cities in Chalcis, while Philip was unable to attend the Betray-
ers, nor could determine where he fhould firft take PoflefTion.
Yet what no other Mortal had ever done, he took five hundred
Horfe, betrayed, with all their Arms, even by their own
Commanders. Nor did they, who perpetrated thefe Florrors,
blufli to behold the Sun, that Mother-Earth, upon which they
flood, the Temples of the Gods, the Sepulchres of their Ancef-
tors, or the Infamy attending fuch Crimes. So fenfelefs, O
Men of Athens, fo ftupid does Corruption render Mankind,
You therefore, in whom the Conftitution is placed, ought to
to be greatly wife, nor fuffer fuch Evils, but punifli theni
with fome diftinguifhed Vengeance. For it were exceedingly
ftrange, after having publiflied fo many fevere Decrees again ft
the Betrayers of Olynthus, if you fliould appear carelefs of
punifhing your own proper Traitors. Read the Decree uppn
the Olynthians,
The Decree.
Thus did you appear both to Greeks and' Barbarians, to hav^
righteoufly and honourably decreed againft thefe Traitors, and'
Enemies of the Gods.
Since therefore fuch Offences are the conftant Attendants of
Corruption, and Mankind a6t in this Manner by its Influence,
whofoever, O Men of Athens, you are confcious receives Prefents,
be fure to conclude him a Traitor. But if one Man betrays
every
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? DEMOSTHENES. 123
every favourable Conjim6lure ; another the Bufinefs of the State ;
a third his Soldiers, and each of tliem deftroys whatever he
was appointed to preferve, then fhould all of them be equally
detefted. To you alone, of all Mankind, O Men of Athens,
it is given to make ufe of your own hiftorical Examples upon
thefe Occadons, and to imitate in your Adions thofe Aucef-
tors you fo juftly applaud. But if at prelent, in Time of Peace,
you cannot imitate the Battles, Expeditions, Dangers, in which
they were fplendidly glorious, yet imitate their Wifdom, for
which there is every where Occalion. Neither is Wifdom more
difficult to acquire, or more troubleforae to preferve, than
Folly. Whoever, therefore, while you are fitting here, will
take Cognizance of your Affairs, and form his Decrees upon
them as he ought, will ad: for the Advantage of the Republic,
and behave himfelf not unworthy of his Anceftors; otherwifc
he will ruin his Country, and be a Difhonour to his Ancef-
tors. (43) But what Opinion did they entertain of fuch Trai-
tors ? Here, Secretary, read this Infcriptlon ; for it is nc-
cefiary you fhould be convinced, that the Crimes, which you
treat with Indifference, they punifhed with Death. Read it.
An Inscription on a Column. (44)
R 2 You
(43) The PafTage Is not without Ob- cording to the Inte<<efls of the Common-
fturity. Although we cannot imitate, wealth.
in Time of Peace, the military Virtues (44) The Reader may find the Words
of our Anceftors, let us imitate tlieir po- of this Decree in tbe firll Volume, FsLg:
litical Wifdom, in attending the public 265.
Councils, and giving our Suffrages ac-
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? 124 ORATIONS OF
You hear, O Men of Athens, that this Infcription pro-
nounces Arthmius an Enemy to the Athenian People, and their
Confederates ; him and all his Generation. Why ? Becaufe he
brought Gold from the Barbarians into Greece. By this Inftance
you may perceive, that your Anceflors were anxious to prevent
even Foreigners from introducing the Mifchiefs of Gold into
any Part of Greece, while you with Indifference behold your
own Citizens importing it even into the Midft of the Republic.
But, in the Name of Jupiter!
was this Column placed merely
as Chance diredled the Situation ? No ; by the Gods, Although
this whole Citadel be facred, and of a large Circumference,
yet it was placed upon the right Hand of our great bronze
Minerva, which the Republic confecrated in Remembrance of
the Victory gained over the Barbarians, and to the Expence of
which all the States of Greece contributed. So much was Juftice
at that Time revered, and. the Puniihment of fuch Offenders
held in Honour, that the Statue of the Goddefs, and the
Column, upon which were infcribed the PuniQiments of
Traitors, were deemed worthy of the fame Situation. But now,.
Laughter and Difhonour will be the Confequence of fuch.
Crimes, if you do not immediately reprefs this Audacioufnefs,
this immoderate Licentioufnefs.
Yet I (liould imagine, O Men of Athens, you will ad vi^ith.
Wifdom, if you imitate your Anceftors, not in this Inftanc^
alone, but in the whole Series of their Condud: afterwards.
When
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? DEMOSTHENES. 125
When Callias, for Inftance, was AmbafTador to Pcrfia, as I
am perfuaded you have heard, and had negotiated a Peace,
which was applauded by all the States of Greece, and by which
the Perfian Monarch could not defcend with any Body of
Forces nearer the Sea-Coafts, than the Diftance, that an Horfe
could run in a Day; nor approach by Sea to the Chalydonian,,
or Cyanean Iflands with any VelTel beyond a certain Bulk, yet
as he appeared to have accepted Prefents in his Embafly, our
Anceftors had very nearly ordered his Execution, and in pafling;
his Accounts fined him fifty Talents; though certainly the Re-
public never concluded, either before or afterwards, a Peace
more honourable. But this Circumftance they did not confider,
or they attributed it to their own Virtue, and the Authority
of the Commonwealth; but whether their Ambaflador was
influenced by Money, they imputed to his own Manners, vvhicli
they judged fhould be honeft and uncorrupted, when engaging
in the Adminiftration of public Affairs. So much did they
efteem Corruption an Enemy and pernicious to the State, as
not to fuffer it in any Negotiation, however glorious, or in any
Perfon, however eftimable. But you, O Men of Athens,,
although you behold the very fame Peace rafing to the Ground
thf Walls of your Confederates, and building the Houfes
of your Ambaffadors; taking away from the Republic her
PoffefTions, and giving to them what they never hoped for;
even in their Dreams, yet you do not order them to be put to.
Death, but want an Accufer, and profecute with Words thofe
Oftcnces,
8
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? 126 O R A T I O N S O F
Offences, which you have beheld in Deeds. Nor might ancient
Examples only be cited to animate you topunifli thefe Traitors,
but even within your own Time many have fuffered the
Punifliment they deferved. Other Criminals I fliall pafs over,
and oiiiy mention one or two, who were capitally convicted
for Mifcondudt in their Embaflies, though far lefs pernicious
to the Republic, than this of iEfchines. Read me this Decree.
The Decree.
