demosthenes-第4部分

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which　he　solicited　and　so　far　incensed　against　Philip　that；　a　few　only
excepted；　he　brought　them　all　into　a　general　league。　So　that；
besides　the　forces　composed　of　the　citizens　themselves；　there　was　an
army　consisting　of　fifteen　thousand　foot　and　two　thousand　horse；　and
the　money　to　pay　these　strangers　was　levied　and　brought　in　with
great　cheerfulness。　On　which　occasion　it　was；　says　Theophrastus；　on
the　allies　requesting　that　their　contributions　for　the　war　might　be
ascertained　and　stated；　Crobylus；　the　orator；　made　use　of　the
saying；　〃War　can't　be　fed　at　so　much　a　day。〃　Now　was　all　Greece　up
in　arms；　and　in　great　expectation　what　would　be　the　event。　The
Euboeans；　the　Achaeans；　the　Corinthians；　the　Megarians；　the
Leucadians；　and　Corcyraeans；　their　people　and　their　cities；　were　all
joined　together　in　a　league。　But　the　hardest　task　was　yet　behind；　left
for　Demosthenes；　to　draw　the　Thebans　into　this　confederacy　with　the
rest。　Their　country　bordered　next　upon　Attica；　they　had　great　forces
for　the　war；　and　at　that　time　they　were　accounted　the　best　soldiers　of
all　Greece；　but　it　was　no　easy　matter　to　make　them　break　with
Philip；　who；　by　many　good　offices；　had　so　lately　obliged　them　in　the
Phocian　war；　especially　considering　how　the　subjects　of　dispute　and
variance　between　the　two　cities　were　continually　renewed　and
exasperated　by　petty　quarrels；　arising　out　of　the　proximity　of　their
frontiers。
　　But　after　Philip；　being　now　grown　high　and　puffed　up　with　his　good
success　at　Amphissa；　on　a　sudden　surprised　Elatea　and　possessed
himself　of　Phocis；　and　the　Athenians　were　in　a　great　consternation；
none　durst　venture　to　rise　up　to　speak；　no　one　knew　what　to　say；　all
were　at　a　loss；　and　the　whole　assembly　in　silence　and　perplexity；　in
this　extremity　of　affairs　Demosthenes　was　the　only　man　who　appeared；
his　counsel　to　them　being　alliance　with　the　Thebans。　And　having　in
other　ways　encouraged　the　people；　and；　as　his　manner　was；　raised　their
spirits　up　with　hopes；　he；　with　some　others；　was　sent　ambassador　to
Thebes。　To　oppose　him；　as　Marsyas　says；　Philip　also　sent　thither　his
envoys；　Amyntas　and　Clearchus；　two　Macedonians；　besides　Daochus；　a
Thessalian；　and　Thrasydaeus。　Now　the　Thebans；　in　their
consultations；　were　well　enough　aware　what　suited　best　with　their
own　interest；　but　every　one　had　before　his　eyes　the　terrors　of　war；
and　their　losses　in　the　Phocian　troubles　were　still　recent：　but　such
was　the　force　and　power　of　the　orator；　fanning　up；　as　Theopompus　says；
their　courage；　and　firing　their　emulation；　that；　casting　away　every
thought　of　prudence；　fear；　or　obligation；　in　a　sort　of　divine
possession；　they　chose　the　path　of　honour；　to　which　his　words
invited　them。　And　this　success；　thus　accomplished　by　an　orator；　was
thought　to　be　so　glorious　and　of　such　consequence；　that　Philip
immediately　sent　heralds　to　treat　and　petition　for　a　peace：　all　Greece
was　aroused；　and　up　in　arms　to　help。　And　the　commanders…in…chief；
not　only　of　Attica；　but　of　Boeotia；　applied　themselves　to　Demosthenes；
and　observed　his　directions。　He　managed　all　the　assemblies　of　the
Thebans；　no　less　than　those　of　the　Athenians；　he　was　beloved　both　by
the　one　and　by　the　other；　and　exercised　the　same　supreme　authority
with　both；　and　that　not　by　unfair　means；　or　without　just　cause；　as
Theopompus　professes；　but　indeed　it　was　no　more　than　was　due　to　his
merit。
　　But　there　was；　it　would　seem；　some　divinely　ordered　fortune；
commissioned；　in　the　revolution　of　things；　to　put　a　period　at　this
time　to　the　liberty　of　Greece；　which　opposed　and　thwarted　all　their
actions；　and　by　many　signs　foretold　what　should　happen。　Such　were
the　sad　predictions　uttered　by　the　Pythian　priestess；　and　this　old
oracle　cited　out　of　the　Sibyl's　verses：…

