by Demosthenes
[87] That is the decree you then made; and you owe it to these men. It was not with such expectations that you either made the first draft of the peace and alliance, or subsequently consented to add the words, and to his posterity, but in the hope of marvellous benefits through their agency. Yes, and since then you all remember how many times you have been agitated by news of Philip’s army and auxiliaries at Porthmus or at Megara. True, he has not yet set foot in Attica; but you must not look only at that and abate your vigilance, — you must bear in mind that, thanks to these men, he has it in his power to do so whenever he chooses. You must keep that danger before your eyes, and abhor and punish the author and purveyor of that power.
[88] οἶδα τοίνυν ὅτι τοὺς μὲν ὑπὲρ τῶν κατηγορημένων αὐτῶν λόγους Αἰσχίνης φεύξεται, βουλόμενος δ᾽ ὑμᾶς ὡς πορρωτάτω τῶν πεπραγμένων ἀπάγειν διέξεισιν ἡλίκα πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἀγάθ᾽ ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης γίγνεται καὶ τοὐναντίον ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου κακά, καὶ ὅλως ἐγκώμι᾽ εἰρήνης ἐρεῖ, καὶ τοιαῦτ᾽ ἀπολογήσεται. ἔστι δὲ καὶ ταῦτα κατηγορήματα τούτου. εἰ γὰρ ἡ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀγαθῶν αἰτία τοσούτων πραγμάτων καὶ ταραχῆς ἡμῖν αἰτία γέγονε, τί τις εἶναι τοῦτο φῇ πλὴν ὅτι δῶρα λαβόντες οὗτοι καλὸν πρᾶγμα φύσει κακῶς διέθηκαν;
[88] No doubt Aeschines will eschew a direct reply to the charges alleged, and in his desire to lead you as far as possible away from the facts, he will dilate on the great blessings that peace brings to the world and set against them the evils of war. He will eulogize peace in general terms, and that will be his defence. But all those considerations tell against him. For, if peace, which brings blessings to others, has brought so much vexation and bewilderment to you, what are we to say except that these men with their bribe-taking have perverted to evil a thing in itself excellent? What next?
[89] ‘τί δ᾽; οὐ τριήρεις τριακόσιαι καὶ σκεύη ταύταις καὶ χρήμαθ᾽ ὑμῖν περίεστι καὶ περιέσται διὰ τὴν εἰρήνην;’ ἴσως ἂν εἴποι. πρὸς δὴ ταῦτ᾽ ἐκεῖν᾽ ὑμᾶς ὑπολαμβάνειν δεῖ, ὅτι καὶ τὰ Φιλίππου πράγματ᾽ ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης γέγονεν εὐπορώτερα πολλῷ, καὶ κατασκευαῖς ὅπλων καὶ χώρας καὶ προσόδων αἳ γεγόνασιν ἐκείνῳ μεγάλαι.
[89] Perhaps he will ask: “Do you not retain, and shall you not retain through the peace, three hundred war-galleys with stores and money for them?”
In reply to that, you have to reflect that Philip also has greatly strengthened his position owing to the peace, as regards his material resources in arms, in territory, in revenues, which last have increased largely.
[90] γεγόνασι δὲ καὶ ἡμῖν τινές. ἡ δέ γε τῶν πραγμάτων κατασκευὴ καὶ τῶν συμμάχων, δι᾽ ἣν ἢ αὑτοῖς ἢ τοῖς κρείττοσι τἀγαθὰ πάντες κέκτηνται, ἡ μὲν ἡμετέρα πραθεῖσ᾽ ὑπὸ τούτων ἀπόλωλε καὶ γέγονεν ἀσθενής, ἡ δ᾽ ἐκείνου φοβερὰ καὶ μείζων πολλῷ. οὐ δὴ δίκαιον ἐκείνῳ μὲν ἀμφότερ᾽ ηὐξῆσθαι διὰ τούτους καὶ τὰ τῶν συμμάχων καὶ τὰ τῶν προσόδων, ἃ δ᾽ ἡμῖν καὶ ὣς ἂν ὑπῆρχεν ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης, ταῦτ᾽ ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἀπέδοντ᾽ αὐτοὶ λογίζεσθαι. οὐ γὰρ ταῦτ᾽ ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνων γέγονεν, οὐδὲ πολλοῦ δεῖ, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ἦν ἂν ὁμοίως ἡμῖν, ἐκεῖνα δὲ τούτοις ἂν προσῆν εἰ μὴ διὰ τούτους.