According to this Decree, OMen of Athens, you capitally
condemned thefe Ambafladors, one of whom, Epicrates, as I
have been informed by our aged Citizens, was a valuable Man,
greatly ufeful to the Commonwealth, and one of the Leaders,
who brought home the People from the Pyrasum, and in other
Inftances extremely popular. Yet none of thefe Virtues availed
him; and with Reafon. Becaufe, whoever undertakes to
execute fuch an Employment fhould not be partially virtuous,
nor abufe the Credit he hath gained with you to the Commiffion
of greater Villainies, but in general fhould never be guilty of
any voluntary Offence.
If iEfchines therefore and his Colleagues have not committed
every Crime, for which thefe Men fuffered Death, then let mc
be condemned. For confider; *' Whereas they have a<Eled in
" their Embafly (thefe are the Words of the Decree) contrary
*' to their Inftrudlions, and our Decrees;" this wasthefirft
Offence,
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? DEMOSTHENES. 127
Offence, with which they were charged. But have not thefe
Ambaffadors aded in contradidlion to their Inflrudions? Docs
not your Decree exprefsly command, that the Peace {Tiould
extend to the Athenians, and the Confederates of the Athenians,
and have they not openly excluded the Phocaeans? Does it
not order, " that the Magiftrates of the feveral Cities fhould
** take the Oaths of Ratification," but have they ever tendered
thefe Oaths to the Magiftrates, who were fent by PhiHp ? Were
not your Ambaffadors forbidden ever to be alone with Philip,
and did they ever ceafe to enter inta private Conferences with
him? " Some of them were Gonvi6led before the Senate of
*' declaring Falfe hoods;" and are not your prefent Ambaffidors
eonvidled before the People ? But by what Evidence convicfled^
for this is an illuftrioiis Circumftance? By the Fads themfelves,
for every Event hath happened in dired: Contradidion to their
Declarations. " Neither have they (fo fpeaks the Decree)
'* written Truth in their Difpatches. " But did thefe Men write
Truth? " They eahimniated our Confederates and were cor-
" rupted. " Inftead of calumniating, they utterly deftroyed; a
Crime, far more atrocious than Calumny. But with regard to
their having been corrupted, if they denied, it would only re-
Efiain to conviift thenij but fince they themfelves confcfs, let
them be carried away to Execution,.
What then, O Men of Athens ? when Affairs are in fueh a
Situation, fhall you, the Defcendants of fuch Anceftors, and
fome
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? 12^ ORATIONSOF
fome of you alive, when thefe Tranfadions happened; fhall
you endure that Epicrates, the Benefadlor of the Athenians,
and one of the Leaders, whiO brought home the People from
the Pyrasum, fhould be deprived of his Rank as a Citizen, and
delivered over to Punifiiment ; again, that, fomc Time before,
Thrafybulus, the Son of Thrafybulus, that Favourite of the
People, whom he brought home from their Exile in Phyle,
fhould be fined ten Talents ; that a Defcendant of Harmodius
and Ariftogitoa, who had wrought the mofl important Services
for the Republic, and whom, in Remembrance of thofe Ser-
vices, you invited by a Law to partake of your Libations, and
the facred Cups, in rJl your Temples and Sacrifices; whom
you have ever celebrated and honoured equally with our Heroes
and Gods; that all thefe Perfons fhould fuffer the Punifliment
appointed by our Laws ; that neither Pardon, norCompalTion, nor
the weeping Children, who bore the Names of your. Benefadlors,
nor any other Influence could fupport them, and will you ac-
quit the Son of that Pedagogue Atrometus, and that Sorcerefs
Glaucothoe, who ufcd to dance before her Chorus of Bacchanali-
ans, and for whofe Myfferies another Prieftefs was put to Death j
will you acquit the Defcendant from fuch Anceflors, who never
were ufeful in any one Inftance to the Republic, neither himfelf,
his Father, or any of his Relations? For what Horfe, what
Galley, what Expedition, what Expence in Shows, what
mufical Entertainment, what public OfKce, what Contribution,
what Benevolence, what Danger, what fingle Service of any
Kind
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? DEMOSTHENES. ,29
Kind have they ever, through all Time, performed for the Re-
pubHc? But if they had really performed all thefe Services,
and yet were unable to add, that he had difcharged his Embafly
with Probity and Integrity, ^Efchines would ftill deferve to
fuffer Death. But if he can neither plead the Merits of his
Anceflors, nor his own Integrity, will you not punifh? Will
you not remember what he afierted, when he profecuted
Timarchus? " That there can be nothing valuable in that
" State, which hath not Strength fufficient to punifh Malefac-
" tors, or in that Conftitution, where perfonal AfFedion and
" Solicitations prevail over the Laws: that you fliould there-
" fore neither pity the Mother of Timarchus, an aged Woman>>
" nor his Children, nor any other Perfon, but confider only,
" that if you abandoned the Care of your Laws and the Confti-
" tution, you fhall never find any to Pity your own Misfortunes. "
The unhappy Timarchus therefore was branded with Intamy,
becaufe he faw the Villainies of ^fchines, and fhall . Efchines
himfelf be unpuniilied ? How is it poflible ? For if he thought
proper, that fuch an extraordinary Punilliment fhould be inflic-
ted upon thofe, who had offended only again ft their own
Perfons, what Vengeance may not you, who are fworn to
judge with Impartiality, pronounce upon thofe (among v/hom
^fchines appears convidled) who have offended the Republic in
an Affiir of fuch Importance? " Becaufe by that Trial your
" Youth, in the Name of Jupiter ! will become more virtuous. "
Yet by this Trial your Minifters, by whom the Common\\'ca]th
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? 130 ORATIONS OF
is brought into the greateft Dangers, will become more virtuous.
Of them alfo fome proper Care fhould be taken.
But to convince you, that he deftroyed Timarchus, not, by
the Gods, in his SoHcitude for your Children, and their Virtue
(for they are, O Men of Athens, already virtuous, and never
may fuch Infamy befall the Republic, that ever they fhould
want the Inftrudiions of Aphobetus and -ffifchines) but becauie
Timarchus propofed a Decree in the Senate, that whoever
(liould be dete6i:ed in conveying Arms, or any naval Stores to
Philip, fhould be punifhed with Death. In Proof of this Af-
ferCion, how long fince Timarchus firft harangued the People?
A very confiderable Time. But ^Efchines was all this Time in
Athens, yet never difcovered his Indignation ; never imagined
it fo terrible an Affair, that a Man of fuch Morals fhould fpeak
in your AfTemblies, (45) untill he went to Macedonia, and
had there fold himfelf to Philip. Take and read me the Decree
of Timarchus.
