by Demosthenes
[16] ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἡγοῦμαι Φίλιππον, οὔτ᾽ εἰ τὰ πρῶτα βιασθεὶς ἄκων ἔπραξεν, οὔτ᾽ ἂν εἰ νῦν ἀπεγίγνωσκε Θηβαίους, τοῖς ἐκείνων ἐχθροῖς συνεχῶς ἐναντιοῦσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφ᾽ ὧν νῦν ποιεῖ, κἀκεῖν᾽ ἐκ προαιρέσεως δῆλός ἐστι ποιήσας, ἐκ πάντων δ᾽, ἄν τις ὀρθῶς θεωρῇ, πάνθ᾽ ἃ πραγματεύεται κατὰ τῆς πόλεως συντάττων.
[16] For my part I do not believe that Philip, if he acted in the first place reluctantly and under compulsion, or if he were now inclined to throw the Thebans over, would be persistently opposing their enemies. But if we may judge from his present conduct, it is plain that on that occasion also he acted from deliberate choice, and everything, if correctly observed, points to the fact that all his intrigues are directed against Athens.
[17] καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐξ ἀνάγκης τρόπον τιν᾽ αὐτῷ νῦν γε δὴ συμβαίνει. λογίζεσθε γάρ. ἄρχειν βούλεται, τούτου δ᾽ ἀνταγωνιστὰς μόνους ὑπείληφεν ὑμᾶς. ἀδικεῖ πολὺν ἤδη χρόνον, καὶ τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸς ἄριστα σύνοιδεν αὑτῷ: οἷς γὰρ οὖσιν ὑμετέροις ἔχει, τούτοις πάντα τἄλλ᾽ ἀσφαλῶς κέκτηται: εἰ γὰρ Ἀμφίπολιν καὶ Ποτείδαιαν προεῖτο, οὐδ᾽ ἂν οἴκοι μένειν βεβαίως ἡγεῖται.
[17] And today at any rate this policy is in a measure forced upon him. For observe! He wants to rule, and he has made up his mind that you, and you only, are his rivals. He has long injured you; of nothing is he more conscious than of that. For it is by holding the cities which are really yours that he retains safe possession of all the rest, and he feels that if he gave up Amphipolis and Potidaea, his own country would not be safe for him.
[18] ἀμφότερ᾽ οὖν οἶδε, καὶ αὑτὸν ὑμῖν ἐπιβουλεύοντα καὶ ὑμᾶς αἰσθανομένους: εὖ φρονεῖν δ᾽ ὑμᾶς ὑπολαμβάνων, δικαίως αὑτὸν μισεῖν νομίζει, καὶ παρώξυνται, πείσεσθαί τι προσδοκῶν, ἂν καιρὸν λάβητε, ἂν μὴ φθάσῃ ποιήσας πρότερος.
[18] He knows, then, these two facts — that he is intriguing against you and that you are aware of it. Assuming that you are intelligent, he thinks you are bound to hate him, and he is on the alert, expecting some blow to fall, if you can seize an opportunity and if he cannot get in his blow first.
[19] διὰ ταῦτ᾽ ἐγρήγορεν, ἐφέστηκεν, ἐπὶ τῇ πόλει θεραπεύει τινάς, Θηβαίους καὶ Πελοποννησίων τοὺς ταὐτὰ βουλομένους τούτοις, οὓς διὰ μὲν πλεονεξίαν τὰ παρόντ᾽ ἀγαπήσειν οἴεται, διὰ δὲ σκαιότητα τρόπων τῶν μετὰ ταῦτ᾽ οὐδὲν προόψεσθαι. καίτοι σωφρονοῦσί γε καὶ μετρίως ἐναργῆ παραδείγματ᾽ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, ἃ καὶ πρὸς Μεσσηνίους καὶ πρὸς Ἀργείους ἔμοιγ᾽ εἰπεῖν συνέβη, βέλτιον δ᾽ ἴσως καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐστιν εἰρῆσθαι.