[90] And so indeed have ours, to some extent. But as to those other resources, of policy and of alliance, — and it is by them that all nations hold advantages for themselves or for stronger states — in our case, bartered away by these men, they have perished, or at least deteriorated: his are now formidable and far greater. It is surely unfair that, while Philip, thanks to these men, enjoys extended alliances and increased revenues, the advantages that we should in any case have gained from the peace should be reckoned by them as a set-off against those that they have sold. For our gains are not a compensation for our losses; far from it! No; what we now have would equally have been ours, and what we have not would have been added to us, but for these men.
[91] ὅλως δ᾽, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δίκαιον δήπου φήσαιτ᾽ ἂν εἶναι, μήτ᾽ εἰ πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ τὰ συμβεβηκότ᾽ ἐστὶ τῇ πόλει, μηδενὸς δ᾽ Αἰσχίνης αἴτιος τούτων, εἰς τοῦτον ἐλθεῖν τὴν ὀργήν, μήτ᾽ εἴ τι τῶν δεόντων πέπρακται δι᾽ ἄλλον τινά, τοῦτο σῶσαι τουτονί: ἀλλ᾽ ὅσων οὗτος αἴτιος σκεψάμενοι καὶ χάριν, ἂν ταύτης ἄξιος ᾖ, καὶ τοὐναντίον ὀργήν, ἂν τοιαῦτα φαίνηται, ποιεῖσθε.
[91] Speaking generally, men of Athens, you will doubtless agree that, however many misfortunes have befallen the city, if Aeschines had no hand in them, they ought not to be visited upon him. On the other hand, if the right policy has been taken by others, it is not fair that their success should save him. Take into account everything to which he contributed; requite him with gratitude, if he deserves it, with resentment, if his conduct provokes resentment.
[92] πῶς οὖν εὑρήσετε ταῦτα δικαίως; ἐὰν μὴ πάνθ᾽ ἅμ᾽ ἐᾶτε ταράττειν αὐτόν, τὰ τῶν στρατηγῶν ἀδικήματα, τὸν πόλεμον τὸν πρὸς Φίλιππον, τἀπὸ τῆς εἰρήνης ἀγαθά, ἀλλ᾽ ἕκαστον ἐφ᾽ αὑτοῦ σκοπῆτε. οἷον, ἦν ἡμῖν πόλεμος πρὸς Φίλιππον; ἦν. ἐνταῦθ᾽ ἐγκαλεῖ τις Αἰσχίνῃ; βούλεταί τις τούτου κατηγορεῖν περὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ πραχθέντων; οὐδὲ εἷς. οὐκοῦν περὶ τούτων γ᾽ ἀφεῖται καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτὸν δεῖ λέγειν: περὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀμφισβητουμένων καὶ τοὺς μάρτυρας παρέχεσθαι καὶ τὰ τεκμήρια δεῖ λέγειν τὸν φεύγοντα, οὐ τὰ ὁμολογούμεν᾽ ἀπολογούμενον ἐξαπατᾶν. ὅπως τοίνυν περὶ τοῦ πολέμου μηδὲν ἐρεῖς: οὐδεὶς γὰρ οὐδὲν αἰτιᾶται περὶ αὐτοῦ σε.