The Decree.
He, therefore, who for your Intereft: decreed it punifhable
with Death, to convey Arms to Philip during the War, was
ruined, and branded with Infamy ; while he, who traiteroufly
delivered
(4/;) It hath been already remarked, of giving Evidence in a Court of Juftice,
that a Pcrlbn condemned for the Impu- or of fpeaking before the People,
rity of his Life, was rendered incapable
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? DEMOSTHENES. 131
delivered up to him the Arms of your Confederates, accufcd
and profecuted Timarchus, O Earth and Heavens! for Lubri-
city of Manners, even in Prefence of his two Relations, whom
you would have been unable to behold without Exclamations of
Horrour, (46) the abominable Nicias, who let himfelf out for
Hire to Chabrias the ^Egyptian; and that execrable Cerybion,
who in our Feftivals played his Bacchanalian Charaders, even
without a Mafk. Yet why do I mention them? He pro-
fecuted Timarchus even in the Prefence of Aphobetus. But all
Remarks that Day upon Impudicity ran upwards, like Rivers
againft their Fountain- Head.
Into what Ignominy, what Diihonour his Improbity and
Falfehood have thrown the Republic, I fhall now declare,
pafling over all other Circumftances, in which you are already
well informed. Formerly, O Men of Athens, all the other
States of Greece were anxious to know your Decrees; but now
we wander about folicitouily inquiring, and liftening, like
Spies, to what is decreed by others ; what do the Arcadians ?
what do the Amphictyons determine? Whither is Philip
marching? Is he alive or dead? Do we not really adt in this
Manner? For myfelf, I am not alarmed, that Philip is alive,
S 2 but
(4. 6) Wolfius very well obferves, that thers according to the Scholiaft, wlio
the Judges, who fat upon the Trial of were then prefent, do not appear in this
Timarchus, are not the fame, who are Trial. If you had feen them, you muji
to pronounce Sentence in this of ^fchi- have exclaimed with Horrour.
nes. His Relations too, his Wife's Bro-
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? 132 ORATIONSOF
but that the Spirit of the RepubUc in detefting and punifhing
Traitors is dead. Nor does PhiHp terrify me, if your Affairs
are in Health; but if Impunity be granted to thofe, who are
willing to earn the Wages of Philip; if fome of your Citizens,
who have gained a Confidence amongft you, will become the
Patrons of Traitors ; if they, who had always conftantly refufed
to plead Philip's Caufe, fhall now afcend the Tribunal in his
Favour; thefe to me are indeed objedls of Terrour. For why,
Eubulus, when your Coufin- German, Hegefileus, and, fome
Time before, your Uncle Thrafybulus, were impeached, why
did you refufe to appear, when cited upon the firft colleding the
Suffrages on the Judgement of their being guilty, or on the
fecond Opinion, that was to determine their Punifliment ? (47)
why did you not fpeak in their Defence? Wherefore entreat
the Judges to have you excufed? Did you refufe to patronize
your Relations, Perfons allied to you by Blood, and will you
be an Advocate for ^Efchines? That iiEfchines, who, when
Ariftophon impeached Philonieus and through him accufed your
Adminiftration, joined in the Profecution, and was numbered
among your Enemies. Yet foon afterwards you alarmed the
People, and declared they muft either go down to the Pyrzeum
for fome immediate Expedition; they muft either bring in
their Contributions, and convert the theatrical Funds to the
Service
(47) The firft Part of the Day in any his Defence ; the third, for determining
eriminal Profecution was appointed for his Punifliment, if he was found guilty. ,
the Profecutor, the Laws, and for Li- Tiiefe Cuftoms will be more fully ex. *
berty ; the fecond, for the Criminal and prained hereafter.
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? DEMOSTHENES. 133
Service of the Soldiery, or ratify the Decree, which iEfchines
fupported, and that abominable Philocrates propofed, and by
which, inftead ot an honourable, this ignominious Peace had
been concluded. Have they by their Villainy totally ruined
our Affliirs, and are you now reconciled ? You, who mentioned
Philip with Execrations in an Aflembly of the People, and
fwore by your Children, that he muft certainly be ruined, if
the Athenians pleafed to ruin him, do you now fupport that
Philip? Why did you impeach Myrocles for having exadled
twenty Drachmas from every Citizen, who purchafed the
public Mines? Why did you indiA Cephifophon upon an
Adbion of Sacrilege, for having placed out feven Minas of the
facred Funds at Intereft three Days beyond the ftated Time, yet
thofe, who have in Pofleilion, who confefs, who are convided,
and taken in the Fa6t of committing thefe Crimes to the Def-
trudtion of our Confederates, thefe Traitors you never accufe,
but are urgent with us to acquit them?
That thefe are formidable Crimes, and requiring muchi
Prudence and Caution to guard againft their Effeds, while
thofe, of which you accufed Myrocles and Cephifophon were
abfolutely ridiculous, will eafily appear. Were there not in
Elis, fome Perfons, who plundered the public Treafury ? Ex-
? tremely probable. But were any of them concerned in ruining,
the Conftitution and Liberty of their Country? Not one.
Were there not in Olynthus, while that State was in Being,
htas
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? 134 ORATIONSOF
fome Citizens of this Charader? Certainly. What? Were
there not in Megara, who robbed, and plundered the Public ?
Undoubtedly ; and it appeared. Were any of them the Authors
of thofe Calamities, which befell that State ? Not one. Who
therefore, and what were they, who committed fuch flagrant
Crimes? They, who thought themfelves honoured in being
called the Guefts and the Friends of Philip; who deemed
themfelves worthy of commanding your Armies, and prefiding
in your Councils, and exerting a Superiority over the People.
Was not Perilaus lately impeached before the Senate of Me-
gara, becaufe he went to Macedonia; and did not Ptceodorus,
the principal Citizen of Megara in Riches, Birth and Reputa-
tion, appear in his Defence, folicit for his Pardon, and again
fend him back to Philip ? He returned afterwards with a Body
of mercenary Troops, while Ptceodorus had totally changed the
civil Conftitution of his Country. For there is nothing, cer-
tainly nothing, of which you fhould be more cautious, than the
fufrering anyone Angle Citizen to exert an Authority fuperiorto
that of the whole People. Let no Man ever be acquitted or
condemned by the meer Pleafure of another; let his own Adions
acquit him; on the contrary, let this iEfchines be condemned
by the Juftice of your Sentence; (48) for fuch Condudt is
democratical.
