Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/357

 ANOTHER SPEECH FOR OLYNTIIl'S. 331 philippizing party among themselves would take advantage of thf> remissness of Athens to depreciate her promises as worthless or insincere, and to press for accommodation with the enemy. 1 Complaints would presently reach Athens, brought by fresh en- voys from the Olynthians, and probably also from the Chalkidians, who were the greatest sufferers by Philip's arms. They would naturally justify this renewed application by expatiating on the victorious progress of Philip; they would now call for aid more urgently, and might even glance at the possibility of Philip's conquest of Chalkidike. It was in this advanced stage of the proceedings that Demosthenes again exfcrted himself in the cause, delivering that speech which stands first in the printed order of the Olynthiacs. Here we have, not a Philippic, but a true 01yr>*Jiiac. Olyn thus is no longer part and parcel of a larger theme, upon the whole of which Demosthenes intends to discourse ; but stands out as the prominent feature and specialty of his pleading. It is now pro- nounced to be in danger and in pressing need of succor ; more- over its preservation is strenuously pressed upon the Athenians, s essential to their own safety. While it stands with its confed- eracy around it, the Athenians can fight Philip on his own coast ; U' it falls, there is nothing to prevent him from transferring the war into Attica, and assailing them on their own soil. 2 Demosthe- nes is wound up to a higher pitch of emphasis, complaining of the lukewarmness of his countrymen on a crisis which calls aloud for instant action. 3 He again urges that a vote be at once passed i.o assist Olynthus, and two armaments despatched as quickly as oossible ; one to preserve to Olynthus her confederate cities the other, to make a diversion by simultaneous attack on Philip at 1 Demosth. Olynth. i. p. 9. (if sari fiuAiara TOVTO deof, fjrj iravovpyof ui> Kal deivbf av&puTrot; (Philip) irpdyfiaai xp^^ai ru fiev B'LKUV TIVLK" uv rvxy, ra 6' aireih&v, TU d' TI/J.UC dia^uA^uv Kal TIJV a nova lav rijv ij fiere- p a v . Tptl>ri TS Kal TrapaGTrdarjTai TL T>V (ikuv Trpayfidruv. This occurs in the next subsequent speech of Demosthenes, intimating what Philip and his partisans had already deduced as inference from the past neglect of the Athenians to send any aid to Olynthus. Of course, no such inference could be started until some time had been allowed fcr ex pectation and disappointment ; which is one among many reasons for be- lieving the first Olynthiac to be posterior in time to the second. 3 Demosth, Olynth. i. p. 12, 13, * Pemosth. Olynth, i, p. 9.