955 G S. E 
been perfuadoid tliat he would one day deprive them of 
the management of tlieir own revenues ? As to you, 
MefTenians and Argives ! you have beheld Philip fmi- 
ling and deceiving ; but beware ! pray to Heaven, that 
you may never beiiold him infulting, tlireatening, and 
deftroying. Various are the contrivances which com¬ 
munities have difeovered for their defence ; walls, ram¬ 
parts, battlements, all of which are raifed by the la¬ 
bour of man, and fupported by continual expence’ and 
toil. But there is one common bulwark, which only 
the prudent employ, though alike ufeful to all, efpe- 
cially to free cities againft tyrants. What is that ? 
Distrust. Of this be mindful ; to this adhere ; pre- 
ferve this carefully, and no calamity can befal you.” 
Philip, meanwhile, unoppofed and unobferved, was 
failing with a powerful armament towards Cape Te- 
narus, the moft; fouthern promontory of Laconia. Hav¬ 
ing landed there without oppofition, he was joined by 
the Melfenians, Arcadians, and Argives. The united 
arnry, after ravaging the mod: valuable part of the La¬ 
cedemonian territories, befieged and took Trinalus, a 
maritime city of confiderable importance. The terror 
occafioned among the Spartans by thefe misfortunes, 
was heightened by extraordinary meteors in the air, 
whofe unufual rednefs feemed to prefage fome dreadful 
calamity. The alarm was fo general, that it has been 
thought worth while to record the faying of a Spartan 
youth, who remained unmoved amidft the public con- 
dernation. Being alked, “ Whether he was not afraid 
of Philip?” “Why, (replied the generous youth,) 
Ihould I fear him ; he cannot hinder me from dying for 
my country.” But this manly refolution no longer ani¬ 
mated the great body of the Spartan nation. Unable 
to meet the invader in the field, they fent Agis, the fon 
of king Archidamus, to propofe terms of accommoda¬ 
tion, or rather to fubmit their whole fortune to the dif- 
pofal of the Macedonians. The young prince coming 
elone and unattended, Philip exprelfed his furprii'e. 
“What, have the Spartans fent but one!” “Am I 
not fent to ojie,?” was the manly'reply of Agis.. This 
was the expiring voice of Spartan pride; for the king 
of Macedon, though unwilling to provoke the defpair 
of a people, whofe degenerate virtue might yet be ani¬ 
mated by the infeitutions of Lycurgus and the example 
of Leonidas, compelled them to refign their pretended 
authority over Argos, Mefiene, and Arcadia ; and fet¬ 
tled the boundaries of thofe republics entirely agreeable 
to the wilhes of his confederates. The king of Mace¬ 
don tlien marched through the country amidit the ac¬ 
clamations of the people, who vied with each other in 
bellowing crowns and (latueson a prince who had gene- 
roufly refeued them from the yoke of Sparta. At Co¬ 
rinth he palTed fome days in the houfe of Demaratus, a 
man totally devoted to his fervice ; but the turbulent 
Corinthians, who, befides their innate hatred of kings, 
had particular caufes of animofity againft Philip, did 
not conceal their unwillingnefs to owe their freedom 
and their fafety to the interpofition of a foreign tyrant. 
Philip was Itrongly urged by his courtiers to punifii 
their temerity ; but he knew how to digeft an afl'ront, 
when forgivenefs was more ufeful than vengeance; and 
reprelfed the unfeafonable indignation of his attendants 
by obferving, with admirable patience, “Were I to 
adl with feverity, what mud I expedl from men, who re. 
pa.y even Aifidn^s with inlult-?” 
Next year Philip-w'as occupied by fecuring and re¬ 
ceiving into his proteflion the city and republic of Car- 
dia, occupying the neck of land which joins the Thra¬ 
cian Cherl'onelus to the continent. The reft of the pe- 
ninfula had long been fubjedl to the Athenians, whofe 
autliority the citizens of Cardia always let at defiance. 
The Athenians had lately ftrengthened the Cherfone- 
fites by a new colony, which had continual difputes 
with the Cardians about the extent of their boundaries. 