I Several
(48) This Manner of mentioning iEf- Reafoning before is general, but this A p-
chines, thus irregularly, thus feemingly plication gives it a particular Direflion.
without Defign, is of great Force. The It is now pointed at Alfchines alone.
The
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anxious, that the Republic might fail in Safety, but overfet,
and funk, and to the utmoft of his Power betrayed her to her
Enemies. Art thou not then a Plagiary? Yes; and impious.
Art thou not a Tranfcribcr of Sentences? Yes ; and an Enemy
to the Gods. The Verfcs you had often repeated upon the
Stage, and which you faithfully remembered, thofe you paflcd
over in Silence, but what you never aded in your Life, }'ou
very curioufly fought for, and repeated in public to ruin }^our
Fellow-Citizens,
Now confider the Remarks he made with regard to Solon.
He faid the Statue of Solon, clothed in his Tunic, and holding
his Hands within the Folds of his Robe, was eredled as an
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? 114 ORATIONSOF
Example of the Modefty of the Orators in his Time. Thus
did he malignantly aim at Timarchus, and reproach him with
the Vivacity of his Adion. But the People of Salamis afTure
us, that Statue has not been fifty years ereded, yet from Solon
to the prefent Time we reckon full two hundred and fifty.
The Statuary therefore, who gave him his Attitude was not
himfelf, nor was even his Grand-father, alive at that Time. Such
were the Remarks he made to the Judges, and imitated Solon's
Attitude. But far more important to the Republic, to have
entered into the Spirit and Senfe of Solon, which he never
imitated, but in every polTible Inftance contradidled. For
when Salamis revolted from the Athenians, and they had de-
creed, it fhould be punifhable with Death, even to mention
the recovering it, Solon undertook the Danger, and fung fome
elegiac Verfes he made upon the Occafion, recovered the Ifland
to the Republic, and removed the Ignominy fhe had fuffered.
But JEfchines betrayed and delivered into the Hands of Philip
the City of Amphipolis, which the Perfian Monarch, and every
State of Greece acknowledged to be yours, and afterwards fup-
ported Philocrates, who confirmed the Treachery by Decree.
An honourable Inftance (was it not? ) of his remembering Solon,
But he not only a6led in this Manner here in Athens, for when
he arrived at Macedonia, he never once pronounced the Name
ot thofe Territories, for the Recovery of which he was appointed
an Ambaflador. This he himfelf declared; for you muft re-
member his flying, " I could indeed fay fomething concerning
" Am-
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? DEMOSTHENES, 115
" Amphipolis, but have left it for Demofthenes to fpeak upon
" that Subjed:. " I advanced upon the Tribunal and declared,
" he had left me nothing to fay of his Conferences with Philip,
" for he would rather give away Part of his Blood, than of
*' thofe Conferences. But, Iprefume, he thought it indecent,
" after having received Philip's Money, to oppofe him in that
*' very Purpofe for which he gave his Money, for he certainly
" gave it, that he might not be obliged toreftore Amphipolis. "
Now take and read me thefe elegiac Verfes of Solon, by
which you will be convinced, that Solon detefted Men like
iElchines. But indeed, JEfchines, it is by no means neceffary,
that an Orator fhould fpeak with his Hand under his Robe,
No; but an AmbafTador fhould perform his Embafly with his
Hand under his Robe. Yet when you ftretched forth yours in
Macedonia, and held it open, and brought Shame upon this Peo-
ple, were you then a magnificent Orator ? Or when you curioufly
collecSted thofe miferable Conceits, and exercifed the Sweetnefs
of your Voice in repeating them, did you not imagine you
fhould fuffer the Vengeance due to fuch and fo many Villainies,
although you wandered round the City with that extraordinary
Bonnet upon your Head, and uttered your Invedives againft
me? (42) Read.
Solon's
(42) Solon, to avoid the Funifliment having made fome Verfes proper for the
denounced againft whoever fhould pro- Occafion, he got them by Heart, chaunt-
pofe to renew the War for the Recovery ed them, fays Plutarch, as if under an
of Salamis, counterfeited Madnefs, and immediate Infpiration, and appeared in
Q 2 public
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? ii6 O R A T I O N S O F
Solon's Elegiac Verses. *
. Nor Jove fupreme, whofe fecret Will is Fate,
' Nor the blefl: Gods have doom'd th' Athenian State;
For Pallas, with her Father's Glories crown'd,,
Spreads the Protedtion of her ^Egis round.
But dire Corruption wide extends its Sway;
Athenians hear its Didates, and obey.
Oppreffive Demagogues our Counfels guide.
Though various Mifchiefs wait to quell their Pride.
Untaught with chearful Appetite to tafte
The calm Delights, that crown the temperate Feaftj
A Luft of Gold their reftlefs Bofoms fires,
A Luft of Gold their guilty Schemes infpires.
Vain are all Laws, or human or divine.
To guard the public Wealth, or facred Shrine,
While private Life is fill'd with mutual Fraud,
By Juftice and her facred Laws unaw'd.
Silent She fits, the pafl:, the prefent views.
And in her own good Time the guilty Scene purfues. .
Thus other States their mortal Wound receive,
And fervile Chains their freeborn Sons enflave ;
Sedition^
public with a Bonnet on his Head. In Spirit. They are a Colledion of poli-
this laft Circnmftance ^fchines feems to tical Maxims, that feem to prefage the
have been ridiculoufly careful to imitate Diflblution of every State wherein they
the Spirit of Solon. appear. Let this Reflexion, by which
* Thefe Verfes have all the Simplicity they may be happily applied to our pre-
of the Age, in which they were written, fent Hiftory, excufe the Poetiy, either
but very little poetical Elegance and in the Original, or the Trandation.
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? DEMOSTHENES. 117
Sedition rages ; Wars, long-flu mbering, rife,
And the lov'd Youth in Prime of Beauty dies ;
For foon the Foe lays wafte that haplefs State,
Where joylefs Difcord dwells, and foul Debate.
For the poor Wretch an harder Lot remains,
Sold like a Slave to pine in foreign Chains.
His proper Woes the Man of Wealth await,
Bound o'er his Walls, and thunder at his Gate;
Clofe on th' unhappy Fugitive they prefs.
And find him in his Chamber's dark recefs.
Thus my good Genius fpeaks, and bids advife
The Sons of Athens to be juft and wife ;
To mark attentive what a Stream of Woes
From civil Difcord, and Contention flows ;
What beauteous Order fhines, where Juftice reigns,,.
And binds the Sons of Violence in Chains.
Folly, of thoufand Forms, before her flies.
And in the Bud the flowerins Mifchief dies,
She guides the Judge's Sentence, quells the proud.