[92] How then will you reach a right conclusion? Do not allow him to make a hotch-potch of the faults of the generals, the war with Philip, the blessings of peace; but consider one thing at a time. For example, we were at war with Philip. True. Does anyone blame Aeschines for that? Does anyone wish to arraign him for the events of the war? Not a single man. Then so far he is acquitted; he need not say a word. A defendant should adduce witnesses and submit proofs on the issues in dispute, not mislead the jury by addressing his defence to points of agreement. You are not to say anything about the war, Aeschines. No one blames you for that.
[93] μετὰ ταῦτ᾽ εἰρήνην τινὲς ἡμᾶς ἔπειθον ποιήσασθαι: ἐπείσθημεν: πρέσβεις ἐπέμψαμεν: ἤγαγον οὗτοι δεῦρο τοὺς ποιησομένους τὴν εἰρήνην. πάλιν ἐνταῦθα περὶ τούτου μέμφεταί τις Αἰσχίνην; φησί τις εἰσηγήσασθαι τοῦτον εἰρήνην, ἢ ἀδικεῖν ὅτι δεῦρ᾽ ἤγαγε τοὺς ποιησομένους; ο
ὐδὲ εἷς. οὔκουν οὐδ᾽ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ποιήσασθαι τὴν πόλιν εἰρήνην οὐδὲν αὐτῷ λεκτέον: οὐ γὰρ οὗτος αἴτιος.
[93] Afterwards certain persons advised us to make peace; we took their advice; we sent ambassadors; and they brought back to Athens envoys authorized to conclude peace. Here again no one blames Aeschines. Does anyone allege that he broached the question of peace? Or that he acted wrongly when he brought the delegates here? Not a single man. Then about the mere fact that the city made peace he need not say a word; for that he is not chargeable.
[94] ‘τί οὖν, ἄνθρωπε, λέγεις,’ εἴ τις ἔροιτό με, ‘καὶ πόθεν ἄρχει κατηγορεῖν;’ ὅθεν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, βουλευομένων ὑμῶν, οὐ περὶ τοῦ εἰ ποιητέον εἰρήνην ἢ μή （ἐδέδοκτο γὰρ ἤδη τοῦτό γε） ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ποίαν τινά, τοῖς τὰ δίκαια λέγουσιν ἀντειπὼν τῷ μισθοῦ γράφοντι συνεῖπε δῶρα λαβών, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτ᾽ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὅρκους αἱρεθείς, ὧν μὲν ὑμεῖς προσετάξατε, οὐδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν ἐποίησε, τοὺς δ᾽ ἐπὶ τοῦ πολέμου διασωθέντας ἀπώλεσε τῶν συμμάχων, καὶ τηλικαῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτ᾽ ἐψεύσαθ᾽ ἡλίκ᾽ οὐδεὶς πώποτ᾽ ἄλλος ἀνθρώπων οὔτε πρότερον οὔθ᾽ ὕστερον. τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἄχρι τοῦ λόγου τυχεῖν Φίλιππον ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης, Κτησιφῶν καὶ Ἀριστόδημος τὴν πρώτην ἔφερον τοῦ φενακισμοῦ, ἐπειδὴ δ᾽ εἰς τὸ πράττειν ἤδη τὰ πράγμαθ᾽ ἧκεν, Φιλοκράτει καὶ τούτῳ παρέδωκαν, δεξάμενοι δ᾽ οὗτοι πάντ᾽ ἀπώλεσαν.
[94] Suppose I am asked: “What do you mean, sir? At what point do you begin your accusations?” I begin at this point, men of Athens — at the time when you were deliberating, not whether peace should or should not be made — that question was already decided — but what sort of peace. Then he contradicted men who spoke honestly, and he supported the mover of a venal resolution, being himself bribed. Afterwards, when appointed to receive the oaths of ratification, he disobeyed every one of your instructions; he brought to ruin allies of ours whose safety had never been imperilled in time of war; and he told lies which both in quantity and quality exceed all records of human mendacity before or since. At the outset, until Philip got a hearing on the question of peace, Ctesiphon and Aristodemus undertook the first initiation of the imposture, but, when the business was ripe for action, they passed it on to Philocrates and the defendant, who took it over, and completed the enterprise of destruction.