[19] That is why he is wide awake and ready to strike, and why he is courting certain people to the detriment of our city — Thebans, I mean, and those Peloponnesians who share their views. He imagines that their cupidity will lead them to accept the present situation, while their natural dullness will prevent them from foreseeing anything that may follow. Yet men of even moderate intelligence might perceive some clear indications, which I had occasion to point out to the Messenians and the Argives, and which may perhaps with advantage be repeated to you.
[20] ‘πῶς γὰρ οἴεσθ᾽,’ ἔφην, ‘ὦ ἄνδρες Μεσσήνιοι, δυσχερῶς ἀκούειν Ὀλυνθίους, εἴ τίς τι λέγοι κατὰ Φιλίππου κατ᾽ ἐκείνους τοὺς χρόνους, ὅτ᾽ Ἀνθεμοῦντα μὲν αὐτοῖς ἀφίει, ἧς πάντες οἱ πρότερον Μακεδονίας βασιλεῖς ἀντεποιοῦντο, Ποτείδαιαν δ᾽ ἐδίδου τοὺς Ἀθηναίων ἀποίκους ἐκβάλλων, καὶ τὴν μὲν ἔχθραν τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς αὐτὸς ἀνῄρητο, τὴν χώραν δ᾽ ἐκείνοις ἐδεδώκει καρποῦσθαι; ἆρα προσδοκᾶν αὐτοὺς τοιαῦτα πείσεσθαι, ἢ λέγοντος ἄν τινος πιστεῦσαι οἴεσθε;
[20] “Can you not imagine,” I said, addressing the Messenians, “how annoyed the Olynthians would have been to hear a word said against Philip in the days when he was handing over to them Anthemus, to which all the former kings of Macedonia laid claim, when he was making them a present of Potidaea, expelling the Athenian settlers, and when he had taken upon himself the responsibility of a quarrel with us and had given them the territory of Potidaea for their own use? Do you imagine they expected to be treated as they have been, or would have believed anyone who suggested it?
[21] ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως,’ ἔφην ἐγώ, ‘μικρὸν χρόνον τὴν ἀλλοτρίαν καρπωσάμενοι πολὺν τῆς αὑτῶν ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνου στέρονται, αἰσχρῶς ἐκπεσόντες, οὐ κρατηθέντες μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ προδοθέντες ὑπ᾽ ἀλλήλων καὶ πραθέντες: οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλεῖς ταῖς πολιτείαις αἱ πρὸς τοὺς τυράννους αὗται λίαν ὁμιλίαι.
[21] Nevertheless,” said I, “after a brief enjoyment of other men’s territory, they have long been robbed by Philip of their own, expelled with contumely, not merely vanquished but betrayed, bought and sold by their own country-men. For truly such close communications with tyranny corrupt good constitutions.
[22] τί δ᾽ οἱ Θετταλοί; ἆρ᾽ οἴεσθ᾽,’ ἔφην, ‘ὅτ᾽ αὐτοῖς τοὺς τυράννους ἐξέβαλλε καὶ πάλιν Νίκαιαν καὶ Μαγνησίαν ἐδίδου, προσδοκᾶν τὴν καθεστῶσαν νῦν δεκαδαρχίαν ἔσεσθαι παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς; ἢ τὸν τὴν πυλαίαν ἀποδόντα, τοῦτον τὰς ἰδίας αὐτῶν προσόδους παραιρήσεσθαι; οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα. ἀλλὰ μὴν γέγονεν ταῦτα καὶ πᾶσιν ἔστιν εἰδέναι:
[22] And what of the Thessalians? Do you imagine,” I said, “that when he was expelling their despots, or again when he was presenting them with Nicaea and Magnesia, they ever dreamed that a Council of Ten would be established among them, as it is today, or that the same man who restored to them the Amphictyonic meeting at Thermopylae would also appropriate their own peculiar revenues? Impossible! But so it came to pass, as all men may know.