And midft Sedition's Rage appalls the Croud j
While clamorous Fadion, and Contention ceafe,,
And Man is blefl: with Happpinefs and Peace. .
*
Do you not hear, O Men of Athens, what Solon declares
of fuch Men, and his Opinion of the Gods, whom he calls the
Guardians.
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? ii8 ORATIONSOF
Guardians of Athens? For myfelf, I chearfully aflent to the
Truth of this Opinion, that the Gods are Guardians of this
Republic, and in fome Meafure am convinced, that all the
Circumftances, which have appeared during this Trial, are
fignal Proofs of the divine Favour. For only reflect, that the
Man, who hath committed fo many enormous Crimes in his
Embafly, and traiteroufly given away whole Provinces, in
which the Gods ought to be worfhiped by you, and your
Confederates; this Man hath accufed, and rendered incapable
of giving Evidence againft him, a Citizen, who was determi-
ned to profecute him. What Proofs of the divine Favour
in this Inftance? That he himfelf may find neither Compaflion,
nor Pardon for his own Guilt. Then in his Accufation of
Timarchus he chofe to mention me with much Malignity, and
afterwards in an Aflembly of the People, among other Me-
naces threatned me with a Profecution. To what good Purpofe
can this anfwer? That I, who am clearly informed, and have
pundually followed him through all his Villainies, may with
greater Indulgence ftand forth his Accufer. Befides, having
eluded to this Moment every Attempt to bring him to Juflice,
he hath now reduced himfelf to fuch Circumftances, that even
upon Account of thofe imminent Dangers, which threaten uf,
if for no other Reafon, it is neither pofTible, nor fafe to fuffcr
him to efcape unpuniflied. You ought indeed, O Men of
Athens, eternally to deteft and puniQi thefe Betrayers, thefe
Receivers of Bribes, but more efpecially at this Time, and for
the
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? DEMOSTHENES. 119
the general Prefervation of the Grecian States. For a Diftem-
per, O Men of Athens, terrible, and pernicious, hath aflaulted
Greece; a Diftemper, that demands much Favour from the
Gods, and from you the flridtcft Attention, to prevent its In-
fedion. They, who are moft diftingiiifhed in Oligarchies, and
thought worthy of prefiding over the Adminiftration of their feve-
ral Cities, are become the Betrayers of Liberty, and, unhappy
Men ! bring upon themfelves a voluntary Slavery, which, among
many other fuch Titles, they fpecioufly call the Hofpitality,
and Familiarity, and Friendfhip of Philip. Yet even in de-
mocratical States, like this of Athens, and the Forms of Govern-
ment, that prevail in every other City, the Citizens, whofe
Vengeance ought to fall upon thefe Traitors, and punifh them
with inftant Death, are fo far from acfling in this Manner, that
they admire, and emulate them, and every one wiflies gladly,
that he himfelf were fuch a Man.
Yet this Diftemper, attended with fuch Emulation, O
Men of Athens, very lately ruined the Sovereignty and general
Dignity of the Theflalians, and now abfolutely deprives them
even of their Liberty; for the Macedonians have Garrifons in
fome of their Citadels. It then entered into Peloponnefus;
wrought fuch Deftrudion in Elis ; filled the miferable People
with fuch a Spirit of violating the Laws, with fuch Excefs of
Madnefs, that in Hopes of exerting an Authority over each
other, and of obliging Philip, they polluted themfelves with
I the
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? 120 O R A T I O N S O F
the Blood of their Relations, and Fellow-Citizens. Neither
did it flop there, but advancing into Arcadia, threw every thing
into Confufion ; and now the Arcadian Democracies, which
ought, like yours, to be greatly anxious in the Caufe of Liberty
(for of all the Grecians, you and the Arcadians are the only
original Natives of your Countries) admire Philip, ere? l Statues
of Brafs to him, prefent him with Crowns, and if ever he fiiould
go into Feloponnefus, they have decreed to receive him in their
Cities. In the very fame Manner the Argives. Thele Cir-
cumflances, by the Deity of Ceres, if we purpofj to be ferious,
demand no little Prudence ; efpccially, fince after having taken
its Progrefs round us, this Diftemper, O Men of Athens, hath
made its way into this City. While you are therefore yet in
Safety, guard yourfelves againfl it, and ftigmatize with Infamy
the Traitors, who have introduced itamongfl us. Or otherwife,
be cautious, left what I now fay may not hereafter apoear too
juftly Ipoken, when you fhali no longer have it in your Power
to act as your Situation fliall demand.
Do you not behold how confpicuous, O Men of Athens,
and evident an Example of this Truth are the unhappy Olynthi-
ans ? From no other Errour, than their having adled in this
Manner, have they perifhed miferably, as you may clearly be
convinced by a Series of Events. When they could command
only four hundred Florfe, and the whole Number of their Citi-
zens did not exceed five thoufandj when they were not yet
joined
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? DEMOSTHENES. 121
joined by the Chalcideans, they were invaded by the Lacedae-
monians with a very confiderablc Force both by Sea and Land;
for you know the Lacedaemonians, at that Time, held the
Sovereignty of Greece both by Land and Sea. However, al-
though fo formidable a Power invaded them, yet they never
loft any one City or Fortrefs, but were victorious in feveral
Engagements, killed three Commanders in Chief of the Enemy,
and at length concluded the War upon their own Conditions.
But when fome of them began to receive Prefents, and the
People, through Weaknels, or rather through Misfortune,
imagined thefe Traitors more faithful to them, than the Citizens,
who with Integrity fupported their Interefts ; when Lafthenes
covered his Houfe with Macedonian Shingles, and Euthycrates
fed his Herds of Oxen, for which he never paid in Macedonia ;
when one of their Magiftrates brought Sheep from thence, and
another Horfes, yet the People, againft whom thefe Treafons
were committed, were not only not angry, nor pvmiftied the
Traitors, who committed them, but looked up to them with
Admiration, envied, honoured, and efteemed them, as Men
of fuperior Abilities. While Affiiirs proceeded in this Manner,
and Corruption grew powerful, although they now commanded
a thoufand Horfe, and their Numbers amounted to more than
ten thoufand; although all their Neighbours were their Con-
federates, and you fent them Succours of ten thoufand Merce-
naries and fifty Gallies, with a Body of four thoufand Citizens,
yet nothing was capable of preferving them, but before one Year
Vol. n. R of
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? 122 ORATIONSOF
of War had expired, thefe Traitors had delivered up all the
Cities in Chalcis, while Philip was unable to attend the Betray-
ers, nor could determine where he fhould firft take PoflefTion.