[95] εἶτ᾽ ἐπειδὴ δεῖ λόγον καὶ δίκην ὑπέχειν τῶν πεπραγμένων, ὤν, οἶμαι, πανοῦργος οὗτος καὶ θεοῖς ἐχθρὸς καὶ γραμματεύς, ὡς ὑπὲρ εἰρήνης κρινόμενος ἀπολογήσεται, οὐχ ἵνα πλειόνων ἢ κατηγορεῖ τις αὐτοῦ δῷ λόγον: μανία γὰρ τοῦτό γε: ἀλλ᾽ ὁρᾷ τοῦθ᾽ ὅτι ἐν μὲν τοῖς ὑφ᾽ αὑτοῦ πεπραγμένοις ἀγαθὸν μὲν οὐδέν ἐστιν, ἅπαντα δὲ τἀδικήματα, ἡ δ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης ἀπολογία, καὶ εἰ μηδὲν ἄλλο, τοὔνομα γοῦν ἔχει φιλάνθρωπον.
[95] And now that he is answerable for his misdeeds, and must stand his trial, being as he is a knave, a scoundrel, and — a government clerk, he will conduct his defence as if he were on trial for the peace, not to make his justification broader than his indictment — that would be folly — but because he can see in his own acts nothing that is good, nothing that is not criminal, while a defence of the peace, if it has no other merit, will enable him to pose as a Friend of Humanity.
[96] ἣν δέδοικα μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δέδοικα, μὴ λελήθαμεν ὥσπερ οἱ δανειζόμενοι ἐπὶ πολλῷ ἄγοντες: τὸ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ βέβαιον οὗτοι προὔδοσαν, Φωκέας καὶ Πύλας: οὐ μὴν διὰ τοῦτόν γ᾽ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐποιησάμεθα, ἀλλ᾽ ἄτοπον μέν ἐστιν ὃ μέλλω λέγειν, ἀληθὲς δὲ πάνυ: εἰ γάρ τις ὡς ἀληθῶς χαίρει τῇ εἰρήνῃ, τοῖς στρατηγοῖς, ὧν κατηγοροῦσιν ἅπαντες, χάριν αὐτῆς ἐχέτω: εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι ὡς ὑμεῖς ἐβούλεσθ᾽ ἐπολέμουν, οὐδ᾽ ὄνομ᾽ εἰρήνης ἂν ὑμεῖς ἠνέσχεσθε.
[96] Speaking of the peace, I fear, men of Athens, I sadly fear that we are unconsciously enjoying it like men who borrow money at a high rate of interest. For these men have betrayed the security and guarantee of the peace — the Phocians and Thermopylae. Anyhow, we have not to thank the defendant for peace. What I am going to say is strange, but quite true. If any man is really pleased with the peace, let him be grateful to those generals whom everyone denounces. For, had they fought to your satisfaction, you would have scorned the very name of peace.
[97] εἰρήνη μὲν οὖν δι᾽ ἐκείνους, ἐπικίνδυνος δὲ καὶ σφαλερὰ καὶ ἄπιστος διὰ τούτους γέγονεν δωροδοκήσαντας. εἴργετ᾽ οὖν, εἴργετ᾽ αὐτὸν τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης λόγων, εἰς δὲ τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν πεπραγμένων ἐμβιβάζετε. οὐ γὰρ Αἰσχίνης ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης κρίνεται, οὔ, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ εἰρήνη δι᾽ Αἰσχίνην διαβέβληται. σημεῖον δέ: εἰ γὰρ ἡ μὲν εἰρήνη ἐγεγόνει, μηδὲν δ᾽ ὕστερον ἐξηπάτησθ᾽ ὑμεῖς μηδ᾽ ἀπωλώλει τῶν συμμάχων μηδείς, τίν᾽ ἀνθρώπων ἐλύπησεν ἂν ἡ εἰρήνη, ἔξω τοῦ ἄδοξος γεγενῆσθαι; καίτοι καὶ τούτου συναίτιος οὗτος συνειπὼν Φιλοκράτει. ἀλλ᾽ ἀνήκεστόν γ᾽ οὐδὲν ἂν ἦν γεγονός. νῦν δ᾽, οἶμαι, πόλλ᾽, ὧν αἴτιος οὗτος.
