Page:A History of Ancient Greek Literature.djvu/386

 362 LITERATURE OF ANCIENT GREECE Demosthenes of the last eight years was true to the Demosthenes of the Philippics. -rEschines knows that the issue of the trial lies with Hyperides and the radical war p'-irty, and he plays openly for their support. He emphasises Demosthenes's connection with the Peace in the first part of his life. He has the audacity to accuse him of having neglected three opportunities of rising against Alexander in the last part ! It was well enough for Alexander's personal friend and tried sup- porter to use such accusations. Demosthenes could only answer them by an open profession of treason, which would doubtless have won his case, and have sent him prisoner to Macedon. He does not answer them. He leaves the war party to make its judgment in silence on the question whether he can have been false to the cause of his whole life, whether the tone in which he speaks of Chaeronea is like that of a repentant rebel. It was enough. ^Eschines failed to get a fifth of the votes, and left Athens permanently discredited. He set up a school in Rhodes, and it is said that Demosthenes supplied him with money when he was in distress. But the hostile coalition was not long delayed. In 324 Harpalus, Alexander's treasurer, decamped with a fleet and 720 talents — full materials for an effective rebellion. He sought admission at Athens, and the extremists were eager to receive him. But the time was in other ways inopportune, and Demosthenes preferred a subtler game. He carefully avoided any open breach of allegiance to Alexander. He insisted that Harpalus should dismiss his fleet, and only agreed to receive him as a private refugee. When Alexander demanded his surrender, Demosthenes w^as able to