Matters had actually come to a crilis, and the Cardians 
E C E. 
were ready to be overwhelmed by the flrength and num¬ 
bers of the enemy, when they were at once defended by 
the Macedonian arms. This hoftile meafure once more 
roufed the Athenians from their lethargy ; but inftead 
of oppofing Philip with arms, the only means by which 
he might be refilled with any hope-of fuccefs, they em¬ 
ployed the impotent defence of fpeeches, refolutions, 
and embafties. The fubtle artifices of the king of Ma¬ 
cedon, though fupported by the impetuous eloquence 
ot Python, were overcome by Hegefippus and Demoll- 
henes, who Hill unveiled the injuftice of Philip with 
fuel) force of evidence, that the Athenians finally re- 
folved upon fending a confiderable armament to the 
Che.rfohefus, to protect their fubjedts in that peninfula. 
Diopeithes, who commanded the expedition, was a de¬ 
termined enemy to the Macedonians, and a man of cou¬ 
rage and enterprife. Having provided for the defence 
of the Athenian fettlements, he made an incurfion into 
the neighbouring country ■ ftormed the Macedonian 
fettlements at Crobyle and Tiriftafis; and having car¬ 
ried off many prifoners, and a Confiderable booty, lodged 
them in the fafe retreat of the Cherfonefus. On this 
emergency, Amphilochus, a Macedonian of rank, was 
fent to treat of the ranfom of prifoners ; but Diopeithes 
call him in prifon, the more furely to widen the breach 
betw'een Athens and Macedon ; and, if poftible, to ren¬ 
der it irreparable. The king of Macedon, when in¬ 
formed of thefe hoftilities, gave free fcope to his com¬ 
plaints ; and his emilTaries had an eafier game at Athens, 
as Diopeithes had not only violated the peace with Ma¬ 
cedon, but, in order to maintain his troops, had levied 
confiderable contributions from the Greek fettlements 
in Afia. The partifans of Macedon inveighed againlt 
this commander as a robber and pirate, the common 
enemy of Greeks and barbarians; Philip demanded 
vengeance from the juftice of .Athens, if not, he would 
be his own avenger ; the perfonal enemies of Diopeithes 
joined in the outcry, and infilled, that fuch a daring of¬ 
fender ought immediately to be recalled, and punilhed 
for his mifcondudl. - 
On this occafion Demofthenes undertook to defend 
the accufed general, whofe meafures he warmly ap¬ 
proved ; and motives of private frierdlhip heightening 
the ardour of patriotifm, render his difeourfe on the 
aftairs of the Cherfonefus one of the moft animated and 
interefting of his productions. The impeachment of 
Diopeithes he aferibes entirely to malice or perfidy, 
v/hich had been too fuccefsfully employed to withdraw 
tlie attention of the Athenians from the main objedl of 
their concern, the continual encroachments of Philip, 
to unjuft complaints and calumnies againft their fellow- 
citizens. On this ground he proceeds, “ Be not de¬ 
ceived, Athenians! Philip lias at heart the final contri¬ 
vance of all your misfortunes and difgrace. For who 
can be fo foolilli as to believe, that the villages of 
Thrace Ihould form an objefl worthy of his ambition ; 
that, in order to acquire them, he fltould fubmit to toils 
and dangers ; that, for the fake of the rye and millet of 
Thrace, he fliould confent to fpend fo many months 
amidft winter fnows and tempefts ; while, at the fame 
time, he difregarded the riches and fplendour of Athens, 
your harbours, arfenals, galleys, mines, and revenues > 
No, Athenians. It is to get polfellion of Athens, that 
he makes war in Thrace and elfewhere. What then 
ought we to do ? Tear ourfelves from our indolence; 
not only fupport, but augment, the troops which are 
on foot; that, as Philip has an army ever ready to at¬ 
tack and conquer the Greeks, you alfo may be ready to 
fuccour and to fave them. Ralh and violent I neither 
am, Athenians, nor wilh ever to become. The courage 
of a minifter is put to an eafy trial, who is ever ready 
to facrifice your permanent intereft to your prefent plea- 
fure. But he is truly courageous, who, for the fake of 
your fafety and glory, oppofes your moft favourite in¬ 
clinations, roiifes you from your dream of pleafure, 
difdains 
