Page:The story of Greece told to boys and girls.djvu/359

 the roar of the waves. He also recited speeches while he was out of breath from running up some steep hill, and at home he would stand before a large mirror to watch his gestures and the expression of his face.

And his hard work and perseverance were rewarded, for Demosthenes became what he most desired to be, the greatest orator of Athens. His enemies learned to fear his speeches, his friends to count upon them to aid their cause.

Demosthenes was thirty-three years of age when he made his first speech against Philip of Macedon, who now, in 356, invaded Greece.

The king would gladly have made an alliance with the Athenians and gained their goodwill. But they, wishing to recover Amphipolis, which he had taken from them, refused to make peace.

Demosthenes lost no opportunity to speak against Philip. He reminded his countrymen that the king was 'not the man to rest' content with that he has subdued, but is always adding to his conquests, and casts his snare around us while we sit at home postponing.' In another speech he told the Athenians that they chose their captains, 'not to fight, but to be displayed like dolls in the market-place.'

These and other speeches against the king of Macedon were called 'The Philippics' of Demosthenes, and still to-day, if some one makes a speech against a special person, although his name is not Philip, we call the speech a 'Philippic.'