The Public Orations of Demosthenes, vol 2 | Page 3

refuse to consider--I mean the
act of retaliation against the aggressor: unless indeed, they intend to
argue that, so long as Philip keeps away from Attica and the Peiraeus,
he does the city no wrong and is not committing acts of war. {8} But if
this is their criterion of right and wrong, if this is their definition of
peace, then, although what they say is iniquitous, intolerable, and
inconsistent with your security, as all must see, at the same time these
very statements are actually contradictory of the charges which they are
making against Diopeithes. {9} Why, I beg to ask,[n] are we to give
Philip full leave to act in whatever way he chooses, so long as he does
not touch Attica, when Diopeithes is not to be allowed even to assist
the Thracians, without being accused of initiating war? But even if this
inconsistency is brought home to them, still, we are told, the conduct of
the mercenaries in ravaging the Hellespontine country is outrageous,

and Diopeithes has no right to drive the vessels to shore,[n] and ought
to be stopped. {10} I grant it: let it be done: I have nothing to say
against it. Yet nevertheless, if their advice is genuinely based on
considerations of right, and right alone, I consider that they are bound
to prove that, as surely as they are seeking to break up the force on
which Athens at present relies, by slandering its commander to you
when he tries to provide funds to support it, so surely _Philip's_ force
will be disbanded if you accept their advice. If they fail to prove this,
you must consider that they are simply setting the city once more upon
the same course which has already resulted in the utter ruin of her
fortunes. {11} For surely you know that nothing in the world has
contributed so much to Philip's successes, as his being always first on
the scene of action. With a standing force always about him, and
knowing beforehand what he intends to do, he suddenly falls upon
whomsoever he pleases: while we wait until we learn that something is
happening, and only then, in a turmoil, make our preparations. {12} It
follows, of course, that every position which he has attacked, he holds
in undisturbed possession; while we are all behindhand; all our
expenditure proves to have been so much useless waste; we have
displayed our hostility and our desire to check him; but we are too late
for action, and so we add disgrace to failure.
{13} You must therefore not fail to recognize, men of Athens, that now,
as before, all else that you hear consists of mere words and pretexts;
and that the real aim of all that is being done is to secure that you may
remain at home, that Athens may have no force outside the city, and
that thus Philip may give effect to all his desires without let or
hindrance. Consider, in the first place, what is actually occurring at the
present moment. {14} He is at present passing the time[n] in Thrace,
with a great army under him; and, as we are told by those who are on
the spot,[n] he is sending for a large addition to it from Macedonia and
Thessaly. Now if he waits for the Etesian winds,[n] and then goes to
Byzantium and besieges it, tell me first whether you think that the
Byzantines will persist in their present infatuation,[n] and will not call
upon you and entreat you to go to their aid? {15} I do not think so.
Why, I believe that they would open their gates to men whom they
distrust even more than they distrust you (if such exist), rather than
surrender the city to Philip--supposing, that is, that he does not capture

them first. And then, if we are unable to set sail from Athens, and if
there are no forces there on the spot to help them, nothing can prevent
their destruction. {16} 'Of course,' you say, 'for the men are possessed,
and their infatuation passes all bounds.' Very true; and yet they must be
preserved; for the interests of Athens require it. And besides, we cannot
by any means be certain that he will not invade the Chersonese. Indeed,
if we are to judge by the letter which he has sent to you, he there says
that he will punish the settlers[n] in the Chersonese. {17} If then the
army that is now formed there is in existence, it will be able to help the
Chersonese, and to injure some part of Philip's country. But when once
it is dissolved, what shall we do if he marches against the Chersonese?
'We shall of course put Diopeithes on his trial.' And how will that
improve