by Demosthenes
[160] οὔτε μάρτυρας γενέσθαι τῶν ὑποσχέσεων, ἐφ᾽ αἷς εὑρίσκετο τὴν εἰρήνην, οὐδὲ τοῦτο δειχθῆναι πᾶσιν, ὅτι οὐκ ἄρ᾽ ἡ πόλις ἡ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἥττητο τῷ πολέμῳ, ἀλλὰ Φίλιππός ἐστιν ὁ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐπιθυμῶν καὶ ὁ πόλλ᾽ ὑπισχνούμενος τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις ἂν τύχῃ τῆς εἰρήνης. ἵνα δὴ μὴ γένοιτο ταῦθ᾽ ἃ λέγω φανερά, διὰ ταῦτ᾽ οὐδαμόσ᾽ ᾤετο δεῖν τούτους βαδίζειν. οὗτοι δ᾽ ἐχαρίζοντο πάντα, ἐνδεικνύμενοι καὶ ὑπερκολακεύοντες ἐκεῖνον.
[160] Nor did he desire witnesses of the promises on the strength of which he was obtaining the peace, nor any public disclosure of the fact that after all Athens had not been beaten in the war, and that it was Philip who was really eager for the peace, and was ready to make large promises to the Athenians if he could get it. Therefore he disapproved of these men going anywhere, lest the facts that I am stating should become generally known; and they were ready to gratify him with ostentatious deference and extravagant adulation.
[161] καίτοι ταῦθ᾽ ὅταν ἐξελέγχωνται πάντα, τοὺς χρόνους ἀνηλωκότες, τἀν Θρᾴκῃ προειμένοι, μηδὲν ὧν ἐψηφίσασθε πεποιηκότες μηδ᾽ ὧν συμφέρον ἦν, τὰ ψευδῆ δεῦρ᾽ ἀπηγγελκότες, πῶς ἔνεστι παρ᾽ εὖ φρονοῦσι δικασταῖς καὶ βουλομένοις εὐορκεῖν τούτῳ σῴζεσθαι; ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι ταῦτ᾽ ἀληθῆ λέγω, λέγε πρῶτον μὲν τὸ ψήφισμα, ὡς ὁρκοῦν προσῆκεν ἡμῖν, εἶτα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τὴν τοῦ Φιλίππου, εἶτα τὸ Φιλοκράτους ψήφισμα καὶ τὸ τοῦ δήμου.”Ψήφισμα”“Ἐπιστολή”“Ψηφίσματα”
[161] Yet, when they are convicted of all these delinquencies, of having squandered their time, thrown away the Thracian outposts, done nothing agreeable either to your instructions or to sound policy, and sent lying dispatches to Athens, how can this man possibly find a way of escape before an intelligent and conscientious jury? However, to prove the truth of my statements, read first the decree giving directions for the administration of the oath, then Philip’s letter, and then the decree of Philocrates, and the decree of the Assembly.” Decree ““ Letter ““ Decrees”
[162] καὶ μὴν ὅτι τὸν Φίλιππον ἐν Ἑλλησπόντῳ κατελάβομεν ἄν, εἴ τις ἐπείθετό μοι καὶ τὰ προστεταγμέν᾽ ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν ἐποίει κατὰ τὰ ψηφίσματα, κάλει τοὺς ἐκεῖ παρόντας μάρτυρας.”Μάρτυρες”
λέγε δὴ καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν μαρτυρίαν, ἃ πρὸς Εὐκλείδην ὕστερον ἐλθόντα τουτονὶ ἀπεκρίνατο Φίλιππος.”Μαρτυρία”
[162] To prove, moreover, that we should have caught Philip at the Hellespont, if my advice had been taken and your directions obeyed in the terms of the decrees, call the witnesses who were there present.” Witnesses”
Now read the other deposition testifying to the answer made by Philip to Eucleides here, who arrived later.
