GREECE. 
that the preferyation of Olyntlnis was tlie heft fafe- 
giiard of Attica, yet unwilling to tear themfelves from 
their pleafures, they determined to fend Chares, with a 
fleet and two thoufand mercenaries, to the afliltance of 
their allies. This commander, who was the idol of the 
diflipated multitude, made a defcent on tlie fertile coart: 
of Pallene, wiiere, falling in with eight hundi'ed men 
commanded by Audaeus, called the friends of Philip, 
he obtained over thofe contemptible cowards an ealy 
and ludicrous viftory, which ferved only to amufe the 
comic poets of the times. Having gained this paltry 
advantage. Chares was unwilling to try his fortune in 
any fevercr conflidt; but retui ned home, to celebrate 
his triumph over the vain and voluptuous Audaeus. 
The thoughtlefs multitude, who judged of the expedi¬ 
tion of Chares by the pomp v/ith which he entertained 
them at his return, now talked of invading Macedon, 
and chaftifing the infolence of Philip, when a fecond em- 
balfy arrived from Olynthus. The inhabitants of this 
place had been fluit up within their walls ; they had 
lort; Stagyra, Miciberna, Torone, cities of great ftrength ; 
yet on the firft appearance of Philip, they were forward 
to receive his bribes, and open their gates; which 
fhameful venality, in places lb well provided for de¬ 
fence, made the king of Macedon obferve to his gene¬ 
rals, “ that from thenceforth he Ihould confider no for- 
trefs or gate impregnable, which would admit only a An¬ 
gle mule a-bteali:, laden with money.” The Olynthians, 
in the mean time, turned their thoughts to negociation, 
that they might amufe the invader till the arrival of 
the Athenian fuccours. Philip penetrated their defign, 
and dexterourty turned their arts againll themfelves ; 
affebting to lend an ear to their propofals, but mean¬ 
while continuing his approaches, till, having got within 
forty ftadia of their walls, he declared that of two 
things one was neceflary, either they murt: leave Olyn¬ 
thus, or he Macedon. This explicit declaration coUt 
vinced the Olynthians that their ruin was at hand. 
They endeavoured to retard the fatal moment by a vi¬ 
gorous fally, in which their cavalry, commanded by 
Apollonides, particularly fignalifed their valour. But 
they were repulfed by fuperior numbers, and obliged 
to take refuge in the city. 
In this pofture of affairs the Olyntliian ambalTadors 
failed for Athens; and found, to their utter aftonirti- 
ment, the multitude ftill enjoying the imaginary tri¬ 
umph of Chares. Demofthenes, therefore, again un¬ 
dertook the caufe of Olynthus. After endeavouring to 
reprefs the vain confidence of his countrymen in the 
fuppofed advantages of Chares, he deferibed the real 
danger of their allies, which he perfuaded them to re¬ 
gard as their own. The crifis was now arrived ; and if 
they neglefted the prefent opportunity of fulfilling their 
engagements to Olynthus, they murt: foon expedt to 
meet Philip in Attica. After infifting flill farther on 
the neceflity of an immediate and imperious interpofi- 
tion, Demorthenes faid, “ I fpeak thus, not with a view 
to give offence, but becaufe I think it the duty of a 
public fpeaker to prefer your intereft to your pleafure. 
Such were the maxims of thofe ancient and illurtrious 
orators whom, all unite to praife, but none venture to 
imitate; of the virtuous Ariftides, ofNicias, of Peri¬ 
cles, and of him whole name I bear. But fince minif- 
ters have appeared who dare not addrefs the affembly, 
till they have firrt confulted you about the counjels which 
they ought to give, who afk, as it were. What fhall I 
propofe ? What fhall I advife ? In what, Athenians! 
can I do you pleafure ? the fweet draught of flattery 
has concealed a deadly poifon; our ftrength is ener¬ 
vated, our glory tarnirtied, the public name is difgraced, 
while fmooth-tongued magiftrates and minifters acquire 
credit and fplendour; pafs from poverty and mcaimefs 
to opulence and dignity ; build private palaces, which 
infult the edifices of the public; grow greater as their 
country becomes lefs, and gradually rife on its ruins. 
What is the fource of this general dlforder ? It is, 
VOL. VIII. N0.J56. 
