On The Crown   

yourselves are in arms; in order that those who sympathize with you in
Thebes may be enabled to speak in defence of the right, with the same
freedom that their opponents enjoy, when they see that, just as those who
are trying to sell their country to Philip have a force ready to help them
at Elateia, so those who would struggle for freedom have you ready at hand
to help them, and to go to their aid, if any one attacks them. {178} Next
I bid you elect ten envoys, and give them full authority, with the
generals, to decide the time of their own journey to Thebes, and to order
the march of the troops. But when the envoys arrive in Thebes, how do I
advise that they should handle the matter? I ask your special attention to
this. They must require nothing of the Thebans--to do so at such a moment
would be shameful; but they must undertake that we will go to their aid,
if they bid us do so, on the ground that they are in extreme peril, and
that we foresee the future better than they; in order that, if they accept
our offer and take our advice, we may have secured our object, and our
action may wear an aspect worthy of this city; or, if after all we are
unsuccessful, the Thebans may have themselves to blame for any mistakes
which they now make, while we shall have done nothing disgraceful or
ignoble.' {179} When I had spoken these words, and others in the same
strain, I left the platform. All joined in commending these proposals; no
one said a word in opposition; and I did not speak thus, and then fail to
move a motion; nor move a motion, and then fail to serve as envoy; nor
serve as envoy, and then fail to persuade the Thebans. I carried the
matter through in person from beginning to end, and gave myself up
unreservedly to meet the dangers which encompassed the city. (_To the
clerk_.) Bring me the resolution which was then passed.

{180} But now, Aeschines, how would you have me describe your part, and
how mine, that day? Shall I call myself, as you would call me by way of
abuse and disparagement, _Battalus_?[n] and you, no ordinary hero even,
but a real stage-hero, _Cresphontes_ or _Creon_,[n] or--the character
which you cruelly murdered at Collytus[n]--_Oenomaus_? Then I, Battalus of
Paeania, proved myself of more value to my country in that crisis than
Oenomaus of Cothocidae. In fact you were of no service on any occasion,
while I played the part which became a good citizen throughout. (_To the
clerk_.) Read this decree.

{181-7} [_The decree of Demosthenes is read_.]

{188} This was the first step towards our new relations with Thebes, and
the beginning of a settlement. Up to this time the cities had been
inveigled into mutual hostility, hatred, and mistrust by these men. But
this decree caused the peril that encompassed the city to pass away like a
cloud. It was for an honest citizen, if he had any better plan than mine,
to make it public at the time, instead of attacking me now. {189} The true
counsellor and the dishonest accuser, unlike as they are in everything,
differ most of all in this: the one declares his opinion before the event,
and freely surrenders himself as responsible, to those who follow his
advice, to Fortune, to circumstances, to any one.[n] The other is silent
when he ought to speak, and then carps at anything untoward that may
happen. {190} That crisis, as I have said, was the opportunity for a man
who cared for his country, the opportunity for honest speaking. But so
much further than I need will I go, that if any one can _now_ point to any
better course--or any course at all except that which I chose--I admit my
guilt. If any one has discovered any course to-day, which would have been
for our advantage, had we followed it at the time, I admit that it ought
not to have escaped me. But if there neither is nor was such a
possibility; if even now, even to-day, no one can mention any such course,
what was the counsellor of the people to do? Had he not to choose the best
of the plans which suggested themselves and were feasible? {191} This I
did. For the herald asked the question, Aeschines, 'Who wishes to speak?'
not 'Who wishes to bring accusations about the past?' nor 'Who wishes to
guarantee the future?' And while you sat speechless in the Assembly
throughout that period, I came forward and spoke. Since, however, you did