by Demosthenes
Now I do not know what call there is to say more on these topics, for not even at the outset did I introduce them because I assumed you were absolutely ignorant, but because I thought that such exhortations both arouse those who lack knowledge and spur on those who possess it;. [48] And do not make any such assumption as this, that in speaking these words I am presumably offering to teach you any of these branches myself, for I should feel no shame in saying that there is still much I need myself to learn, and that I have chosen rather to be a contender in political life than a teacher of the other arts. Not that in disavowing these subjects of instruction I am impugning the reputation of those who have chosen the profession of sophist, but my reason is that the truth of the matter happens to be as follows: [49] for I am aware, of course, that many men have risen to eminence from humble and obscure estate through the practice of this art, and that Solon, both living and dead, was deemed worthy of the highest renown. He was not disqualified for the other honors but left behind him a memorial of his courage in the trophy of victory over the Megarians, [50] of his astuteness in the recovery of Salamis, and of general sagacity in the laws which the majority of the Greeks continue using to this day. Yet in spite of these great claims to distinction he set his heart upon nothing as much as becoming one of the Seven Sages, believing that philosophy was no reproach but that it brought honor to those who pursued it, having been no less wise in this very judgement than in the others in which he showed himself superior. [51]
My own judgement is not different from Solon’s and I recommend to you to study philosophy, bearing in mind the advantages you have possessed from the beginning. Indeed it was with this purpose in view I ran through the list of them myself in the first part of my essay, not expecting to make a conquest of you by praising your natural gifts, but that I may the better urge you to take up philosophy if you shall escape the error of putting a low value on it, or, through pride in your present advantages, of under-valuing the advantages yet to be gained. [52] Again, even if you are better than the common run of men, do not seek to be superior in no respect to the talented remainder, but deem it the highest purpose to be first among all, and that it is more to your advantage to be seen striving for this than merely being foremost among the rank and file. And do not bring shame upon your natural gifts or cause to be cheated of their hopes those who are proud of you, but endeavor by your own ability to surpass the desires of those who have your interests most at heart. [53] And bear in mind that speeches of the other kinds, when they fulfil their purpose, only crown their authors with glory, but that good counsels attach benefit and honor to those who hearken to them; and that the decisions we make about all other matters make plain the power of perception we possess, but that the choices we make of careers put our whole character to the test. And as you pass judgement in these matters, count upon being judged at the same time yourself by all men, and do not forget that I, who have been so ready to praise you, will also be involved in the hazard of the test. [54] The proofs by which you must be judged worthy of my praises must also acquit me of all censure for the friendship I bear you.
I would not be pressing you so urgently to study philosophy unless I thought that in this I was making you a most precious contribution as evidence of my goodwill, and unless I observed that our city often makes use of ordinary men for lack of men of the best type, and through their bungling incurs the gravest misfortunes. [55] So, then, in order that our city may enjoy abilities such as yours and you the honors which these abilities deserve, I have urged you with some vehemence. Neither do I think that it will be in your power to live as chance decrees, but that the City will appoint you to be in charge of some department of her business, and in proportion as your natural gifts are the more conspicuous it will judge you worthy of greater responsibilities and will the sooner desire to make trial of you. The wise plan, therefore is to train your mind that you may not fail when that day comes. [56]
Now it has been my part to tell you what studies I think it is to your advantage to have pursued, but it is yours to decide concerning them. There is an obligation also on the rest, those who seek to be on intimate terms with you, not to be content with superficial pleasures and pastimes, nor to summon you to these, but to consider diligently how they may render your career most brilliant. By so doing they would bring most credit to themselves and become instruments of the greatest service to you. [57] Neither am I now finding fault with any one of those who keep company with you, for this also seems to me one element of your general good fortune, that you have found no base admirer, but select as friends from the young men of your own age such only as any man would gladly choose. I urge you, however, while being friendly and agreeable to all of these, to heed those of them who have the most sense, so that you may seem even more worthy of respect to this particular group and to the rest of the citizens. Farewell.