　　　　　　　　　〃The　battle　on　Thermodon　that　shall　be
　　　　　　　　　　Safe　at　a　distance　I　desire　to　see；
　　　　　　　　　　Far；　like　an　eagle；　watching　in　the　air；
　　　　　　　　　　Conquered　shall　weep；　and　conqueror　perish　there。〃

　　This　Thermodon；　they　say；　is　a　little　rivulet　here　in　our　country　in
Chaeronea；　running　into　the　Cephisus。　But　we　know　of　none　that　is　so
called　at　the　present　time；　and　can　only　conjecture　that　the　streamlet
which　is　now　called　Haemon；　and　runs　by　the　Temple　of　Hercules；
where　the　Grecians　were　encamped；　might　perhaps　in　those　days　be
called　Thermodon；　and　after　the　fight；　being　filled　with　blood　and
dead　bodies；　upon　this　occasion；　as　we　guess；　might　change　its　old
name　for　that　which　it　now　bears。　Yet　Duris　says　that　this　Thermodon
was　no　river；　but　that　some　of　the　soldiers；　as　they　were　pitching
their　tents　and　digging　trenches　about　them；　found　a　small　stone
statue；　which；　by　the　inscription；　appeared　to　be　the　figure　of
Thermodon；　carrying　a　wounded　Amazon　in　his　arms；　and　that　there　was
another　oracle　current　about　it；　as　follows：…

　　　　　　　　　〃The　battle　on　Thermodon　that　shall　be；
　　　　　　　　　　Fail　not；　black　raven；　to　attend　and　see；
　　　　　　　　　　The　flesh　of　men　shall　there　abound　for　thee。〃

　　In　fine；　it　is　not　easy　to　determine　what　is　the　truth。　But　of
Demosthenes　it　is　said　that　he　had　such　great　confidence　in　the
Grecian　forces；　and　was　so　excited　by　the　sight　of　the　courage　and
resolution　of　so　many　brave　men　ready　to　engage　the　enemy；　that　he
would　by　no　means　endure　they　should　give　any　heed　to　oracles；　or
hearken　to　prophecies；　but　gave　out　that　he　suspected　even　the
prophetess　herself；　as　if　she　had　been　tampered　with　to　speak　in
favour　of　Philip。　The　Thebans　he　put　in　mind　of　Epaminondas；　the
Athenians　of　Pericles；　who　always　took　their　own　measures　and　governed
their　actions　by　reason；　looking　upon　things　of　this　kind　as　mere
pretexts　for　cowardice。　Thus　far；　therefore；　Demosthenes　acquitted
himself　like　a　brave　man。　But　in　the　fight　he　did　nothing
honourable；　nor　was　his　performance　answerable　to　his　speeches。　For　he
fled；　deserting　his　place　disgracefully；　and　throwing　away　his　arms；
not　ashamed；　as　Pytheas　observed；　to　belie　the　inscription　written
on　his　shield；　in　letters　of　gold；　〃With　good　fortune。〃
　　In　the　meantime　Philip；　in　the　first　moment　of　victory；　was　so
transported　with　joy；　that　he　grew　extravagant；　and　going　out　after　he
had　drunk　largely　to　visit　the　dead　bodies；　he　chanted　the　first　words
of　the　decree　that　had　been　passed　on　the　motion　of　Demosthenes…

