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togetliei" with the ftatefmait and general Phocion, two 
men whofe talents and virtues would have done honour 
to the ino(l illuftrious age of the republic. The un- 
blemiflied integrity of Ifocrates, the difinterefled po^ 
verty of Phocion, afford fufficient proof that neither of 
thefe great men were corrupted by Macedonian gold. 
JBut they both perceived that the indolence and unftea- 
dinefs of the Athenians were incapable to contend with 
the unceafing adfivity of Philip, and both exhorted 
their countrymen to cultivate the friendfliip of a prince, 
Jigainff wliom they could not make war with any rea- 
fonable profpedt of fuccefs. Ifocrates infifted that a 
foreign war alone could heal the domeflic diffenfions 
which reigned in every quarter of Greece ; and from a 
thorough knowledge of the inherent defers in the go¬ 
vernment of Thebes, Athens, and Sparta, he regarded 
Macedon as the date, and Philip as the general, heft en¬ 
titled, and bed qualified, to affume the command of a 
military expedition into Afia, to deliver the Grecian 
colonies from the oppreflion of barbarians. The fenti- 
ments of Demodhenes were equally different from thofc 
of Ifocrates and Phocion on the one hand, and from 
thofe of the hirelings of Pliilip on the other. In the 
ardour of patriotifm he forgot the moderation of philo- 
jbphy; and while he dernly maintained the preroga¬ 
tives of his country, he would rather have (een Athens 
defeated at the head of her allies, than vidtorious un¬ 
der the dandard of the Macedonians, or any llandard 
Ibut her own. With fuch fentiments, he was naturally 
a favourite of the people, and a warm partifan of popu¬ 
lar government ; while Phocion preferred a moderate 
aridocracy ; and Ifocrates was inclined to a well-regu¬ 
lated monarchy, as the bed of all governments. Yet 
fubfequent events juftified the opinion of Demodhenes. 
The Athenians were delivered from their ill-grounded 
fears of Artaxerxes Ochiis, when they beheld the pre¬ 
parations of that monarch diredfed againdhis rebellious 
iubjedts. The encroachments of Philip became conti¬ 
nually more formidable; and his recent attempts to 
Teize the draits of d hermopylae, diewed the necellity of 
oppofing him with vigilance and vigour. 
The people of Athens were thus divided in fenti- 
ment, and fplit in party politics, when Philip in the year 
before Chrid 349, began to play^hofe batteries which 
he had raifed w'ith Inch (kill and fecrecy. The illaiid 
of Euhcea, wlijch he called the fetters of Greece, was 
the fil'd objedf of his attack. After tlie Thebans had 
been conquered, the Athenians prelerved their interell 
in the illand, where tliey maintained a fmall body of 
troops. The did'erent cities, however, enjoyed the in- 
dependent government of their own laws ; they appoint, 
ed their own magidrates ; they fometimes made war 
againd each other ; and leparately alfumed the prero¬ 
gatives of free and fovereign dates, while they all col. 
lecdively acknowledged their dependence on Athens. 
Such political arrangements made room for the in¬ 
trigues of Pliilip. He fomented their civil difeord ; 
gained partifans in each city ; and at length, under co¬ 
lour of protecting his allies, landed an army in the 
jfland. Tlie Athenian party exclaimed and threatened ; 
but Plutarch, the leader of that party, was gained to 
the intereds of Philip, and demanded au.xiliaries from 
Athens only to betray, them into the hands of their 
• enemies. Demodhenes, who alone penetrated this dark 
feheme, entreated and conjured his countrymen to put 
uo confidence in Plutarch. The Athenians at length 
became more wife in the choice of a general. The con. 
fummate prudence of Phocion, who, on his arrival in 
Kubosa, found things in a worfe date than had been re- 
prefented, rilked no chance of defeat, and lod no op¬ 
portunity of advantage. Having chofen a favourable 
pod, fiurounded on all fides by broken ground, he de- 
fpifed the clamours of his men and the infults of the 
enemy. The treacherous Plutarch was quickly defeated 
-in a mock battle in which he fell back oa the Atheaiau 
cavalry, who fled in diforder to the catnp of Phociont. 