The Greek Texts
The Assemblia in Athens convened on a hill called the Pnyx — Demosthenes delivered many of his famous orations here
LIST OF GREEK TEXTS
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CONTENTS
Ὀλυνθιακὸς Α
Ὀλυνθιακὸς Β
Ὀλυνθιακὸς Γ
κατὰ Φιλίππου Α
περὶ τῆς Εἰρήνης
κατὰ Φιλίππου Β
περὶ Ἁλοννήσου
περὶ τῶν ἐν Χερρονήσῳ
κατὰ Φιλίππου Γ
κατὰ Φιλίππου Δ
πρὸς τὴν Ἐπιστολὴν τὴν Φιλίππου
ἐπιστολὴ Φιλίππου
περὶ Συντάξεως
περὶ τῶν Συμμοριῶν
ὑπὲρ τῆς Ῥοδίων Ἐλευθερίας
ὑπὲρ Μεγαλοπολιτῶν
περὶ τῶν πρὸς Ἀλέξανδρον Συνθηκῶν
περὶ τοῦ Στεφάνου
περὶ τῆς Παραπρεσβείας
περὶ τῆς Ἀτελείας πρὸς Λεπτίνην
κατὰ Μειδίου περὶ τοῦ Κονδύλου
κατὰ Ἀνδροτίωνος Παρανόμων
κατὰ Ἀριστοκράτους
κατὰ Τιμοκράτους
κατὰ Ἀριστογείτονος Α
κατὰ Ἀριστογείτονος Β
κατὰ Ἀφόβου Ἐπιτροπῆς Α
κατὰ Ἀφόβου Β
πρὸς Ἄφοβον ὑπὲρ Φάνου Ψευδομαρτυριῶν
πρὸς Ὀνήτορα Ἐξούλης Α
πρὸς Ὀνήτορα Ἐξούλης Β
πρὸς Ζηνόμίωνα Παραγραφή
πρὸς Ἀπατούριον Παραγραφή
πρὸς Φορμίωνα ὑπὲρ Δανείου
πρὸς τὴν Λάκριτον Παραγραφὴν
Παραγραφὴ ὑπὲρ Φορμίωνος
Παραγραφὴ πρὸς Πανταίνετον
Παραγραφὴ πρὸς Ναυσίμακον καὶ Ξενοπείθην
πρὸς Βοιωτὸν περὶ τοῦ Ὀνόματος.
πρὸς Βοιωτὸν περὶ Προικὸς Μητρῴας.
πρὸς Σπουδίαν ὑπὲρ Προικός
πρὸς Φαίνιππον περὶ Ἀντιδόσεως
πρὸς Μακάρτατον περὶ Ἁγνίου Κλήρου
πρὸς Λεωκάρη περὶ τοῦ Ἀρχιάδου Κλήρου
κατὰ Στεφάνου Ψευδομαρτυριῶν Α
κατὰ Στεφάνου Ψευδομαρτυριῶν Β
κατὰ Εὐέργου καὶ Μ�
�ησιβούλου Ψευδομαρτυριῶν
κατὰ Ὀλυμπιοδώρου Βλάβης
πρὸς Τιμόθεον ὑπὲρ Χρέως
πρὸς Πολυκλέα περὶ τοῦ Ἐπιτριηραρχήματος
περὶ τοῦ Στεφάνου τῆς Τριηραρκίας
πρὸς Κάλλιππον
πρὸς Νικόστρατον Περὶ Α᾿νδραπόδων Α᾿πογραφῆς Α᾿ρεθουσίου
κατὰ Κόνωνος Αἰκείας
πρὸς Καλλικλέα Περὶ Χωρίου Βλάβης
κατὰ Διονυσοδώρου Βλάβης
ἔφεσις πρὸς Εὐβουλίδην
ἔνδειξις κατὰ Θεοκρίνου
κατὰ Νεαίρας
Ἐπιτάφιος.
ἐρωτικός
Source texts: Demosthenis.Orationes. ed. S. H. Butcher. Clarendon Press, Oxford. 1903; Demosthenis.Orationes. ed. S. H. Butcher and W. Rennie. Oxonii. E Typographeo Clarendoniano. 1907 and 1921; Demosthenis.Orationes. ed. W. Rennie. Oxonii.e Typographeo Clarendoniano. 1931. With thanks to the Pegasus Digital Library.