Yet what no other Mortal had ever done, he took five hundred
Horfe, betrayed, with all their Arms, even by their own
Commanders. Nor did they, who perpetrated thefe Florrors,
blufli to behold the Sun, that Mother-Earth, upon which they
flood, the Temples of the Gods, the Sepulchres of their Ancef-
tors, or the Infamy attending fuch Crimes. So fenfelefs, O
Men of Athens, fo ftupid does Corruption render Mankind,
You therefore, in whom the Conftitution is placed, ought to
to be greatly wife, nor fuffer fuch Evils, but punifli theni
with fome diftinguifhed Vengeance. For it were exceedingly
ftrange, after having publiflied fo many fevere Decrees again ft
the Betrayers of Olynthus, if you fliould appear carelefs of
punifhing your own proper Traitors. Read the Decree uppn
the Olynthians,
The Decree.
Thus did you appear both to Greeks and' Barbarians, to hav^
righteoufly and honourably decreed againft thefe Traitors, and'
Enemies of the Gods.
Since therefore fuch Offences are the conftant Attendants of
Corruption, and Mankind a6t in this Manner by its Influence,
whofoever, O Men of Athens, you are confcious receives Prefents,
be fure to conclude him a Traitor. But if one Man betrays
every
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? DEMOSTHENES. 123
every favourable Conjim6lure ; another the Bufinefs of the State ;
a third his Soldiers, and each of tliem deftroys whatever he
was appointed to preferve, then fhould all of them be equally
detefted. To you alone, of all Mankind, O Men of Athens,
it is given to make ufe of your own hiftorical Examples upon
thefe Occadons, and to imitate in your Adions thofe Aucef-
tors you fo juftly applaud. But if at prelent, in Time of Peace,
you cannot imitate the Battles, Expeditions, Dangers, in which
they were fplendidly glorious, yet imitate their Wifdom, for
which there is every where Occalion. Neither is Wifdom more
difficult to acquire, or more troubleforae to preferve, than
Folly. Whoever, therefore, while you are fitting here, will
take Cognizance of your Affairs, and form his Decrees upon
them as he ought, will ad: for the Advantage of the Republic,
and behave himfelf not unworthy of his Anceftors; otherwifc
he will ruin his Country, and be a Difhonour to his Ancef-
tors. (43) But what Opinion did they entertain of fuch Trai-
tors ? Here, Secretary, read this Infcriptlon ; for it is nc-
cefiary you fhould be convinced, that the Crimes, which you
treat with Indifference, they punifhed with Death. Read it.
An Inscription on a Column. (44)
R 2 You
(43) The PafTage Is not without Ob- cording to the Inte<<efls of the Common-
fturity. Although we cannot imitate, wealth.
in Time of Peace, the military Virtues (44) The Reader may find the Words
of our Anceftors, let us imitate tlieir po- of this Decree in tbe firll Volume, FsLg:
litical Wifdom, in attending the public 265.
Councils, and giving our Suffrages ac-
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? 124 ORATIONS OF
You hear, O Men of Athens, that this Infcription pro-
nounces Arthmius an Enemy to the Athenian People, and their
Confederates ; him and all his Generation. Why ? Becaufe he
brought Gold from the Barbarians into Greece. By this Inftance
you may perceive, that your Anceflors were anxious to prevent
even Foreigners from introducing the Mifchiefs of Gold into
any Part of Greece, while you with Indifference behold your
own Citizens importing it even into the Midft of the Republic.
But, in the Name of Jupiter!
was this Column placed merely
as Chance diredled the Situation ? No ; by the Gods, Although
this whole Citadel be facred, and of a large Circumference,
yet it was placed upon the right Hand of our great bronze
Minerva, which the Republic confecrated in Remembrance of
the Victory gained over the Barbarians, and to the Expence of
which all the States of Greece contributed. So much was Juftice
at that Time revered, and. the Puniihment of fuch Offenders
held in Honour, that the Statue of the Goddefs, and the
Column, upon which were infcribed the PuniQiments of
Traitors, were deemed worthy of the fame Situation. But now,.
Laughter and Difhonour will be the Confequence of fuch.
Crimes, if you do not immediately reprefs this Audacioufnefs,
this immoderate Licentioufnefs.
Yet I (liould imagine, O Men of Athens, you will ad vi^ith.
Wifdom, if you imitate your Anceftors, not in this Inftanc^
alone, but in the whole Series of their Condud: afterwards.
When
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? DEMOSTHENES. 125
When Callias, for Inftance, was AmbafTador to Pcrfia, as I
am perfuaded you have heard, and had negotiated a Peace,
which was applauded by all the States of Greece, and by which
the Perfian Monarch could not defcend with any Body of
Forces nearer the Sea-Coafts, than the Diftance, that an Horfe
could run in a Day; nor approach by Sea to the Chalydonian,,
or Cyanean Iflands with any VelTel beyond a certain Bulk, yet
as he appeared to have accepted Prefents in his Embafly, our
Anceftors had very nearly ordered his Execution, and in pafling;
his Accounts fined him fifty Talents; though certainly the Re-
public never concluded, either before or afterwards, a Peace
more honourable. But this Circumftance they did not confider,
or they attributed it to their own Virtue, and the Authority
of the Commonwealth; but whether their Ambaflador was
influenced by Money, they imputed to his own Manners, vvhicli
they judged fhould be honeft and uncorrupted, when engaging
in the Adminiftration of public Affairs. So much did they
efteem Corruption an Enemy and pernicious to the State, as
not to fuffer it in any Negotiation, however glorious, or in any
Perfon, however eftimable. But you, O Men of Athens,,
although you behold the very fame Peace rafing to the Ground
thf Walls of your Confederates, and building the Houfes
of your Ambaffadors; taking away from the Republic her
PoffefTions, and giving to them what they never hoped for;
even in their Dreams, yet you do not order them to be put to.
Death, but want an Accufer, and profecute with Words thofe
Oftcnces,
8
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? 126 O R A T I O N S O F
Offences, which you have beheld in Deeds. Nor might ancient
Examples only be cited to animate you topunifli thefe Traitors,
but even within your own Time many have fuffered the
Punifliment they deferved. Other Criminals I fliall pafs over,
and oiiiy mention one or two, who were capitally convicted
for Mifcondudt in their Embaflies, though far lefs pernicious
to the Republic, than this of iEfchines. Read me this Decree.
The Decree.