The Euboeans and Macedonians purfued with a rath 
and intemperate ardour; and, elated with viftory, pre¬ 
pared to affail the camp, in which they were ejnbarradeA 
by the unequal ground,' and by their own radmefs.. 
Phocion then Tallying from his entrenchments with in¬ 
trepid valour, increafed the confudon of the enemy^ 
who were repelled with great daughter towards the 
plain which they had at fird occupied. The afilivity 
of Cleophanes, who commanded the Athenian cavalry, 
rendered the vidtory complete. The remainsof the van- 
quidied took refuge in the fortrefs of Zeratra, in the 
northern corner of the illand, which, being attacked, 
made a feeble refidance. The garrifon furrendered ; 
but Phocion redored all the Euboeans to liberty, and 
returned to Athens in triumph. 
Philip’s difappointment in Euboea ferved only to di« 
mulate his adlivity. The Olynthians, againd whom he 
now turned his arms, were adonifiied to obferve tliat fe- 
veral of their citizens grew indantaneoufly rich and 
great, and difplayed a degree of magnificence and gran¬ 
deur hitherto unknown in their frugal republic. The 
unexpedted invafion of Philip revealed the mydery ; 
and dilcovered that a confiderable party had grown 
wealthy by betraying tlie fecrets of their country. In 
this emergency they truded not to their domedic forces 
of ten thoufand foot and one thouland liorfe, but fent 
an embad'y to Athens, craving their adidance againd fo 
in/idioiis and formidable an enemy. Had tlie people of 
Athens heartily undertaken their caufe, Philip would 
have been expofed to every difficulty. But the Athe-. 
nians were plunged into a flothful and fatal fecurity. 
While tliey enjoyed their theatrical entertainments, and 
all the eale and luxury of a city life, tliey were little 
inclined to engage in any enterprile that might didurb 
the tranquil courfe of their plealures. 1 n this dilpod- 
tion they were encouraged by many of their orators, 
wdio exhorted them to beware of involving themfelves' 
in the danger of Olytuhu.s, or of provoking the refent- 
ment of a prince v\ hole power they were unable to redd. 
The orator Demades partit ularly didinguidied his zeal 
in the Macedonian intered ; advifing an abfolute and 
total rejection of the demands of the Olynthian ambaf- 
fadors. But Demodhenes arole, and with all the fire 
and enthufialm of genuine rlietoric, expatiated on the 
extent of their lupinenels and folly. 
“On many occalions, O Athenians! have the gods 
declared their favour to this date, but never more ma- 
iiifeltly than in the prefent juncture. That enemies 
fhouid be railed to Philip, on the confines of his terri¬ 
tory, can be alcribed to nothing lels than the bountiful 
iiuerpolition of Heaven. With every thing elle oil our 
fide, let us not be wanting to ourfelves ; let us not be 
reproaclied vdth the unlpeakable infamy of throwing 
away, not only thofe cities and territories which we in¬ 
herited from our ancedors, but thofe occalions and alli¬ 
ances oltered us by fortune and the gods. To infid on 
the power and greatnefs of Philip, were to bewilder and 
millead you in open violation of your own fenfes. He 
has become great through your lupine negle6l, and the 
perfidy of traitors whom it becomes you to punilh, I 
am of opinion then, that, fearlefs of ronfequences, you 
ought to afiilt Olynthus with the utmod celerity and 
vigour, and to dil'patth an embad’y to the Thelfalians, 
to inffame their hodility. But take care, Athenians ! 
that your ardour evaporate not into refohuions and de¬ 
crees. Be ready to pay your contributions; prepare 
to take the field ; Ihow yourfelves in earned, and you 
wdll loon difeover not only the hollow faith of the al¬ 
lies of Philip, but the internal weaknefs of Macedon 
itfelf.” 
The people of Athens, animated to their duty, on the 
one hand, by Demodltenes, and leduced, on the other, 
by the iiirelings of Philip, imprudently deered a middle 
courfe, which is often the mod: dangerous. Convinced 
that 