Ὀλυνθιακὸς Α
ἀντὶ πολλῶν ἄν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, χρημάτων ὑμᾶς ἑλέσθαι νομίζω, εἰ φανερὸν γένοιτο τὸ μέλλον συνοίσειν τῇ πόλει περὶ ὧν νυνὶ σκοπεῖτε. ὅτε τοίνυν τοῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, προσήκει προθύμως ἐθέλειν ἀκούειν τῶν βουλομένων συμβουλεύειν: οὐ γὰρ μόνον εἴ τι χρήσιμον ἐσκεμμένος ἥκει τις, τοῦτ᾽ ἂν ἀκούσαντες λάβοιτε, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ὑμετέρας τύχης ὑπολαμβάνω πολλὰ τῶν δεόντων ἐκ τοῦ παραχρῆμ᾽ ἐνίοις ἂν ἐπελθεῖν εἰπεῖν, ὥστ᾽ ἐξ ἁπάντων ῥᾳδίαν τὴν τοῦ συμφέροντος ὑμῖν αἵρεσιν γενέσθαι.
[2] ὁ μὲν οὖν παρὼν καιρός, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μόνον οὐχὶ λέγει φωνὴν ἀφιεὶς ὅτι τῶν πραγμάτων ὑμῖν ἐκείνων αὐτοῖς ἀντιληπτέον ἐστίν, εἴπερ ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας αὐτῶν φροντίζετε: ἡμεῖς δ᾽ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅντινά μοι δοκοῦμεν ἔχειν τρόπον πρὸς αὐτά. ἔστι δὴ τά γ᾽ ἐμοὶ δοκοῦντα, ψηφίσασθαι μὲν ἤδη τὴν βοήθειαν, καὶ παρασκευάσασθαι τὴν ταχίστην ὅπως ἐνθένδε βοηθήσετε （καὶ μὴ πάθητε ταὐτὸν ὅπερ καὶ πρότερον）, πρεσβείαν δὲ πέμπειν, ἥτις ταῦτ᾽ ἐρεῖ καὶ παρέσται τοῖς πράγμασιν: [3] ὡς ἔστι μάλιστα τοῦτο δέος, μὴ πανοῦργος ὢν καὶ δεινὸς ἅνθρωπος πράγμασι χρῆσθαι, τὰ μὲν εἴκων, ἡνίκ᾽ ἂν τύχῃ, τὰ δ᾽ ἀπειλῶν （ἀξιόπιστος δ᾽ ἂν εἰκότως φαίνοιτο）, τὰ δ᾽ ἡμᾶς διαβάλλων καὶ τὴν ἀπουσίαν τὴν ἡμετέραν, τρέψηται καὶ παρασπάσηταί τι τῶν ὅλων πραγμάτων. [4] οὐ μὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιεικῶς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοῦθ᾽ ὃ δυσμαχώτατόν ἐστι τῶν Φιλίππου πραγμάτων, καὶ βέλτιστον ὑμῖν: τὸ γὰρ εἶναι πάντων ἐκεῖνον ἕν᾽ ὄντα κύριον καὶ ῥητῶν καὶ ἀπορρήτων καὶ ἅμα στρατηγὸν καὶ δεσπότην καὶ ταμίαν, καὶ πανταχοῦ αὐτὸν παρεῖναι τῷ στρατεύματι, πρὸς μὲν τὸ τὰ τοῦ πολέμου ταχὺ καὶ κατὰ καιρὸν πράττεσθαι πολλῷ προέχει, πρὸς δὲ τὰς καταλλαγάς, ἃς ἂν ἐκεῖνος ποιήσαιτ᾽ ἄσμενος πρὸς Ὀλυνθίους, ἐναντίως ἔχει. [5] δῆλον γάρ ἐστι τοῖς Ὀλυνθίοις ὅτι νῦν οὐ περὶ δόξης οὐδ᾽ ὑπὲρ μέρους χώρας πολεμοῦσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀναστάσεως καὶ ἀνδραποδισμοῦ τῆς πατρίδος, καὶ ἴσασιν ἅ τ᾽ Ἀμφιπολιτῶν ἐποίησε τοὺς παραδόντας αὐτῷ τὴν πόλιν καὶ Πυδναίων τοὺς ὑποδεξαμένους: καὶ ὅλως ἄπιστον, οἶμαι, ταῖς πολιτείαις ἡ τυραννίς, ἄλλως τε κἂν ὅμορον χώραν ἔχωσι. [6] ταῦτ᾽ οὖν ἐγνωκότας ὑμᾶς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ τἄλλ᾽ ἃ προσήκει πάντ᾽ ἐνθυμουμένους φημὶ δεῖν ἐθελῆσαι καὶ παροξυνθῆναι καὶ τῷ πολέμῳ προσέχειν εἴπερ ποτὲ καὶ νῦν, χρήματ᾽ εἰσφέροντας προθύμως καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐξιόντας καὶ μηδὲν ἐλλείποντας. οὐδὲ γὰρ λόγος οὐδὲ σκῆψις ἔθ᾽ ὑμῖν τοῦ μὴ τὰ δέοντα ποιεῖν ἐθέλειν ὑπολείπεται. [7] νυνὶ γάρ, ὃ πάντες ἐθρύλουν τέως, Ὀλυνθίους ἐκπολεμῶσαι δεῖν Φιλίππῳ, γέγονεν αὐτόματον, καὶ ταῦθ᾽ ὡς ἂν ὑμῖν μάλιστα συμφέροι. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν πεισθέντες ἀνείλοντο τὸν πόλεμον, σφαλεροὶ σύμμαχοι καὶ μέχρι του ταῦτ᾽ ἂν ἐγνωκότες ἦσαν ἴσως: ἐπειδὴ δ᾽ ἐκ τῶν πρὸς αὑτοὺς ἐγκλημάτων μισοῦσι, βεβαίαν εἰκὸς τὴν ἔχθραν αὐτοὺς ὑπὲρ ὧν φοβοῦνται καὶ πεπόνθασιν ἔχειν. [8] οὐ δεῖ δὴ τοιοῦτον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, παραπεπτωκότα καιρὸν ἀφεῖναι, οὐδὲ παθεῖν ταὐτὸν ὅπερ ἤδη πολλάκις πρότερον πεπόνθατε. εἰ γάρ, ὅθ᾽ ἥκομεν Εὐβοεῦσιν βεβοηθηκότες καὶ παρῆσαν Ἀμφιπολιτῶν Ἱέραξ καὶ Στρατοκλῆς ἐπὶ τουτὶ τὸ βῆμα, κελεύοντες ἡμᾶς πλεῖν καὶ παραλαμβάνειν τὴν πόλιν, τὴν αὐτὴν παρειχόμεθ᾽ ἡμεῖς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν προθυμίαν ἥνπερ ὑπὲρ τῆς Εὐβοέων σωτηρίας, εἴχετ᾽ ἂν Ἀμφίπολιν τότε καὶ πάντων τῶν μετὰ ταῦτ᾽ ἂν ἦτ᾽ ἀπηλλαγμένοι πραγμάτων. [9] καὶ πάλιν ἡνίκα Πύδνα, Ποτείδαια, Μεθώνη, Παγασαί, τἄλλα, ἵνα μὴ καθ᾽ ἕκαστα λέγων διατρίβω, πολιορκούμεν᾽ ἀπηγγέλλετο, εἰ τότε τούτων ἑνὶ τῷ πρώτῳ προθύμως καὶ ὡς προσῆκεν ἐβοηθήσαμεν αὐτοί, ῥᾴονι καὶ πολὺ ταπεινοτέρῳ νῦν ἂν ἐχρώμεθα τῷ Φιλίππῳ. νῦν δὲ τὸ μὲν παρὸν ἀεὶ προϊέμενοι, τὰ δὲ μέλλοντ᾽ αὐτόματ᾽ οἰόμενοι σχήσειν καλῶς, ηὐξήσαμεν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, Φίλιππον ἡμεῖς καὶ κατεστήσαμεν τηλικοῦτον ἡλίκος οὐδείς πω βασιλεὺς γέγονεν Μακεδονίας. νυνὶ δὴ καιρὸς ἥκει τις, οὗτος ὁ τῶν Ὀλυνθίων, αὐτόματος τῇ πόλει, ὃς οὐδενός ἐστιν ἐλάττων τῶν προτέρων ἐκείνων. [10] καὶ ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ τις ἄν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δίκαιος λογιστὴς τῶν παρὰ τῶν θεῶν ἡμῖν ὑπηργμένων καταστάς, καίπερ οὐκ ἐχόντων ὡς δεῖ πολλῶν, ὅμως μεγάλην ἂν ἔχειν αὐτοῖς χάριν, εἰκότως: τ�
