Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/397

 MOTION OF PHILOKRATES. J71 Phrynon and Ktesiphon, on their return, expatiated warmly on ihe generosity of Philip, arid reported much about his flattering expressions towards Athens, and his reluctance to continue the war against her. The public assembly being favorably disposed, a citizen named Philokrates, who now comes before us for the first time, proposed a decree, granting to Philip leave to send a herald and envoys, if he chose, to treat for peace ; which was what Philip was anxious to do, according to the allegation of Ktesiphon. The decree was passed unanimously in the assembly, but the mover Philokrates was impeached some time afterwards before the Dikastery, as for an illegal proposition, by a citizen named Lykinus. On the cause coming to trial, the Dikastery pronounced an acquittal so triumphant, that Lykinus did not even obtain the fifth part of the suffrages. Philokrates being so sick as to be unable to do justice to his own case, Demosthenes stood forward as his supporter, and made a long speech in his favor. 1 The motion of Philokrates determined nothing positive, and only made an opening ; of which, however, it did not suit Philip's purpose to avail himself. But we see that ideas of peace had been thrown out by some persons at Athens, even during the last months of the Olynthian war, and while a body of Athenian citi- zens were actually assisting Olynthus against the besieging force 1 JEschines, Fals. Leg. p. 30. c. 7 ; cont. Ktesiph. p. 63. Our knowledge ?!' these events is derived almost wholly from one, or other, or both, of tha two rival orators, in their speeches delivered four or five years afterwards, on the trial De Falsii Legatione. Demosthenes seeks to prove that before the embassy to Macedonia, in which he and JEschines were jointly con- cerned, JEschines was eager for continued war against Philip, and only be- came the partisan of Philip during and after the embassy. JEschines docs not deny that he made efforts at that juncture to get up more effective war against Philip ; nor is the fact at all dishonorable to him. On the other hand, he seeks to prove against Demosthenes, that he (Demosthenes) was at that time both a partisan of peace with Philip, and a friend of Philokrates to whcm he afterwards became so bitterly opposed. For this purpose JEs chines adverts to the motion of Philokrates about permitting Philip to send envoys to Athens and the speech of Demosthenes in the Dikastery in fa vor of Philokrates. It would prove nothing discreditable to Demosthenes if both these alle- gations were held to be correct. The motion of Philokrates was altogether indefinite, pledging Athens to nothing ; and Demosthenes might well think t unreasonable to impeach a statesman for such a motion.