　　　　　　　　　〃The　motion　of　Demosthenes；　Demosthenes's　son；〃

dividing　it　metrically　into　feet；　and　marking　the　beats。
　　But　when　he　came　to　himself；　and　had　well　considered　the　danger　he
was　lately　under；　he　could　not　forbear　from　shuddering　at　the
wonderful　ability　and　power　of　an　orator　who　had　made　him　hazard　his
life　and　empire　on　the　issue　of　a　few　brief　hours。　The　fame　of　it　also
reached　even　to　the　court　of　Persia；　and　the　king　sent　letters　to
his　lieutenants　commanding　them　to　supply　Demosthenes　with　money；
and　to　pay　every　attention　to　him；　as　the　only　man　of　all　the　Grecians
who　was　able　to　give　Philip　occupation　and　find　employment　for　his
forces　near　home；　in　the　troubles　of　Greece。　This；　afterwards　came
to　the　knowledge　of　Alexander；　by　certain　letters　of　Demosthenes　which
he　found　at　Sardis；　and　by　other　papers　of　the　Persian　officers；
stating　the　large　sums　which　had　been　given　him。
　　At　this　time；　however；　upon　the　ill…success　which　now　happened　to
the　Grecians；　those　of　the　contrary　faction　in　the　commonwealth　fell
foul　upon　Demosthenes　and　took　the　opportunity　to　frame　several
informations　and　indictments　against　him。　But　the　people　not　only
acquitted　him　of　these　accusations；　but　continued　towards　him　their
former　respect；　and　still　invited　him；　as　a　man　that　meant　well；　to
take　a　part　in　public　affairs。　Insomuch　that　when　the　bones　of　those
who　had　been　slain　at　Chaeronea　were　brought　home　to　be　solemnly
interred；　Demosthenes　was　the　man　they　chose　to　make　the　funeral
oration。　They　did　not　show；　under　the　misfortunes　which　befell　them；　a
base　or　ignoble　mind；　as　Theopompus　writes　in　his　exaggerated　style；
but　on　the　contrary；　by　the　honour　and　respect　paid　to　their
counsellor；　they　made　it　appear　that　they　were　noway　dissatisfied　with
the　counsels　he　had　given　them。　The　speech；　therefore；　was　spoken　by
Demosthenes。　But　the　subsequent　decrees　he　would　not　allow　to　be
passed　in　his　own　name；　but　made　use　of　those　of　his　friends；　one
after　another；　looking　upon　his　own　as　unfortunate　and　inauspicious；
till　at　length　he　took　courage　again　after　the　death　of　Philip；　who
did　not　long　outlive　his　victory　at　Chaeronea。　And　this；　it　seems；　was
that　which　was　foretold　in　the　last　verse　of　the　oracle…

　　　　　　　　　〃Conquered　shall　weep；　and　conqueror　perish　there。〃

Demosthenes　had　secret　intelligence　of　the　death　of　Philip；　and　laying
hold　of　this　opportunity　to　prepossess　the　people　with　courage　and
better　hopes　for　the　future；　he　came　into　the　assembly　with　a　cheerful
countenance；　pretending　to　have　had　a　dream　that　presaged　some　great
good　fortune　for　Athens；　and；　not　long　after；　arrived　the　messengers
who　brought　the　news　of　Philip's　death。　No　sooner　had　the　people
received　it；　but　immediately　they　offered　sacrifice　to　the　gods；　and
decreed　that　Pausanias　should　be　presented　with　a　crown。　Demosthenes
appeared　publicly　in　a　rich　dress；　with　a　chaplet　on　his　head；
though　it　were　but　the　seventh　day　since　the　death　of　his　daughter；　as
is　said　by　Aeschines；　who　upbraids　him　upon　this　account；　and　rails　at
him　as　one　void　of　natural　affection　towards　his　children。　Whereas；
indeed；　he　rather　betrays　himself　to　be　of　a　poor；　low　spirit；　and
effeminate　mind；　if　he　really　means　to　make　wailings　and　lamentation
the　only　signs　of　a　gentle　and　affectionate　nature；　and　to　condemn
those　who　bear　such　accidents　with　more　temper　and　less　passion。　For
my　own　part；　I　cannot　say　that　the　behaviour　of　the　Athenians　on
this　occasion　was　wise　or　honourable；　to　crown　themselves　with
garlands　and　to　sacrifice　to　the　gods　for　the　death　of　a　prince　who；
in　the　midst　of　his　success　and　victories；　when　they　were　a
conquered　people；　had　used　them　with　so　much　clemency　and　humanity。
For　besides　provoking　fortune；　it　was　a　base　thing；　and　unworthy　in
itself；　to　make　him　a　citizen　of　Athens；　and　pay　him　honours　while
he　lived；　and　yet　as　soon　as　he