（The Deposition is read）” Deposition”
[163] ὅτι τοίνυν οὐδ᾽ ἄρνησίς ἐστιν αὐτοῖς τὸ μὴ ταῦθ᾽ ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου πράττειν, ἀκούσατέ μου. ὅτε γὰρ τὴν προτέραν ἀπῄρομεν πρεσβείαν τὴν περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης, κήρυχ᾽ ὑμεῖς προαπεστείλαθ᾽ ὅστις ἡμῖν σπείσεται. τότε μὲν τοίνυν, ὡς τάχιστ᾽ εἰς Ὠρεὸν ἦλθον, οὐκ ἀνέμειναν τὸν κήρυκα οὐδ᾽ ἐνεποίησαν χρόνον οὐδένα, Ἅλου δὲ πολιορκουμένου διέπλευσαν εἰς τοῦτον, καὶ πάλιν ἐντεῦθεν πρὸς Παρμενίωνα τὸν πολιορκοῦντ᾽ ἐξελθόντες ἀπῆραν διὰ τοῦ πολεμίου στρατεύματος εἰς Παγασάς, καὶ προϊόντες ἀπήντων ἐν Λαρίσῃ τῷ κήρυκι: τοσαύτῃ σπουδῇ καὶ προθυμίᾳ τότ᾽ ἐχώρουν.
[163] Let me show you that there is no way of denying that they were acting in the interest of Philip. When we were setting out on the former embassy for peace, you sent forward a herald to arrange our safe-conduct. On that occasion, as soon as they reached Oreus, they wasted no time there waiting for the herald. Although Halus was beleaguered, they crossed the sea thither; then left the town and went to Parmenio, who was conducting the siege; set off through the enemies’ positions for Pagasae, and continued their journey till they met the herald at Larissa. Such was the energy and goodwill with which they travelled then;
[164] ἐπειδὴ δ᾽ εἰρήνη μὲν ἦν, ἅπασα δ᾽ ἀσφάλει᾽ ἰέναι καὶ πρόσταγμα παρ᾽ ὑμῶν σπεύδειν, τηνικαῦτ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἐπείγεσθαι βαδίζουσιν οὔτε πλεῖν αὐτοῖς ἐπῄει. τί δήποτε; ὅτι τότε μὲν τὸ τὴν εἰρήνην ὡς τάχιστα γενέσθαι, τοῦτ᾽ ἦν ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου, νῦν δὲ τὸ ὡς πλεῖστον τὸν μεταξὺ χρόνον διατριφθῆναι τοῦ τοὺς ὅρκους ἀπολαβεῖν.
[164] but now, in time of peace, with complete security for travelling, and with your injunctions of haste, it never occurred to them to hasten their journey by land or to travel by sea. Why so? Because then it was to Philip’s advantage that peace should be concluded with all speed, but now that as much time as possible should be wasted before the administration of the oaths.
[165] ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἀληθῆ λέγω, λαβέ μοι καὶ ταύτην τὴν μαρτυρίαν.”Μαρτυρία”
ἔστιν οὖν ὅπως ἂν μᾶλλον ἄνθρωποι πάνθ᾽ ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου πράττοντες ἐξελεγχθεῖεν, ἢ τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἡνίκα μὲν σπεύδειν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἔδει καθήμενοι, ὅτε δ᾽ οὐδὲ βαδίζειν προσῆκε πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὸν κήρυκα ἐπειγόμενοι;
[165] To prove that this statement also is true, take and read this deposition.” Deposition”
Now could men be more clearly convicted of acting throughout in the interest of Philip? It was the same journey: they loitered when they should have bestirred themselves in your service; they hurried when they ought not to have moved a step until the arrival of the herald.