[97] Peace, then, we owe to the generals; a perilous, insecure, and precarious peace to these men and their venality. Put a stop, then, to his eloquence about the peace. Make him address himself to his own performances. Aeschines is not on trial for the peace; the peace is discredited through Aeschines. That is easily proved. Suppose that the peace had been concluded, and that you had not thereafter been deluded, and none of your allies destroyed — what human being would the peace have aggrieved? I mean, apart from the consideration that it was not a glorious peace. For that fault Aeschines is indeed partly to blame, as he supported Philocrates. However, in the case supposed, no incurable mischief would have been done. As the case stands, he is answerable for a great deal.
[98] ὅτι μὲν τοίνυν αἰσχρῶς καὶ κακῶς πάντα ταῦθ᾽ ὑπὸ τούτων ἀπόλωλε καὶ διέφθαρται, οἶμαι πάντας ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι. ἐγὼ δ᾽, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοσοῦτ᾽ ἀπέχω τοῦ συκοφαντίαν τινὰ τοῖς πράγμασι τούτοις προσάγειν ἢ ὑμᾶς ἀξιοῦν, ὥστ᾽ εἰ ταῦθ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ἀβελτερίας ἢ δι᾽ εὐήθειαν ἢ δι᾽ ἄλλην ἄγνοιαν ἡντινοῦν οὕτω πέπρακται, αὐτός τ᾽ ἀφίημ᾽ Αἰσχίνην καὶ ὑμῖν συμβουλεύω.
[98] Well, I suppose that you are satisfied that all this ruin and mischief was shamefully and wickedly perpetrated by these men. For my part, gentlemen of the jury, I am
so reluctant to play the informer in these matters, or to ask you to do so, that, if we are dealing with blunders due to stupidity or simplicity or any other sort of ignorance, I acquit Aeschines, and invite you to do the like.
[99] καίτοι τῶν σκήψεων τούτων οὐδεμί᾽ ἐστὶ πολιτικὴ οὐδὲ δικαία. οὐδένα γὰρ τὰ κοινὰ πράττειν ὑμεῖς κελεύετε οὐδ᾽ ἀναγκάζετε: ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδάν τις ἑαυτὸν πείσας δύνασθαι προσέλθῃ, πρᾶγμα ποιοῦντες ἀνθρώπων χρηστῶν καὶ φιλανθρώπων, εὐνοϊκῶς δέχεσθε καὶ οὐ φθονερῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτονεῖτε καὶ τὰ ὑμέτερ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐγχειρίζετε.
[99] And yet ignorance is not a fair excuse in public life; no man is required or compelled by you to handle politics. When a man puts himself forward with a persuasion of his own ability, you receive his advances, as kindly and courteous people should, with goodwill and without jealousy; you give him appointments and entrust him with public business.
[100] ἐὰν μὲν οὖν κατορθοῖ τις, τιμήσεται καὶ πλέον ἕξει τῶν πολλῶν κατὰ τοῦτο: ἂν δ᾽ ἀποτυγχάνῃ, σκήψεις καὶ προφάσεις ἐρεῖ; ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δίκαιον. οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐξαρκέσειε τοῖς ἀπολωλόσι συμμάχοις οὐδὲ τοῖς παισὶν αὐτῶν οὐδὲ ταῖς γυναιξὶν οὐδὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις διὰ τὴν ἀβελτερίαν τὴν ἐμήν, ἵνα μὴ τὴν τούτου λέγω, τοιαῦτα πεπονθέναι: πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ.