Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/408

 382 HISTORY OF GREECE. titution but touching upon no other subject whatever. 1 lia then proceeds to state probably with yet greater satisfaction that Demosthenes, who followed next, becoming terrified and con- fused, utterly broke down, forgot his prepared speech, and was obliged to stop short, in spite of courteous encouragements from Philip. 2 Gross failure, after full preparation, on the part of the greatest orator of ancient or modern times, appears at first hearing so incredible, that we are disposed to treat it as a pure fabrication of his opponent. Yet I incline to believe that the fact was sub- stantially as .ZEschines states it ; and that Demosthenes was par- tially divested of his oratorical powers by finding himself not only speaking before the enemy whom he had so bitterly denounced, but surrounded by all the evidences of Macedonian power, and doubtless exposed to unequivocal marks of well-earned hatred, from those Macedonians who took less pains than Philip to dis- guise their real feelings. 3 Having dismissed the envoys after their harangues, and taken a short time for consideration, Philip recalled them into his pres- ence. He then delivered his reply with his own lips, combating especially the arguments of -ZEschines, and according to that ora- tor, with such pertinence and presence of mind, as to excite the admiration of all the envoys, Demosthenes among the rest. What Philip said, we do not learn from .ZEschines ; who expatiates only on the shuffling, artifice, and false pretences of Demosthenes, to conceal his failure as an orator, and to put himself on a point of advantage above his colleagues. Of these personalities it is impos- sible to say how much is true ; and even were they true, they are scarcely matter of general history. It was about the beginning of March when the envoys returned to Athens. Some were completely fascinated by the hospitable treatment and engaging manners of Philip, 4 especially when en- 1 JEschines, Fals. Leg. p. 31. c. 11. 2 ^Eschines, Fals. Leg. p. 32. c. 13, 14. 3 JEschines, Fals. Leg. p. 32, 33. c. 15. Demosthenes himself says little or nothing about this first embassy, and nothing at all either about his own speech or that of JEschines. 4 JEschines, Fals. Leg. p. 33. c. 17, 18. The effect of the manner and behavior of Philip upon Ktesiphon the envoy, is forcibly stated hero by IE* ihincs.