[166] ὃν τοίνυν χρόνον ἦμεν ἐκεῖ καὶ καθήμεθ᾽ ἐν Πέλλῃ, σκέψασθε τί πράττειν ἕκαστος ἡμῶν προείλετο. ἐγὼ μὲν τοίνυν τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἀνασῴζειν καὶ ζητεῖν, καὶ παρ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ τε χρήματ᾽ ἀναλίσκειν καὶ Φίλιππον ἀξιοῦν, ὧν ἡμῖν ἐδίδου ξενίων, τούτους λύσασθαι: οὗτος δὲ αὐτίκ᾽ ἀκούσεσθε τί ποιῶν διετέλεσεν. τί οὖν ἦν τοῦτο τὸ κοινῇ χρήμαθ᾽ ἡμῖν τὸν Φίλιππον διδόναι;
[166] Take next the period of our loitering at Pella, and compare the employments which we severally chose for ourselves. Mine was to seek out and rescue the captives, spending money of my own, and asking Philip to apply to their ransom the money he was spending on hospitable gifts for us. But what Aeschines constantly tried to effect, you shall hear in a moment. What then was it? It was that Philip should give us a lump sum as a collective present.
[167] ἵνα μηδὲ τοῦτ᾽ ἀγ
νοῆτε, ἐκεῖνος ἡμᾶς διεκωδώνιζεν ἅπαντας: τίνα τρόπον; ἑκάστῳ προσπέμπων ἰδίᾳ καὶ πολύ γ᾽, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, διδοὺς χρυσίον. ὡς δ᾽ ἀπετύγχαν᾽ ὁτουδήποτε （οὐ γὰρ ἐμέ γ᾽ εἰπεῖν ἐμαυτὸν δεῖ, ἀλλὰ τἄργα καὶ τὰ πεπραγμέν᾽ αὐτὰ δηλώσει）, τὰ κοινῇ δοθέντα πάντας ἡγεῖτ᾽ εὐήθως λήψεσθαι: ἀσφάλειαν οὖν ἔσεσθαι τοῖς ἰδίᾳ πεπρακόσιν αὑτούς, εἰ καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν τοῦ λαβεῖν κοινῇ πάντες μετάσχοιμεν. διὰ ταῦτ᾽ ἐδίδοτο, ξένια δὴ πρόφασιν.
[167] You must know that Philip was already sounding us all in this way: he sent private messages to each of us in turn, with the offer, men of Athens, of a really large sum in gold. Having failed in some case or other, — in what case let the result disclose; it is not for me to name myself, — he conceived that a collective present might be accepted by all of us without misgiving; and that there would be security for those who had individually sold themselves, if we all shared even to a trifling extent in the general acceptance. Accordingly it was offered, — nominally, as a form of hospitality.
[168] ἐπειδὴ δ᾽ ἐκώλυσ᾽ ἐγώ, πάλιν προσδιενείμαντο τοῦθ᾽ οὗτοι. τῷ Φιλίππῳ δ᾽, ἐπειδὴ ταῦτ᾽ εἰς τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἠξίουν αὐτὸν ἀναλίσκειν ἐγώ, οὔτε κατειπεῖν τούτων εἶχε καλῶς οὐδ᾽ εἰπεῖν ὅτι ‘ἀλλ᾽ ἔχουσιν ὁ δεῖνα καὶ ὁ δεῖνα,’ οὔτε φυγεῖν τἀνάλωμα: ὡμολόγησε μὲν δή, διεκρούσατο δ᾽ εἰς τὰ Παναθήναια φήσας ἀποπέμψειν. λέγε τὴν μαρτυρίαν τὴν Ἀπολλοφάνους, εἶτα τὴν τῶν ἄλλων τῶν παρόντων.”Μαρτυρία”
[168] I stopped that manoeuvre; and then these men divided that money also among themselves. When I asked Philip to spend it on the captives, he could not with decency either inform against them by replying, “It is in so-and-so’s pockets,” or escape the outlay; so he made me the promise, but evaded performance by saying that he would send the men home in time for the Panathenaic Festival. Read the deposition of Apollophanes, and then those of the other persons who were there.” Deposition”
[169] φέρε δὴ καὶ ὅσους αὐτὸς ἐλυσάμην τῶν αἰχμαλώτων εἴπω πρὸς ὑμᾶς. ἐν ὅσῳ γὰρ οὐχὶ παρόντος πω Φιλίππου διετρίβομεν ἐν Πέλλῃ, ἔνιοι τῶν ἑαλωκότων, ὅσοιπερ ἦσαν ἐξηγγυημένοι, ἀπιστοῦντες, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ, μὴ δυνήσεσθαί με ταῦτα πεῖσαι τὸν Φίλιππον, ἑαυτοὺς ἔφασαν βούλεσθαι λύσεσθαι καὶ μηδεμίαν τούτου χάριν ἔχειν τῷ Φιλίππῳ, καὶ ἐδανείζοντο ὁ μὲν τρεῖς μνᾶς, ὁ δὲ πέντε, ὁ δ᾽ ὅπως συνέβαινεν ἑκάστῳ τὰ λύτρα.