[23] ὑμεῖς δ᾽,’ ἔφην ἐγώ, ‘διδόντα μὲν καὶ ὑπισχνούμενον θεωρεῖτε Φίλιππον, ἐξηπατηκότα δ᾽ ἤδη καὶ παρακεκρουμένον ἀπεύχεσθε, εἰ σωφρονεῖτε δή, ἰδεῖν. ἔστι τοίνυν νὴ Δί᾽,’ ἔφην ἐγώ, ‘παντοδαπὰ εὑρημένα ταῖς πόλεσιν πρὸς φυλακὴν καὶ σωτηρίαν, οἷον χαρακώματα καὶ τείχη καὶ τάφροι καὶ τἄλλ᾽ ὅσα τοιαῦτα.
[23] You,” I said, “gaze with wonder at Philip as he gives away this and promises that, but if you are truly wise, pray that you may never find that he has deceived and cozened you. Verily,” I said, “there are manifold means devised by states for protection and safety — stockades, ramparts, fosses and the like.
[24] καὶ ταῦτα μέν ἐστιν ἅπαντα χειροποίητα καὶ δαπ�
�νης προσδεῖται: ἓν δέ τι κοινὸν ἡ φύσις τῶν εὖ φρονούντων ἐν αὑτῇ κέκτηται φυλακτήριον, ὃ πᾶσι μέν ἐστ᾽ ἀγαθὸν καὶ σωτήριον, μάλιστα δὲ τοῖς πλήθεσι πρὸς τοὺς τυράννους. τί οὖν ἐστι τοῦτο; ἀπιστία. ταύτην φυλάττετε, ταύτης ἀντέχεσθε: ἂν ταύτην σῴζητε, οὐδὲν μὴ δεινὸν πάθητε. τί ζητεῖτ᾽;’ ἔφην.
[24] And all these are wrought by hand and entail expense. But there is one common bulwark which the instinct of sensible men possesses within itself, a good and safe one for all, but invaluable for democracies against tyrants. And what is that bulwark? It is mistrust. Guard that; hold fast to that. If you preserve it, no harm can touch you.
[25] ‘ἐλευθερίαν; εἶτ᾽ οὐχ ὁρᾶτε Φίλιππον ἀλλοτριωτάτας ταύτῃ καὶ τὰς προσηγορίας ἔχοντα; βασιλεὺς γὰρ καὶ τύραννος ἅπας ἐχθρὸς ἐλευθερίᾳ καὶ νόμοις ἐναντίος. οὐ φυλάξεσθ᾽ ὅπως,’ ἔφην, ‘μὴ πολέμου ζητοῦντες ἀπαλλαγῆναι δεσπότην εὕρητε;’
[25] What is your object?” I said. “Freedom. Then do you not see that Philip’s very titles are utterly irreconcilable with that? For every king, every despot is the sworn foe of freedom and of law. Beware,” said I, “lest, seeking to be rid of war, you find a master.”
[26] ταῦτ᾽ ἀκούσαντες ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ θορυβοῦντες ὡς ὀρθῶς λέγεται, καὶ πολλοὺς ἑτέρους λόγους παρὰ τῶν πρέσβεων καὶ παρόντος ἐμοῦ καὶ πάλιν ὕστερον, ὡς ἔοικεν, οὐδὲν μᾶλλον ἀποσχήσονται τῆς Φιλίππου φιλίας οὐδ᾽ ὧν ἐπαγγέλλεται.
[26] That is what I said to them, and they shouted their approval; and they heard many other speeches from the envoys, both in my presence and again later, as it seems; but they are none the more likely to do without Philip’s friendship and Philip’s promises.
