On The Crown   

{158} You see that he avoids the mention of his own reasons for action,
and takes refuge in those provided by the Amphictyons. Who was it that
helped him to prepare such a case? Who put such pretexts at his disposal?
Who is most to blame for the disasters that have taken place? Is it not
Aeschines? And so, men of Athens, you must not go about saying that Hellas
has suffered such things as these at the hands of one man.[n] I call Earth
and Heaven to witness, that it was at the hands, not of one man, but of
many villains in each State. {159} And of these Aeschines is one; and, had
I to speak the truth without any reserve, I should not hesitate to
describe him as the incarnate curse of all alike--men, regions or cities--
that have been ruined since then. For he who supplied the seed is
responsible for the crop. I wonder that you did not turn away your eyes at
the very sight of him: but a cloud of darkness seems to hang between you
and the truth.

{160} I find that in dealing with the measures taken by Aeschines for the
injury of his country, I have reached the time when I must speak of my own
statesmanship in opposition to these measures; and it is fair that you
should listen to this, for many reasons, but above all because it will be
a shameful thing, if, when I have faced the actual realities of hard work
for you, you will not even suffer the story of them to be told. {161} For
when I saw the Thebans, and (I may almost say) yourselves as well, being
led by the corrupt partisans of Philip in either State to overlook,
without taking a single precaution against it, the thing which was really
dangerous to both peoples and needed their utmost watchfulness--the
unhindered growth of Philip's power; while, on the contrary, you were
quite ready to entertain ill-feeling and to quarrel with one another; I
kept unceasing watch to prevent this. Nor did I rely only on my own
judgement in thinking that this was what your interest required. {162} I
knew that Aristophon, and afterwards Eubulus, always wished to bring about
this friendly union, and that, often as they opposed one another in other
matters, they always agreed in this. Cunning fox! While they lived, you
hung about them and flattered them; yet now that they are dead, you do not
see that you are attacking them. For your censure of my policy in regard
to Thebes is far more a denunciation of them than of me, since they were
before me in approving of that alliance. {163} But I return to my previous
point--that it was when Aeschines had brought about the war at Amphissa,
and the others, his accomplices, had effectually helped him to create the
ill-feeling against the Thebans, that Philip marched against us. For it
was to render this possible that their attempt to throw the two cities
into collision was made; and had we not roused ourselves a little before
it was too late, we should never have been able to regain the lost ground;
to such a length had these men carried matters. What the relations between
the two peoples already were, you will know when you have heard these
decrees and replies. (_To the clerk_.) Take these and read them.

{164, 165} [_The decrees are read_.]

{166} (_To the clerk_.) Now read the replies.

{167} [_The replies are read_.]

{168} Having established such relations between the cities, through the
agency of these men, and being elated by these decrees and replies, Philip
came with his army and seized Elateia, thinking that under no
circumstances whatever should we and the Thebans join in unison after
this. And though the commotion which followed in the city is known to you
all, let me relate to you briefly just the bare facts.

{169} It was evening, and one had come to the Prytanes[n] with the news
that Elateia had been taken. Upon this they rose up from supper without
delay; some of them drove the occupants out of the booths in the market-
place and set fire to the wicker-work;[n] others sent for the generals and