[169] Let me now tell you how many of the captives I ransomed myself. For while we were staying at Pella, before Philip’s arrival, some of the prisoners, — all in fact who were out on bail, — having, I suppose, no confidence that they would afterwards be able to induce Philip to move, told me that they were willing to provide for their own ransom without putting themselves under obligation to Philip, and offered to borrow their ransom-money, three minas, five minas, or as the case might be.
[170] ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ὡμολόγησ᾽ ὁ Φίλιππος τοὺς λοιποὺς λύσεσθαι, συγκαλέσας ἐγὼ τούτους οἷς αὐτὸς ἔχρησα τἀργύριον, καὶ τὰ πεπραγμέν᾽ ὑπομνήσας, ἵνα μὴ δοκοῖεν ἔλαττον ἔχειν ἐπειχθέντες μηδ᾽ ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λελυτρῶσθαι πένητες ἄνθρωποι, τῶν ἄλλων ὑπὸ τοῦ Φιλίππου προσδοκωμένων ἀφεθήσεσθαι, ἔδωκα δωρειὰν τὰ λύτρα. καὶ ὅτι ταῦτ᾽ ἀληθῆ λέγω, λέγε ταύτας τὰς μαρτυρίας.”Μαρτυρίαι”
[170] So when Philip agreed to get the release of the rest, I called together these men, to whom I had lent the money as a friendly loan, reminded them of the transaction, and made them a free gift of their ransom-money, lest they should seem to have been put into a worse position by their impetuosity, or to have been ransomed, though poor men, at their own expense, while the rest were expecting deliverance from Philip. To prove the truth of my statement, read these depositions also.” Depositions”
[171] ὅσα μὲν τοίνυν ἀφῆκα χρήματα καὶ δωρειὰν ἔδωκα τοῖς ἀτυχήσασι τῶν πολιτῶν, ταῦτ᾽ ἔστιν. ὅταν δ᾽ οὗτος αὐτίκα δὴ λέγῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ‘τί δήποθ᾽, ὡς φῄς, ὦ Δημόσθενες, ἀπὸ τοῦ συνειπεῖν ἐμὲ Φιλοκράτει γνοὺς οὐδὲν ἡμᾶς ὑγιὲς πράττοντας, τὴν μετὰ ταῦτα πρεσβείαν τὴν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὅρκους συνεπρέσβευσας πάλιν καὶ οὐκ ἐξωμόσω;’ ταῦτα μέμνησθε, ὅτι τούτοις ὡμολογήκειν οὓς ἐλυσάμην καὶ κομιεῖν λύτρα καὶ σώσειν εἰς δύναμιν.
[171] Well, these sums of money I gave away as a free gift to my fellow-citizens in distress. If Aeschines in addressing you should say presently: “Demosthenes, if you really inferred from my speech in support of Philocrates that our conduct was thoroughly corrupt, why did you join us on the subsequent embassy to receive the oaths, instead of excusing yourself?” you must remember that I had promised the prisoners whom I delivered that I would bring the ransom-money and do my utmost for their rescue.