According to this Decree, OMen of Athens, you capitally
condemned thefe Ambafladors, one of whom, Epicrates, as I
have been informed by our aged Citizens, was a valuable Man,
greatly ufeful to the Commonwealth, and one of the Leaders,
who brought home the People from the Pyrasum, and in other
Inftances extremely popular. Yet none of thefe Virtues availed
him; and with Reafon. Becaufe, whoever undertakes to
execute fuch an Employment fhould not be partially virtuous,
nor abufe the Credit he hath gained with you to the Commiffion
of greater Villainies, but in general fhould never be guilty of
any voluntary Offence.
If iEfchines therefore and his Colleagues have not committed
every Crime, for which thefe Men fuffered Death, then let mc
be condemned. For confider; *' Whereas they have a<Eled in
" their Embafly (thefe are the Words of the Decree) contrary
*' to their Inftrudlions, and our Decrees;" this wasthefirft
Offence,
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? DEMOSTHENES. 127
Offence, with which they were charged. But have not thefe
Ambaffadors aded in contradidlion to their Inflrudions? Docs
not your Decree exprefsly command, that the Peace {Tiould
extend to the Athenians, and the Confederates of the Athenians,
and have they not openly excluded the Phocaeans? Does it
not order, " that the Magiftrates of the feveral Cities fhould
** take the Oaths of Ratification," but have they ever tendered
thefe Oaths to the Magiftrates, who were fent by PhiHp ? Were
not your Ambaffadors forbidden ever to be alone with Philip,
and did they ever ceafe to enter inta private Conferences with
him? " Some of them were Gonvi6led before the Senate of
*' declaring Falfe hoods;" and are not your prefent Ambaffidors
eonvidled before the People ? But by what Evidence convicfled^
for this is an illuftrioiis Circumftance? By the Fads themfelves,
for every Event hath happened in dired: Contradidion to their
Declarations. " Neither have they (fo fpeaks the Decree)
'* written Truth in their Difpatches. " But did thefe Men write
Truth? " They eahimniated our Confederates and were cor-
" rupted. " Inftead of calumniating, they utterly deftroyed; a
Crime, far more atrocious than Calumny. But with regard to
their having been corrupted, if they denied, it would only re-
Efiain to conviift thenij but fince they themfelves confcfs, let
them be carried away to Execution,.
What then, O Men of Athens ? when Affairs are in fueh a
Situation, fhall you, the Defcendants of fuch Anceftors, and
fome
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? 12^ ORATIONSOF
fome of you alive, when thefe Tranfadions happened; fhall
you endure that Epicrates, the Benefadlor of the Athenians,
and one of the Leaders, whiO brought home the People from
the Pyrasum, fhould be deprived of his Rank as a Citizen, and
delivered over to Punifiiment ; again, that, fomc Time before,
Thrafybulus, the Son of Thrafybulus, that Favourite of the
People, whom he brought home from their Exile in Phyle,
fhould be fined ten Talents ; that a Defcendant of Harmodius
and Ariftogitoa, who had wrought the mofl important Services
for the Republic, and whom, in Remembrance of thofe Ser-
vices, you invited by a Law to partake of your Libations, and
the facred Cups, in rJl your Temples and Sacrifices; whom
you have ever celebrated and honoured equally with our Heroes
and Gods; that all thefe Perfons fhould fuffer the Punifliment
appointed by our Laws ; that neither Pardon, norCompalTion, nor
the weeping Children, who bore the Names of your. Benefadlors,
nor any other Influence could fupport them, and will you ac-
quit the Son of that Pedagogue Atrometus, and that Sorcerefs
Glaucothoe, who ufcd to dance before her Chorus of Bacchanali-
ans, and for whofe Myfferies another Prieftefs was put to Death j
will you acquit the Defcendant from fuch Anceflors, who never
were ufeful in any one Inftance to the Republic, neither himfelf,
his Father, or any of his Relations? For what Horfe, what
Galley, what Expedition, what Expence in Shows, what
mufical Entertainment, what public OfKce, what Contribution,
what Benevolence, what Danger, what fingle Service of any
Kind
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? DEMOSTHENES. ,29
Kind have they ever, through all Time, performed for the Re-
pubHc? But if they had really performed all thefe Services,
and yet were unable to add, that he had difcharged his Embafly
with Probity and Integrity, ^Efchines would ftill deferve to
fuffer Death. But if he can neither plead the Merits of his
Anceflors, nor his own Integrity, will you not punifh? Will
you not remember what he afierted, when he profecuted
Timarchus? " That there can be nothing valuable in that
" State, which hath not Strength fufficient to punifh Malefac-
" tors, or in that Conftitution, where perfonal AfFedion and
" Solicitations prevail over the Laws: that you fliould there-
" fore neither pity the Mother of Timarchus, an aged Woman>>
" nor his Children, nor any other Perfon, but confider only,
" that if you abandoned the Care of your Laws and the Confti-
" tution, you fhall never find any to Pity your own Misfortunes. "
The unhappy Timarchus therefore was branded with Intamy,
becaufe he faw the Villainies of ^fchines, and fhall . Efchines
himfelf be unpuniilied ? How is it poflible ? For if he thought
proper, that fuch an extraordinary Punilliment fhould be inflic-
ted upon thofe, who had offended only again ft their own
Perfons, what Vengeance may not you, who are fworn to
judge with Impartiality, pronounce upon thofe (among v/hom
^fchines appears convidled) who have offended the Republic in
an Affiir of fuch Importance? " Becaufe by that Trial your
" Youth, in the Name of Jupiter ! will become more virtuous. "
Yet by this Trial your Minifters, by whom the Common\\'ca]th
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? 130 ORATIONS OF
is brought into the greateft Dangers, will become more virtuous.
Of them alfo fome proper Care fhould be taken.
But to convince you, that he deftroyed Timarchus, not, by
the Gods, in his SoHcitude for your Children, and their Virtue
(for they are, O Men of Athens, already virtuous, and never
may fuch Infamy befall the Republic, that ever they fhould
want the Inftrudiions of Aphobetus and -ffifchines) but becauie
Timarchus propofed a Decree in the Senate, that whoever
(liould be dete6i:ed in conveying Arms, or any naval Stores to
Philip, fhould be punifhed with Death. In Proof of this Af-
ferCion, how long fince Timarchus firft harangued the People?
A very confiderable Time. But ^Efchines was all this Time in
Athens, yet never difcovered his Indignation ; never imagined
it fo terrible an Affair, that a Man of fuch Morals fhould fpeak
in your AfTemblies, (45) untill he went to Macedonia, and
had there fold himfelf to Philip. Take and read me the Decree
of Timarchus.
The Decree.
