The Olynthiacs and the Phillippics of Demothenes | Page 4

I suppress
what I deem for your interest. I say then, you must give a two-fold
assistance here; first, save the Olynthians their towns, [Footnote: The
Chalcidian towns. See the Argument. Philip commenced his
aggressions upon the Olynthians by reducing several of these.] and
send out troops for that purpose; secondly, annoy the enemy's country

with ships and other troops; omit either of these courses, and I doubt
the expedition will be fruitless. For should he, suffering your incursion,
reduce Olynthus, he will easily march to the defense of his kingdom; or,
should you only throw succor into Olynthus, and he, seeing things out
of danger at home, keep up a close and vigilant blockade, he must in
time prevail over the besieged. Your assistance therefore must be
effective, and two-fold.
Such are the operations I advise. As to a supply of money: you have
money, Athenians; you have a larger military fund than any people; and
you receive it just as you please. If ye will assign this to your troops, ye
need no further supply; otherwise ye need a further, or rather ye have
none at all. How then? some man may exclaim: do you move that this
be a military fund? Verily, not I. [Footnote: There is some studied
obscurity in this passage, owing to the necessity under which the
speaker lay of avoiding the penalty of the law and a little quiet satire on
his countrymen, who seemed desirous of eating their pudding and
having it too. The logic of the argument runs thus--My opinion is, that
we ought to have a military fund, and that no man should receive public
money, without performing public service. However, as you prefer
taking the public money to pay for your places at the festivals, I will
not break the law by moving to apply that money to another purpose.
Only you gain nothing by it; for, as the troops must be paid, there must
be an extraordinary contribution, or property tax, to meet the exigency
of the case.] My opinion indeed is, that there should be soldiers raised,
and a military fund, and one and the same regulation for receiving and
performing what is due; only you just without trouble take your
allowance for the festivals. It remains then, I imagine, that all must
contribute, if much be wanted, much, if little, little. Money must be had;
without it nothing proper can be done. Other persons propose other
ways and means. Choose which ye think expedient; and put hands to
the work, while it is yet time.
It may be well to consider and calculate how Philip's affairs now stand.
They are not, as they appear, or as an inattentive observer might
pronounce, in very good trim, or in the most favorable position. He
would never have commenced this war, had he imagined he must fight.
He expected to carry every thing on the first advance, and has been
mistaken. This disappointment is one thing that troubles and dispirits

him; another is, the state of Thessaly. [Footnote: Philip's influence in
Thessaly was of material assistance to him in his ambitious projects. It
was acquired in this way. The power established by Jason of Pherae,
who raised himself to a sort of royal authority under the title of Tagus,
had devolved upon Lycophron. His sway extended more or less over
the whole of Thessaly; but was, if not generally unpopular, at least
unacceptable to the great families in the northern towns, among whom
the Aleuadae of Larissa held a prominent place. They invoked Philip's
aid, while Lycophron was assisted by the Phocian Onomarchus. After
various success, Onomarchus was defeated and slain, and Lycophron
expelled from Pherae. This established Philip's influence, and led to his
being afterward called in to terminate the Sacred war. How far the
assertions of Demosthenes, respecting the discontent of the Thessalians,
are true, can not exactly be told. They are confirmed, however, in some
degree by the fact, that at the close of the Sacred war Philip restored to
them Magnesia. A new attempt by the regnant family caused Philip
again to be invited, and Thessaly became virtually a province of
Macedonia. Among other advantages therefrom was the aid of a
numerous cavalry, for which Thessaly was famous.] That people were
always, you know, treacherous to all men; and just as they ever have
been, they are to Philip. They have resolved to demand the restitution
of Pagasae, and have prevented his fortifying Magnesia; and I was told,
they would no longer allow him to take the revenue of their harbors and
markets, which they say should be applied to the public business of
Thessaly, not received by Philip. Now, if he be deprived of this fund,
his means will be much straitened for paying his mercenaries.