� μὲν γὰρ πόλλ᾽ ἀπολωλεκέναι κατὰ τὸν πόλεμον τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀμελείας ἄν τις θείη δικαίως, τὸ δὲ μήτε πάλαι τοῦτο πεπονθέναι πεφηνέναι τέ τιν᾽ ἡμῖν συμμαχίαν τούτων ἀντίρροπον, ἂν βουλώμεθα χρῆσθαι, τῆς παρ᾽ ἐκείνων εὐνοίας εὐεργέτημ᾽ ἂν ἔγωγε θείην. [11] ἀλλ᾽, οἶμαι, παρόμοιόν ἐστιν ὅπερ καὶ περὶ τῆς τῶν χρημάτων κτήσεως: ἂν μὲν γάρ, ὅσ᾽ ἄν τις λάβῃ, καὶ σῴσῃ, μεγάλην ἔχει τῇ τύχῃ τὴν χάριν, ἂν δ᾽ ἀναλώσας λάθῃ, συνανήλωσε καὶ τὸ μεμνῆσθαι τὴν χάριν. καὶ περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων οὕτως οἱ μὴ χρησάμενοι τοῖς καιροῖς ὀρθῶς, οὐδ᾽ εἰ συνέβη τι παρὰ τῶν θεῶν χρηστὸν μνημονεύουσι: πρὸς γὰρ τὸ τελευταῖον ἐκβὰν ἕκαστον τῶν πρὶν ὑπαρξάντων κρίνεται. διὸ καὶ σφόδρα δεῖ τῶν λοιπῶν ὑμᾶς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, φροντίσαι, ἵνα ταῦτ᾽ ἐπανορθωσάμενοι τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς πεπραγμένοις ἀδοξίαν ἀποτριψώμεθα. [12] εἰ δὲ προησόμεθ᾽, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ τούτους τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, εἶτ᾽ Ὄλυνθον ἐκεῖνος καταστρέψεται, φρασάτω τις ἐμοὶ τί τὸ κωλῦον ἔτ᾽ αὐτὸν ἔσται βαδίζειν ὅποι βούλεται. ἆρα λογίζεταί τις ὑμῶν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν τρόπον δι᾽ ὃν μέγας γέγονεν ἀσθενὴς ὢν τὸ κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς Φίλιππος; τὸ πρῶτον Ἀμφίπολιν λαβών, μετὰ ταῦτα Πύδναν, πάλιν Ποτείδαιαν, Μεθώνην αὖθις, εἶτα Θετταλίας ἐπέβη: [13] μετὰ ταῦτα Φεράς, Παγασάς, Μαγνησίαν, πάνθ᾽ ὃν ἐβούλετ᾽ εὐτρεπίσας τρόπον ᾤχετ᾽ εἰς Θρᾴκην: εἶτ᾽ ἐκεῖ τοὺς μὲν ἐκβαλὼν τοὺς δὲ καταστήσας τῶν βασιλέων ἠσθένησε: πάλιν ῥᾴσας οὐκ ἐπὶ τὸ ῥᾳθυμεῖν ἀπέκλινεν, ἀλλ᾽ εὐθὺς Ὀλυνθίοις ἐπεχείρησεν. τὰς δ᾽ ἐπ᾽ Ἰλλυριοὺς καὶ Παίονας αὐτοῦ καὶ πρὸς Ἀρύββαν καὶ ὅποι τις ἂν εἴποι παραλείπω στρατείας.