He, therefore, who for your Intereft: decreed it punifhable
with Death, to convey Arms to Philip during the War, was
ruined, and branded with Infamy ; while he, who traiteroufly
delivered
(4/;) It hath been already remarked, of giving Evidence in a Court of Juftice,
that a Pcrlbn condemned for the Impu- or of fpeaking before the People,
rity of his Life, was rendered incapable
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? DEMOSTHENES. 131
delivered up to him the Arms of your Confederates, accufcd
and profecuted Timarchus, O Earth and Heavens! for Lubri-
city of Manners, even in Prefence of his two Relations, whom
you would have been unable to behold without Exclamations of
Horrour, (46) the abominable Nicias, who let himfelf out for
Hire to Chabrias the ^Egyptian; and that execrable Cerybion,
who in our Feftivals played his Bacchanalian Charaders, even
without a Mafk. Yet why do I mention them? He pro-
fecuted Timarchus even in the Prefence of Aphobetus. But all
Remarks that Day upon Impudicity ran upwards, like Rivers
againft their Fountain- Head.
Into what Ignominy, what Diihonour his Improbity and
Falfehood have thrown the Republic, I fhall now declare,
pafling over all other Circumftances, in which you are already
well informed. Formerly, O Men of Athens, all the other
States of Greece were anxious to know your Decrees; but now
we wander about folicitouily inquiring, and liftening, like
Spies, to what is decreed by others ; what do the Arcadians ?
what do the Amphictyons determine? Whither is Philip
marching? Is he alive or dead? Do we not really adt in this
Manner? For myfelf, I am not alarmed, that Philip is alive,
S 2 but
(4. 6) Wolfius very well obferves, that thers according to the Scholiaft, wlio
the Judges, who fat upon the Trial of were then prefent, do not appear in this
Timarchus, are not the fame, who are Trial. If you had feen them, you muji
to pronounce Sentence in this of ^fchi- have exclaimed with Horrour.
nes. His Relations too, his Wife's Bro-
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? 132 ORATIONSOF
but that the Spirit of the RepubUc in detefting and punifhing
Traitors is dead. Nor does PhiHp terrify me, if your Affairs
are in Health; but if Impunity be granted to thofe, who are
willing to earn the Wages of Philip; if fome of your Citizens,
who have gained a Confidence amongft you, will become the
Patrons of Traitors ; if they, who had always conftantly refufed
to plead Philip's Caufe, fhall now afcend the Tribunal in his
Favour; thefe to me are indeed objedls of Terrour. For why,
Eubulus, when your Coufin- German, Hegefileus, and, fome
Time before, your Uncle Thrafybulus, were impeached, why
did you refufe to appear, when cited upon the firft colleding the
Suffrages on the Judgement of their being guilty, or on the
fecond Opinion, that was to determine their Punifliment ? (47)
why did you not fpeak in their Defence? Wherefore entreat
the Judges to have you excufed? Did you refufe to patronize
your Relations, Perfons allied to you by Blood, and will you
be an Advocate for ^Efchines? That iiEfchines, who, when
Ariftophon impeached Philonieus and through him accufed your
Adminiftration, joined in the Profecution, and was numbered
among your Enemies. Yet foon afterwards you alarmed the
People, and declared they muft either go down to the Pyrzeum
for fome immediate Expedition; they muft either bring in
their Contributions, and convert the theatrical Funds to the
Service
(47) The firft Part of the Day in any his Defence ; the third, for determining
eriminal Profecution was appointed for his Punifliment, if he was found guilty. ,
the Profecutor, the Laws, and for Li- Tiiefe Cuftoms will be more fully ex. *
berty ; the fecond, for the Criminal and prained hereafter.
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? DEMOSTHENES. 133
Service of the Soldiery, or ratify the Decree, which iEfchines
fupported, and that abominable Philocrates propofed, and by
which, inftead ot an honourable, this ignominious Peace had
been concluded. Have they by their Villainy totally ruined
our Affliirs, and are you now reconciled ? You, who mentioned
Philip with Execrations in an Aflembly of the People, and
fwore by your Children, that he muft certainly be ruined, if
the Athenians pleafed to ruin him, do you now fupport that
Philip? Why did you impeach Myrocles for having exadled
twenty Drachmas from every Citizen, who purchafed the
public Mines? Why did you indiA Cephifophon upon an
Adbion of Sacrilege, for having placed out feven Minas of the
facred Funds at Intereft three Days beyond the ftated Time, yet
thofe, who have in Pofleilion, who confefs, who are convided,
and taken in the Fa6t of committing thefe Crimes to the Def-
trudtion of our Confederates, thefe Traitors you never accufe,
but are urgent with us to acquit them?
That thefe are formidable Crimes, and requiring muchi
Prudence and Caution to guard againft their Effeds, while
thofe, of which you accufed Myrocles and Cephifophon were
abfolutely ridiculous, will eafily appear. Were there not in
Elis, fome Perfons, who plundered the public Treafury ? Ex-
? tremely probable. But were any of them concerned in ruining,
the Conftitution and Liberty of their Country? Not one.
Were there not in Olynthus, while that State was in Being,
htas
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? 134 ORATIONSOF
fome Citizens of this Charader? Certainly. What? Were
there not in Megara, who robbed, and plundered the Public ?
Undoubtedly ; and it appeared. Were any of them the Authors
of thofe Calamities, which befell that State ? Not one. Who
therefore, and what were they, who committed fuch flagrant
Crimes? They, who thought themfelves honoured in being
called the Guefts and the Friends of Philip; who deemed
themfelves worthy of commanding your Armies, and prefiding
in your Councils, and exerting a Superiority over the People.
Was not Perilaus lately impeached before the Senate of Me-
gara, becaufe he went to Macedonia; and did not Ptceodorus,
the principal Citizen of Megara in Riches, Birth and Reputa-
tion, appear in his Defence, folicit for his Pardon, and again
fend him back to Philip ? He returned afterwards with a Body
of mercenary Troops, while Ptceodorus had totally changed the
civil Conftitution of his Country. For there is nothing, cer-
tainly nothing, of which you fhould be more cautious, than the
fufrering anyone Angle Citizen to exert an Authority fuperiorto
that of the whole People. Let no Man ever be acquitted or
condemned by the meer Pleafure of another; let his own Adions
acquit him; on the contrary, let this iEfchines be condemned
by the Juftice of your Sentence; (48) for fuch Condudt is
democratical.
I Several
(48) This Manner of mentioning iEf- Reafoning before is general, but this A p-
chines, thus irregularly, thus feemingly plication gives it a particular Direflion.
without Defign, is of great Force. The It is now pointed at Alfchines alone.
The
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