On The Crown   

your adhesion to the conclusion which emerges from the argument. Now
observe how inherently rotten everything that springs from dishonesty
seems to be. {228} By his very use of this ingenious illustration he has
confessed that to-day, at all events, our respective characters are well
established--that I am known to speak for my country's good, and he to
speak for Philip. For unless that were your present conception of each of
us, he would not have sought to change your view. {229} And further, I
shall easily show you that it is not fair of him to ask you to alter this
opinion--not by the use of counters--that is not how a political reckoning
is made--but by briefly recalling each point to you, and treating you who
hear me both as auditors of my account and witnesses to the facts. For
that policy of mine which he denounces caused the Thebans, instead of
joining Philip, as all expected them to do, in the invasion of our
country, to range themselves by our side and stay his progress. {230} It
caused the war to take place not in Attica, but on the confines of
Boeotia, eighty miles from the city. Instead of our being harried and
plundered by freebooters from Euboea, it gave peace to Attica from the
side of the sea throughout the war. Instead of Philip's taking Byzantium
and becoming master of the Hellespont, it caused the Byzantines to join us
in the war against him. {231} Can such achievements, think you, be
reckoned up like counters? Are we to cancel them out,[n] rather than
provide that they shall be remembered for all time? I need not now add
that it fell to others to taste the barbarity which is to be seen in every
case in which Philip got any one finally into his power; while you reaped
(and quite rightly) the fruits of the generosity which he feigned while he
was bringing within his grasp all that remained. But I pass this over.

{232} Nay, I will not even hesitate to say, that one who wished to review
an orator's career straightforwardly and without misrepresentation, would
not have included in his charges such matters as you just now spoke of--
making up illustrations, and mimicking words and gestures. Of course the
fortune which befell the Hellenes--surely you see this?--was entirely due
to my using this word instead of that, or waving my hand in one direction
rather than the other! {233} He would have inquired, by reference to the
actual facts, what resources and what forces the city had at her command
when I entered political life; what I subsequently collected for her when
I took control; and what was the condition of our adversaries. Then if I
had diminished our forces, he would have proved that the fault lay at my
door; but if I had greatly increased them, he would have abstained from
deliberate misrepresentation. But since you have avoided such an inquiry,
I will undertake it; and do you, gentlemen, observe whether my argument is
just.

{234} The military resources of the city included the islanders--and not
all, but only the weakest. For neither Chios nor Rhodes nor Corcyra was
with us. Their contribution in money came to 45 talents, and these had
been collected in advance.[n] Infantry and cavalry, besides our own, we
had none. But the circumstance which was most alarming to us and most
favourable to our enemies was that these men had contrived that all our
neighbours should be more inclined to enmity than to friendship--the
Megareans, the Thebans, and the Euboeans. {235} Such was the position of
the city at the time; and what I say admits of no contradiction. Now
consider the position of Philip, with whom our conflict lay. In the first
place, he held absolute sway over his followers--and this for purposes of
war is the greatest of all advantages. Next, his followers had their
weapons in their hands always. Then he was well off for money, and did
whatever he resolved to do, without giving warning of it by decrees, or
debating about it in public, or being put on trial by dishonest accusers,
or defending himself against indictments for illegality, or being bound to
render an account to any one. He was himself absolute master, commander,
and lord of all. {236} But I who was set to oppose him--for this inquiry
too it is just to make--what had I under my control? Nothing! For, to
begin with, the very right to address you--the only right I had--you
extended to Philip's hirelings in the same measure as to me; and as often