Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/365

 EUBOEAN WAR. 339 other occasions, so on this Demosthenes undertook to combat j prevalent sentiment which he deemed unfounded and unseason- able. With what courage, wisdom, and dexterity so superior to the insulting sarcasms of Phokion does he execute this self- imposed duty, well knowing its unpopularity ! Whether any movement was made by the Athenians in conse- quence of the third Olynthiac of Demosthenes, we cannot deter- mine. We have no ground for believing the affirmative ; while we are certain that the specific measure which he recommended the sending of an armament of citizens personally serving was not at that time (before the end of 350 B. c.) carried into ef feet. At or before the commencement of 349 B. c., the foreign relations of Athens began to be disturbed by another supervening embarrassment the revolt of Eubcea. After the successful expedition of 358 B. c., whereby the Athe nians had expelled the Thebans from Eubrca, that island remained for some years in undisturbed connection with Athens. Chalkis, P^retria, and Oreus, its three principal cities, sent each a member to the synod of allies holding session at Athens, and paid their annual quota (seemingly five talents each) to the confederate fund. 1 During the third quarter of 352 B. c., Menestratus the despot or principal citizen of Eretria is cited as a particularly devoted friend of Athens. 2 But this state of things changed shortly after Philip conquered Thessaly and made himself master of the Pagasaean Gulf (in 353 and the first half of 352 B. c.). His power was then established immediately over against Oreus and the northern coast of Eubcea, with which island his means of communication became easy and frequent. Before the date of the first Philippic of Demosthenes (seemingly towards the summer of 351 B. c.) Philip had opened correspondences in Euboea, and had despatched thither various letters, some of which the orator reads in the course of that speech to the Athenian assembly. The actual words of the letters are not given ; but from the criticism of the orator him- self, we discern that they were highly offensive to Athenian feel- 1 JEschincs adv. Ktesiphont. p. 67, 68. 'Epc~f>ievf ds'oZ ra aiiTa KOI aiiru ijjjj<!>iaaa-&ai)A/lof 6
 * Demosthenes cont. Aristokrat. p. 661. p eav 6e d-j) KO.L Meveorparoj