DEMOSTHENES. 
rupt and degenerate. He boldly taxcs them with their 
venality, indolence, and indifference to the public caufe; 
whilft with confummate art, he calls to their remembrance 
the glory of their anceftors, and leads them to confider that 
they were ftill a flourifhing and powerful people, the natural 
protectors of the liberty of Greece, and that they only want- 
ed the inclination to exert themfelves, in order to make Phi- 
lip tremble. ith his contemporary orators, who were in 
the intereft of Philip, or who perfuaded the people to peace, 
he keeps no meafures, but reproaches them as the betrayers 
of their country. Pnocion was of this number; he on all 
occafions oppoted the violence of the people; and when De- 
mofthenes once told him that the Athenians would fome day 
murder him in a mad fit, he anfwered, ‘* And you too, per- 
haps, in a fober fit.” Such is the ftrain of the orations above- 
character, as an orator, is formed by energy of thought, 
which is peculiar to himfelf, and elevates him above all 
others, Things, 
n; no laboured introductions; like a 
man, fully poffeffed by his fubjeGt, after preparing his audience 
by a fentence or two for hearing plain truths, he enters di- 
reétly on bufinefs; warming the mind, and impelling to ac- 
tion. . 
When Philip had affembled an army for the invafion of 
Attica, Demotthenes was deputed to perfuade the Beotians 
i and fuch was the force of his elo- 
= 
3 
e 
Lond 
r fuggefting to 
that an enemy had feized him, he exclaimed “ Spare my 
life!’”? In confequence of this defeat, Demofthenes was ac- 
pa- 
eX- 
y a crown of gold, which was de- 
e orator, accufed him on this 
. He draws e 
the ftrongeft colours, and all the defcrip- 
iG ere runs 
to avoid difgrace and continement, he fled to Egina, Some 
> and when they exhorted him to bear his fate 
th courage and refignation, he replied, ** How can I for- 
bear forrow on leaving a place where my enemies 
generous than any friends 1 can meet with elfewhere 2?” 
On the death of Alexander, when a new confederacy was 
planned by the Greek ftates, Demofthenes affilted the Athe~ 
nian deputics in their efforts for the c n caufe, and 
of Neptune at Calauria. 
that attempts would be made t 
unburied.’ Then turning to the altar, he exclaimed, * O 
Gracious Neptune! I depart alive from thy temple without 
profaning it, which the Macedonians would have done b 
murder.” Staggering as he attempted to retire, he feil 
by the altar, and with a groan expired. He died at the 
age of 59, in the year B.C. 322. 
after erected his ftatue in brafs, and decreed that the eldett 
oO 
great conteft,”’ fays one of his biographers, ** he feems to 
have been uniformly confiftent ; and though his condu& on 
fome occafions wanted dignity, and on others refolution, it 
was governed by fteady principle.”? hn orator he is uni. 
y fte: As an 
verfally allowed to fland at the head of his profeffion, Ci. 
ccro 
