The Second Olynthiac   

and delivering it to them; and lastly now the Thessalians, by promising
to surrender Magnesia, and undertake the Phocian war on their behalf. In
short, none who have dealt with him has he not deceived. He has risen by
conciliating and cajoling the weakness of every people in turn who knew
him not. As, therefore, by such means he rose, when every people
imagined he would advance their interest, so ought he by the same means
to be pulled down again, when the selfish aim of his whole policy is
exposed. To this crisis, O Athenians, are Philip's affairs come; or let
any man stand forward and prove to me, or rather to you, that my
assertions, are false, or that men whom Philip has once overreached will
trust him hereafter, or that the Thessalians who have been degraded into
servitude would not gladly become free.

But if any among you, though agreeing in these statements, thinks that
Philip will maintain his power by having occupied forts and havens and
the like, this is a mistake. True, when a confederacy subsists by
good-will, and all parties to the war have a common interest, men are
willing to co-operate and bear hardships and persevere. But when one has
grown strong, like Philip, by rapacity and artifice, on the first
pretext, the slightest reverse, all is overturned and broken up.
[Footnote: The original [Greek: _anechaitise_] is "shakes off," or
"throws off," as a horse does his rider, when he rears and tosses up his
neck. It will be observed that Demosthenes is very high-flown in his
language here, passing from one metaphor to another. Leland translates
these words, "overthrows him, and all his greatness is dashed at once to
the ground." Francis: "hath already shaken off the yoke and dissolved
their alliance." Wilson: "turneth all things upside down and layeth it
flat in the end." Auger, better: _suffisent pour l' ebranler et la
dissoudre_. Jacobs: _reicht Alles umzusturzen, und aufzulosen_.
Pabst, very nearly the same.] Impossible is it,--impossible,
Athenians,--to acquire a solid power by injustice and perjury and
falsehood. Such things last for once, or for a short period; maybe, they
blossom fairly with hope; [Footnote: So in Henry VIII. Act iii. Sc. 2.

Such is the state of man: to-day he puts forth
The tender leaves of hope, to-morrow blossoms,
And wears his blushing honors thick upon him.]

but in time they are discovered and drop away. [Footnote: Like the
leaves of a flower; pursuing the last metaphor. So says Moore, in _The
Last Rose of Summer_: "the gems drop away." Jacobs: _fallt sie von
selbst zusammen_. Pabst: _sturet in sich selbst zusammen_.] As a
house, a ship, or the like, ought to have the lower parts firmest, so in
human conduct, I ween, the principle and foundation should be just and
true. But this is not so in Philip's conduct.

I say, then, we should at once aid the Olynthians, (the best and
quickest way that can be suggested will please me most,) and send an
embassy to the Thessalians, to inform some of our measures, and to stir
up the rest; for they have now resolved to demand Pagasae, and
remonstrate about Magnesia. But look to this, Athenians, that our envoys
shall not only make speeches, but have some real proof that we have gone
forth as becomes our country, and are engaged in action. All speech
without action appears vain and idle, but especially that of our
commonwealth; as the more we are thought to excel therein, the more is
our speaking distrusted by all. You must show yourselves greatly
reformed, greatly changed, contributing, serving personally, acting
promptly, before any one will pay attention to you. And if ye will
perform these duties properly and becomingly, Athenians, not only will
it appear that Philip's alliances are weak and precarious, but the poor
state of his native empire and power will be revealed.

To speak roundly, the Macedonian power and empire is very well as a
help, as it was for you in Timotheus' time against the Olynthians;