[27] καὶ οὐ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἄτοπον, εἰ Μεσσήνιοι καὶ Πελοποννησίων τινὲς παρ᾽ ἃ τῷ λογισμῷ βέλτισθ᾽ ὁρῶσί τι πράξουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑμεῖς οἱ καὶ συνιέντες αὐτοὶ καὶ τῶν λεγόντων ἀκούοντες ἡμῶν, ὡς ἐπιβουλεύεσθε, ὡς περιστοιχίζεσθε, ἐκ τοῦ μηδὲν ἤδη ποιῆσαι λήσεθ᾽, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ, πάνθ᾽ ὑπομείναντες: οὕτως ἡ παραυτίχ᾽ ἡδονὴ καὶ ῥᾳστώνη μεῖζον ἰσχύει τοῦ ποθ᾽ ὕστερον συνοίσειν μέλλοντος.
[27] And, indeed, it is not strange that Messenians and other Peloponnesians should sometimes act against their better judgement; but you, who know, both from your own intelligence and from our speeches, how you are compassed about with plots and snares, you will, as it seems to me, find to your surprise that through having done nothing in time, you have submitted to everything. So much does the pleasure and ease of the moment prevail over that which at some future time is likely to be advantageous.
[28] περὶ μὲν δὴ τῶν ἡμῖν πρακτέων καθ᾽ ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ὕστερον βουλεύσεσθε, ἂν σωφρονῆτε: ἃ δὲ νῦν ἀποκρινάμενοι τὰ δέοντ᾽ ἂν εἴητ᾽ ἐψηφισμένοι, ταῦτ᾽ ἤδη λέξω.”ἀπόκρισις”
ἦν μὲν οὖν δίκαιον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοὺς ἐνεγκόντας τὰς ὑποσχέσεις, ἐφ᾽ αἷς ἐπείσθητε ποιήσασθαι τὴν εἰρήνην, καλεῖν:
[28] On your practical measures you will, if you are wise, deliberate hereafter by yourselves; at present I will suggest the immediate answer which it would be proper for you to adopt.”Answer”
It would indeed have been fair, men of Athens, to call upon those who conveyed to you Philip’s promises, on the strength of which you were induced to conclude the Peace.
[29] οὔτε γὰρ αὐτὸς ἄν ποθ᾽ ὑπέμεινα πρεσβεύειν, οὔτ᾽ ἂν ὑμεῖς οἶδ᾽ ὅτι ἐπαύσασθε πολεμοῦντες, εἰ τοιαῦτα πράξειν τυχόντ᾽ εἰρήνης Φίλιππον ᾤεσθε: ἀλλ᾽ ἦν πολὺ τούτων ἀφεστηκότα τὰ τότε λεγόμενα. καὶ πάλιν γ᾽ ἑτέρους καλεῖν. τίνας; τοὺς ὅτ᾽ ἐγὼ γεγονυίας ἤδη τῆς εἰρήνης ἀπὸ τῆς ὑστέρας ἥκων πρεσβείας τῆς ἐπὶ τοὺς ὅρκους, αἰσθόμενος φενακιζομένην τὴν πόλιν, προὔλεγον καὶ διεμαρτυρόμην καὶ οὐκ εἴων προέσθαι Πύλας οὐδὲ Φωκέας,
[29] For I should never myself have consented to serve on the embassy, nor would you, I am sure, have suspended military operations, if you had imagined that Philip after securing peace would act as he has done; but his words at the time were very different from his present actions. Yes, and there are others who ought to be called upon. Whom do I mean? The men who, when peace was made and when I, returning from the second embassy — that sent to administer the oaths — found that the state was being imposed upon, and spoke out and protested and refused to give up Thermopylae and the Phocians —
[30] λέγοντας ὡς ἐγὼ μὲν ὕδωρ πίνων εἰκότως δύστροπος καὶ δύσκολός εἰμί τις ἄνθρωπος, Φίλιππος δ᾽, ἅπερ εὔξαισθ᾽ ἂν ὑμεῖς, ἂν παρέλθῃ, πράξει, καὶ Θεσπιὰς μὲν καὶ Πλαταιὰς τειχιεῖ, Θηβαίους δὲ παύσει τῆς ὕβρεως, Χερρόνησον δὲ τοῖς αὑτοῦ τέλεσιν διορύξει, Εὔβοιαν δὲ καὶ τὸν Ὠρωπὸν ἀντ᾽ Ἀμφιπόλεως ὑμῖν ἀποδώσει: ταῦτα γὰρ ἅπαντ᾽ ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος ἐνταῦθα μνημονεύετ᾽ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι ῥηθέντα, καίπερ ὄντες οὐ δεινοὶ τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας μεμνῆσθαι.