[172] δεινὸν οὖν ψεύσασθαι καὶ προέσθαι δυστυχοῦντας ἀνθρώπους πολίτας: ἰδίᾳ δ᾽, ἐξομοσάμενον, οὐ πάνυ καλὸν οὐδ᾽ ἀσφαλὲς ἦν ἐκεῖσε πλανᾶσθαι: ἐπεὶ εἰ μὴ διὰ τὸ τούτους βούλεσθαι σῶσαι, ἐξώλης ἀπολοίμην καὶ προώλης, εἰ προσλαβών γ᾽ ἂν ἀργύριον πάνυ πολὺ μετὰ τούτων ἐπρέσβευσα. σημεῖον δέ: ἐπὶ γὰρ τὴν τρίτην πρεσβείαν δίς με χειροτονησάντων ὑμῶν δὶς ἐξωμοσάμην. καὶ παρὰ ταύτην τὴν ἀποδημίαν πάντα τἀναντί᾽ ἔπραττον.
[172] It would therefore have been too bad to break my word and abandon fellow-creatures and fellow-citizens in misfortune. Had I declined on oath, a private excursion to Macedonia would have been neither decent nor safe. Except for my strong desire to liberate those men, may I die miserably before my time if any reward would have induced me to accept an embassy with these men as my colleagues. I proved that by twice excusing myself when you twice appointed me to the third embassy, and also by my constant opposition to them on this journey.
[173] ὥν μὲν τοίνυν αὐτοκράτωρ ἦν ἐγὼ κατὰ τὴν πρεσβείαν, τοῦτον ἔσχε τὸν τρόπον ὑμῖν: ἃ δ᾽ οὗτοι πλείους ὄντες ἐνίκων, ἅπαντ᾽ ἀπόλωλεν. καίτοι καὶ τἄλλ᾽ ἂν ἅπαντ᾽ ἀκολούθως τούτοις ἐπέπρακτο, εἴ τις ἐπείθετό μοι. οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγ᾽ οὕτως ἄθλιος οὐδ᾽ ἄφρων ὥστε χρήματα μὲν διδόναι, λαμβάνοντας ὁρῶν ἑτέρους, ὑπὲρ τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς φιλοτιμίας, ἃ δ᾽ ἄνευ μὲν δαπάνης οἷά τ᾽ ἦν πραχθῆναι, πολλῷ δὲ μείζονας εἶχεν ὠφελείας πάσῃ τῇ πόλ�
�ι, ταῦτ᾽ οὐκ ἐβουλόμην γίγνεσθαι. καὶ σφόδρα γ᾽, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι: ἀλλ᾽ οἶμαι περιῆσαν οὗτοί μου.
[173] So the business which I controlled by myself on the embassy turned out in this fashion to your advantage, although, where the majority prevailed, everything went to ruin. Indeed, if my advice had been taken, all our transactions might have had an equally fortunate issue; for I was not so foolish and stupid as to lose money, while others were making money, out of sheer public spirit, and then object to a course of action that would have cost no expense, and that offered far greater advantages to the whole commonwealth. Yes, men of Athens, the issue might have been fortunate indeed; only these men had their way.
[174] φέρε δή, τί τούτῳ πέπρακται παρὰ ταῦτα καὶ τί τῷ Φιλοκράτει θεάσασθε: παρ᾽ ἄλληλα γὰρ ἔσται φανερώτερα. πρῶτον μὲν τοίνυν Φωκέας ἐκσπόνδους καὶ Ἁλέας ἀπέφηναν καὶ Κερσοβλέπτην παρὰ τὸ ψήφισμα καὶ τὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰρημένα: εἶτα τὸ ψήφισμ᾽ ἐπεχείρησαν κινεῖν καὶ μεταίρειν, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ πρεσβεύοντες ἥκομεν: εἶτα Καρδιανοὺς Φιλίππῳ συμμάχους ἐνέγραψαν καὶ τὴν μὲν γραφεῖσαν ἐπιστολὴν ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀπεψηφίσαντο μὴ πέμπειν, αὐτοὶ δ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν ὑγιὲς γράψαντες ἔπεμψαν.