按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
gour and success。 But he was checked in his career by Philip； who had previously been extending his dominion over Thessaly； and who now assumed the character of a champion of the Delphic god； and made his soldiers wear wreaths of laurel plucked in the groves of Tempe。 He penetrated into Thessaly； and encountered the Phocians near the gulf of Pagassae。 In the battle which ensued； Onomarchus was slain； and his army totally defeated （B。C。 352）。 This victory made Philip master of Thessaly。 He now directed his march southwards with the view of subduing the Phocians； but upon reaching Thermopylae he found the pass guarded by a strong Athenian force； and was compelled； or considered it more prudent； to retreat。
After his return from Thessaly Philip's views were directed towards Thrace and the Chersonese。 It was at this juncture that Demosthenes stepped forwards as the proclaimed opponent of Philip； and delivered the first of those celebrated orations which from their subject have been called 〃the Philippics。〃 This most famous of all the Grecian orators was born in B。C。 382…381。 Having lost his father at the early age of seven； his guardians abused their trust； and defrauded him of the greater part of his paternal inheritance。 This misfortune； however； proved one of the causes which tended to make him an orator。 Demosthenes； as he advanced towards manhood； perceived with indignation the conduct of his guardians； for which he resolved to make them answerable when the proper opportunity should arrive； by accusing them himself。 His first attempt to speak in public proved a failure； and he retired from the bema amidst the hootings and laughter of the citizens。 The more judicious and candid among his auditors perceived； however； marks of genius in his speech； and rightly attributed his failure to timidity and want of due preparation。 Eunomus； an aged citizen； who met him wandering about the Piraeus in a state of dejection at his ill success； bade him take courage and persevere。 Demosthenes now withdrew awhile from public life； and devoted himself perseveringly to remedy his defects。 They were such as might be lessened； if not removed； by practice； and consisted chiefly of a weak voice； imperfect articulation； and ungraceful and inappropriate action。 He derived much assistance from Satyrus the actor； who exercised him in reciting passages from Sophocles and Euripides。 He studied the best rhetorical treatises and orations； and is said to have copied the work of Thucydides with his own hand no fewer than eight times。 He shut himself up for two or three months together in a subterranean chamber in order to practise composition and declamation。 His perseverance was crowned with success； and he who on the first attempt had descended from the bema amid the ridicule of the crowd； became at last the most perfect orator the world has ever seen。
Demosthenes had established himself as a public speaker before the period which we have now reached； but it is chiefly in connexion with Philip that we are to view him as a statesman as well as an orator。 Philip had shown his ambition by the conquest of Thessaly； and by the part he had taken in the Sacred War； and Demosthenes now began to regard him as the enemy of the liberties of Athens and of Greece。 In his first 〃Philippic〃 Demosthenes tried to rouse his countrymen to energetic measures against this formidable enemy； but his warnings and exhortations produced little effect； for the Athenians were no longer distinguished by the same spirit of enterprise which had characterized them in the days of their supremacy。 No important step was taken to curb the growing power of Philip； and it was the danger of Olynthus which first induced the Athenians to prosecute the war with a little more energy。 In 350 B。C。； Philip having captured a town in Chalcidice； Olynthus began to tremble for her own safety； and sent envoys to Athens to crave assistance。 Olynthus was still at the head of thirty…two Greek towns； and the confederacy was a sort of counterpoise to the power of Philip。 It was on this occasion that Demosthenes delivered his three Olynthaic orations； in which he warmly advocated an alliance with Olynthus。
Demosthenes was opposed by a strong party； with which Phocion commonly acted。 Phocion is one of the most singular and original characters in Grecian history。 He viewed the multitude and their affairs with a scorn which he was at no pains to disguise； receiving their anger with indifference； and their praises with contempt。 His known probity also gave him weight with the assembly。 He was the only statesman of whom Demosthenes stood in awe； who was accustomed to say； when Phocion rose； 〃Here comes the pruner of my periods。〃 But Phocion's desponding views； and his mistrust of the Athenian people； made him an ill statesman at a period which demanded the most active patriotism。 He doubtless injured his country by contributing to check the more enlarged and patriotic views of Demosthenes； and though his own conduct was pure and disinterested； he unintentionally threw his weight on the side of those who； like Demades and others； were actuated by the basest motives。 This division of opinion rendered the operations of the Athenians for the aid of the Olynthians languid and desultory。 Town after town of the confederacy fell before Philip； and in 347 Olynthus itself was taken。 The whole of the Chalcidian peninsula thus became a Macedonian province。
The prospects of Athens now became alarming； her possessions in the Chersonese were threatened； as well as the freedom of the Greek towns upon the Hellespont。 The Athenians had supported the Phocians in the Sacred War； and were thus at war with Thebes。 In order to resist Philip the attention of the Athenians was now directed towards a reconciliation with Thebes； especially since the treasures of Delphi were nearly exhausted； and on the other hand the war was becoming every year more and more burthensome to the Thebans。 Nor did it seem improbable that a peace might be concluded not only between those two cities； but among the Grecian states generally。 It seems to have been this aspect of affairs that induced Philip to make several indirect overtures to the Athenians in the summer of B。C。 347。 In spite of subsidies from Delphi the war had been very onerous to them； and they received these advances with joy； and eventually agreed to the terms of a peace。 Having thus gained over the Athenians； Philip marched through Thermopylae； and entered Phocis； which surrendered unconditionally at his approach。 He then occupied Delphi； where he assembled the Amphictyons to pronounce sentence upon those who bad been concerned in the sacrilege committed there。 The council decreed that all the cities of Phocia； except Abae； should be destroyed； and their inhabitants scattered into villages containing not more than fifty houses each。 Sparta was deprived of her share in the Amphictyonic privileges； the two votes in the council possessed by the Phocians were transferred to the kings of Macedonia； and Philip was to share with the Thebans and Thessalians the honour of presiding at the Pythian games （B。C。 346）。
The result of the Sacred War rendered Macedon the leading state in Greece。 Philip at once acquired by it military glory； a reputation for piety； and an accession of power。 His ambitious designs were now too plain to be mistaken。 The eyes of the blindest among the Athenians were at last opened； the promoters of the peace which had been concluded with Philip incurred the hatred and suspicion of the people； whilst on the other hand Demosthenes rose higher than ever in public favour。
Philip was now busy with preparations for the vast projects which he contemplated； and which embraced an attack upon the Athenian colonies； as well as upon the Persian empire。 For this purpose he had organized a considerable naval force as well as an army； and in the spring of 342 B。C。 he set out on an expedition against Thrace。 His progress soon appeared to menace the Chersonese and the Athenian possessions in that quarter； and at length the Athenian troops under Diopithes came into actual collision with the Macedonians。 In the following year Philip began to attac