[30] the men, I say, who told you that I, being a water-drinker, was naturally a disagreeable, cross-grained fellow, and that Philip, if he got through the Pass, would do just what you would pray for, would fortify Thespiae and Plataea, and humble the Theban pride, and dig a trench across the Chersonese at his own charges, and restore to you Euboea and Oropus in lieu of Amphipolis. All this was said from this very platform, as I am sure you recollect, although you are not remarkable for keeping in mind those who injure you.
[31] καὶ τὸ πάντων αἴσχιστον, καὶ τοῖς ἐκγόνοις πρὸς τὰς ἐλπίδας τὴν αὐτὴν εἰρήνην εἶναι ταύτην ἐψηφίσασθε: οὕτω τελέως ὑπήχθητε. τί δὴ ταῦτα νῦν λέγω καὶ καλεῖν φημὶ δεῖν τούτους; ἐγὼ νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς τἀληθῆ μετὰ παρρησίας ἐρῶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ οὐκ ἀποκρύψομαι:
[31] And the crowning disgrace is that your posterity also is bound by the same peace which these hopes prompted you to conclude; so completely were you led astray. Why do I mention this now and assert that these men ought to be called upon? I vow that I will boldly tell you the whole truth and keep nothing back.
[32] οὐχ ἵν᾽ εἰς λοιδορίαν ἐμπεσὼν ἐμαυτῷ μὲν ἐξ ἴσου λόγον παρ᾽ ὑμῖν ποιήσω, τοῖς δ᾽ ἐμοὶ προσκρούσασιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ νῦν παράσχω πρόφασιν τοῦ πάλιν τι λαβεῖν παρὰ Φιλίππου, οὐδ᾽ ἵν᾽ ὡς ἄλλως ἀδολεσχῶ: ἀλλ᾽ οἴομαί ποθ᾽ ὑμᾶς λυπήσειν ἃ Φίλιππος �
�ράττει μᾶλλον ἢ τὰ νυνί:
[32] It is not that by descending to abuse I may lay myself open to retaliation in your presence, while I give those who from the first have fallen foul of me an excuse for making further profit out of Philip. Nor do I wish to indulge in idle talk. But I think that one day Philip’s policy will cause you more distress than it does now,
[33] τὸ γὰρ πρᾶγμ᾽ ὁρῶ προβαῖνον, καὶ οὐχὶ βουλοίμην ἂν εἰκάζειν ὀρθῶς, φοβοῦμαι δὲ μὴ λίαν ἐγγὺς ᾖ τοῦτ᾽ ἤδη. ὅταν οὖν μηκέθ᾽ ὑμῖν ἀμελεῖν ἐξουσία γίγνηται τῶν συμβαινόντων, μηδ᾽ ἀκούηθ᾽ ὅτι ταῦτ᾽ ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐστιν ἐμοῦ μηδὲ τοῦ δεῖνος, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτοὶ πάντες ὁρᾶτε καὶ εὖ εἰδῆτε, ὀργίλους καὶ τραχεῖς ὑμᾶς ἔσεσθαι νομίζω.
[33] for I see the plot thickening. I hope I may prove a false prophet, but I fear the catastrophe is even now only too near. So when you can no longer shut your eyes to what is happening, when you do not need me or someone else to tell you, but can all see for yourselves and be quite certain that all this is directed against you, then I expect you will be angry and exasperated.