PART SECOND.

ST CHRYSOSTOM ON THE DECEITFULNESS OF WORLDLY

GEANDEUR.

1. HAD I not just reason to set before Eutropius the inconstancy of riches? He now has found, by his own experience, that, like fugitive slaves, they have abandoned him, and are become, in some measure, traitors and murderers, since they are the principal cause of his fall. I often repeated to him that he ought to have a greater regard to my admonitions, how grating soever they might appear, than to the insipid praises which flatterers were perpetually lavishing on him, because, "faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

2. Had I not just reason to address him in this manner? What has become of the crowd of courtiers? They have turned their backs; they have renounced his friendship; and are solely intent upon their own interest and security, even at the expense of his. We submitted to his violence, in the meridian of his fortune, and, now he is fallen, we support him to the utmost of our lower. The church, against which he has warred, opens its bosom to receive him; and the theatres, the eternal object of his favor, which had so often drawn down his indignation upon us, have abandoned and betrayed hira.

3 I do not speak this to insult the misfortunes cf

him who is fallen, nor to open and make wounds smart that are still bleeding; but in order to support those who are standing, and teach them to avoid the like evils. And the only way to avoid these, is to be fully persuaded of the frailty and vanity of worldly grandeurs. To call them a flower, a blade of grass, a smoke, a dream, is not saying enough, since they are even below nothing. Of this we have a very sensible proof before our eyes.

THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST PHILIPPIC OF

DEMOSTHENES.

HAD we been convened, Athenians! on some new subject of debate, I had waited till most of your usual counsellors had declared their opinions. If I had approved of what was proposed by them, I should have continued silent; if not, I should then have attempted to speak my sentiments. But since those very points, on which those speakers have oftentimes been heard already, are at this time to be considered, though I have arisen first, I presume I may expect your pardon; for, if they on former occasions had advised the proper measures, you would not have found it needful to consult at present.

2. First, then, Athenians! however wretched the situation of our affairs at present seems, it must not by any means be thought desperate. What I am now going to advance may possibly appear a paradox; yet it is a certain truth, that our past misfortunes afford a circumstance most favorable to our future hopes. And what is that? even that our present difficulties are owing entirely to our total indolence and utter disregard of our own interest. For were we thus situated, in spite of

every effort which our duty demanded, then indeed we might regard our fortunes as absolutely desperate. But now, Philip hath only conquered your supineness and inactivity; the state he hath not conquered. You cannot be said to be defeated, your force hath never been exerted.

3. If there is a man in this assembly, who thinks that we must find a formidable enemy in Philip, while he views on one hand the numerous armies which surround him, and on the other the weakness of our state, despoiled of so much of its dominions, I cannot deny that he thinks justly. Yet let him reflect on this: there was a time, Athenians! when we possessed Pydna, Potidæa, and Methone, and all that country round; when many of the states now subjected to him were free and independent, and more inclined to our alliance than to his. If Philip, at that time weak in himself and without allies, had desponded of success against you, he would never have engaged in those enterprises which are now crowned with success, nor could have raised himself to that pitch of grandeur at which you now behold him. But he knew well that the strongest places are only prizes laid between the combatants, and ready for the conqueror. He knew that the dominions of the absent devolve naturally to those who are in the field; the possessions of the supine to the active and intrepid. Animated by these sentiments, he overturns whole nations. He either rules universally as a conqueror, or governs as a protector; for mankind naturally seek confederacy with such as they see resolved, and preparing not to be want ing to themselves.

4. If you, my countrymen, will now at length be per suaded to entertain the like sentiments; if each of you be disposed to approve himself a useful citizen, to the utmost that his station and abilities enable him; if the rich will be ready to contribute, and the young to take the field; in one word, if you will be yourselves, and banish those hopes which every single person entertains, that the active part of public business may lie upon others, and he remain at his ease; you may then, by the assistance of the gods, recall those opportunities which your supineness hath neglected, regain your dominions, and chastise the insolence of this man.

5. But when, O my countrymen! will you begin to exert your vigor? Do you wait till roused by some dire event? till forced by some necessity? What, then, are we to think of our present condition? To free men, the disgrace attending on misconduct is, in my opinion, the most urgent necessity. Or say, is it your sole ambition to wander through the .public places, each inquiring of the other, "What new advices?" Can anything be more new, than that a man of Macedon should conquer the Athenians, and give law to Greece? "Is Philip dead?" "No-but he is sick." Pray, what is it to you whether Philip is sick or not? Supposing he should die, you would raise up another Philip, if you continue thus regardless of your interest.

6. Many, I know, delight more in nothing than in circulating all the rumors they hear as articles of intel ligence. Some cry, Philip hath joined with the Iacedemonians, and they are concerting the destruction of Thebes. Others assure us, he hath sent an embassy to

the king of Persia; others, that he is fortifying places in Illyria. Thus we all go about framing our several tales. I do believe, indeed, Athenians! that he is intoxicated with his greatness, and does entertain his imagination with many such visionary projects, as he sees no power rising to oppose him. But I cannot be persuaded that he hath so taken his measures, that the weakest among us (for the weakest they are who spread such rumors) know what he is next to do. Let us disregard their tales. Let us only be persuaded of this, that he is our enemy; that we have long been subject to his insolence; that whatever we expected to have been done for us by others, hath turned against us; that all the resource left us is in ourselves; and that, if we are not inclined to carry our arms abroad, we should be forced to engage him at home. Let us be persuaded of these things, and then we shall come to a proper determination, and be no longer guided by rumors. We need not be solicitous to know what particular events are to happen. We may be well assured that nothing good can happen, unless we give due attention to our affairs, and act as becomes Athenians.

BPEECH OF CA'IUS MA'RIUS TO THE ROMANS; SHOWING

THE ABSURDITY OF THEIR HESITATING TO CONFER ON HIM THE RANK OF GENERAL, MERELY ON ACCOUNT OF HIS EXTRACTION.

Ir is but too common, my countrymen, to observe a material difference between the behavior of those who stand candidates for places of power and trust, before