92 > 
Athenians! that formerly the people did their duty, 
took the field in perfon, and thus kept magiftrates and 
minifters in awe.” 
The arguments of Demorthenes prevailed ; and in tlie 
year before Chrirt 348, an embaffy under the condudt of 
.^fehines was fent into Peloponnefus, to inflame the hof- 
tility of that country againrt Pliilip ; and it was deter¬ 
mined to artirt the Olynthians witli an army of Atlicnian 
citizens. But, before this refolution could be carried 
into effebl, Olynthus was no more. Its defence had 
long depended on the merit of one man. In the various 
fkirmirties, as well as in the two general engagements 
which had Iiappened fince the commencement of the 
fiege, Philip perceived that Apollonides, who com¬ 
manded the Olynthian cavalry, difplayed fuch valour 
and abilities as migiit long retard the fuccefs of his 
arms. His fecret emiftaries were fet to work ; perfidi¬ 
ous clamours were fowu amorvg the populace of Olyn¬ 
thus; Apollonides was publicly accufed; and con¬ 
demned to banifhment on a fufpicion of treafon. The 
command of the cavalry devolved on Lyrthenes and 
Euthycrates, two wretches who had fold their country 
to Philip. Having obtained fome previous fucceffes, 
which had been concerted the better to mafk their de- 
ligns, they advanced againll a Macedonian port; ear¬ 
ned it at the firft onfet; purfued the flying garrifon ; 
and betrayed their own troops into an ambufh prepared 
by the enemy. Surrounded on all fides, the Olynthians 
furrendered their arms; and this fatal difafter, encou¬ 
raging the Macedonian partifans w ithin the walls, foon 
opened the gates of Olynthus. The conqueror entered 
in triumph, plundered and demoliflied the city, and 
dragged the inhabitants into fervitude. Amid the 
feenes of rejoicing and feftivity which followed this con- 
queft, Philip feems not to have forgotten that the next 
objedl of his policy was to detach the Athenians from 
the caufe of Phocis and Kerfobleptes, who were both 
their allies. The bad condudl of Chares had left the 
fea open to the Macedonians, who in the mean time 
fitted out a confiderable naval force. Philip now at¬ 
tacked the Athenians on their favourite element. His 
fleet ravaged their tributary irtands of Lemnos and Im- 
bros; furprifed and took a fquadron of Athenian vef- 
fels ftationed on the coaft of Euboea ; and, encouraged 
by thefe advantages, boldly failed to Attica, made a 
defcent on the fliore of Marathon, repelled the Athe¬ 
nian cavalry headed by Deotimus, ravaged the terri¬ 
tory, and carried off the Salaminian galley. From 
thence they proceeded to the ifle of Salamis, and de¬ 
feated a confiderable detachment commanded by Clia- 
ridemus. The illuftrious trophies of Marathon and Sa- 
lands were effaced by the infults of the Macedonians, 
whofe fleet returned home in triumph, adorned with 
fpoils, and elevated with military and naval glory. 
Such was the ftate of public affairs when TTfehines 
returned from his Peloponnefian embaffy. He had af- 
fembled the great council of the Arc;;dians ; revealed 
to them the dangerous views of Philip, which threat¬ 
ened the liberty of Greece ; and, notwithftanding the 
powerful oppofition of Hieronymus, and other Macedo¬ 
nian partifans, he had engaged that people to approve 
the zeal of Athens, and to refolve on taking arms in 
the common caufe. In relating the fuccefs of his em- 
baffy, he inveighed with great feverity againft thofe 
mercenary traitors, who had fold the interefts of their 
country to a cruel tyrant. The Greeks had full warn¬ 
ing of their danger. The miferable fate of Olynthus 
ought ever to be before their eyes. At his return 
through Peloponnefus, he had beheld a fight fufficient 
to melt the moft obdurate heart; thirty young Olyn¬ 
thians, of both fexes, driven like a herd of cattle, as a 
prefent from Philip to fome of the unworthy inftru- 
ments of his ambition. The fufceptible and ever-vary¬ 
ing temper of the multitude was deeply afteftedby thefe 
reprefentations of .lEfchines; whilft war and revenge 
echoed through the affembly. Ambafladors were dif- 
IIC patched 
