against them, at the solicitation of the Thebans, by which they had heen also condemned to pay a fine, for having seized upon the citadel of Thebes by fraud and violence. Archidamas, one of the kings of Sparta, gave Philomelus a handsome reception. This monarch, however, did not yet dare to declare openly in favour of the Phocæans, but promised to assist him with money, and to furnish him secretly with troops, as he accordingly did.

Philomelus, on his return home, raised soldiers, and begins by attacking the temple of Delphi, of which he possessed himself without any great difficulty, the inhabitants of the country making but a weak resistance. The Locrians, a people in the neighbourhood of Delphi, took arms against him, but were defeated in several rencounters. Philomelus, encouraged by these first successes, increased his troops daily, and put himself in a condition to carry on his enterprise with vigour. Accordingly he enters the temple, tears from the pillars the decree of the Amphictyons against the Phocæans, publishes all over the country that he has no design to seize the riches of the temple, and that his sole view is to restore to the Phocæans their ancient rights and privileges. It was necessary for him to have a sanction from the god who presided at Delphi, and to receive such an answer from the oracle as might be favourable to him. The priestess at first refused to co-operate on this occasion; but, being terrified by his menaces, she answered, that the god permitted him to do whatever he should think proper; a circumstance which he took care to publish to all the neighbouring nations.

A. M. 3650.

The affair was now become serious. The AmphicAnt. J. C. 354. tyons meeting a second time, a resolution was formed o declare war against the Phocæans. Most of the Grecian nations engaged in this quarrel, and sided with the one or the other party. The Boeotians, the Locrians, Thessalians, and several other neighbouring people, declared in favour of the god; whilst Sparta, Athens, and some other cities of Peloponnesus, joined with the Phocæans. Philomelus had not yet touched the treasures of the temple; but being afterwards not so scrupulous, he believed that the riches of the god could not be better employed than in the deity's defence (for he gave this specious name to his sacrilegious attempt;) and being enabled, by this fresh supply, to double the pay of his soldiers, he raised a very considerable body of troops.

Several battles were fought, and the success for some time seemed equal on both sides. Every body knows how much religious wars are to be dreaded; and the prodigious lengths to which a false zeal, when veiled with so venerable a name, is apt to go. The Thevans having in a rencounter taken several prisoners, condemned them all to die as sacrilegious wretches, who were excommunicated. The Phocæans did the same by way of reprisa'. The latter had at first gained several advantages; but having been defeated in a great battie, Philomelus their leader, being closely attacked upon an eminence from which there was no retreating, defended himself for a

long time with invincible bravery, which, however, not availing, he threw himself headlong from a rock, in order to avoid the torments which he had reason to dread, if he should fall alive into the hands of his enemies. Onomarchus his brother was his successor, and took upon him the command of the forces.

A. M. 3651.

This new general had soon levied a fresh army, the Ant J. C. 353. advantageous pay he offered procuring him soldiers from all sides. He also by dint of money brought over several chiefs of the other party, and prevailed upon them either to retire, or to act with remissness, by which he gained great advantages.

In this general movement of the Greeks, who had taken up arms in favour either of the Phocæans or of the Thebans, Philip thought it most consistent with his interest to remain neuter. It was consistent with the policy of this ambitious prince, who had little regard for religion or the interest of Apollo, but was always intent upon his own, not to engage in a war by which he could not reap the least benefit; and to take advantage of a juncture, in which all Greece, employed and divided by a great war, gave him an opportunity to extend his frontiers, and push his conquests without any apprehension of opposition. He was also well pleased to see both parties weaken and consume each other, as he should thereby be enabled to fall upon them afterwards with greater ease and advantage.

A. M. 3651.

Being desirous of subjecting Thrace,* and of securing Ant. J. C. 353. the conquests he had already made in it, he determined to possess himself of Methone, a small city, incapable of supporting itself by its own strength, but which gave him disquiet, and obstructed his designs, whenever it was in the hands of his enemies. Accordingly he besieged that city, made himself master of it, and rased it. It was before this city that he lost one of his eyes, by a very singular accident.† Aster of Amphipolis had offered his service to Philip as so excellent a marksman, that he could bring down birds in their most rapid flight. The monarch made this answer, Well, I will take you into my service when I make war upon starlings; which answer stung the cross-bowman to the quick. A repartee proves often of fatal consequence to him who makes it; and it is no small merit to know when to hold one's tongue. Aster having thrown himself into the city, he let fly an arrow, on which was written, To Philip's right eye, and gave him a most cruel proof that he was a good marksman; for he hit him in his right eye. Philip sent him back the same arrow, with this inscription, If Philip takes the city he will hang up Aster; and accordingly he was as good as his word.

A skilful surgeon drew the arrow out of Philip's eye with so much art and dexterity.‡ that not the least scar remained; and though he could not save his eye, he yet took away the blemish. But never

• Diod p 434

↑ Suidas in Kagar.

Plin. l. vii. c. 37

theless this monarch was so weak,* as to be angry whenever any person happened to let slip the word Cyclops, or even the word eye, in his presence. Men, however, seldom blush for an honourable imperfection. A Lacedæmonian woman thought more like a man, when, to console her son for a glorious wound that had lamed him, she said, Now, son, every step you take will put you in mind of your valour.

After the taking of Methone,f Philip, ever studious either to weaken his enemies by new conquests, or gain new friends by doing them some important service, marched into Thessaly, which had implored his assistance against the tyrants. The liberty of that country seemed now secure, since Alexander of Phere was no more. Nevertheless, the brothers of his wife Thebé, who, in concert with her, had nurdered him, grown weary of having for some time acted the part of deliverers, revived his tyranny, and oppressed the Thessalians with a new yoke. Lycophron, the eldest of the three brothers, who succeeded Alexander, had strengthened himself by the protection of the Phocæans. Onomarchus, their leader, brought him a numerous body of forces, and at first gained a considerable advantage over Philip; but engaging him a second time, he was entirely defeated, and his army routed. The flying troops were pursued to the sea-shore. Upwards of 6000 men were killed on the spot, among whom was Onomarchus, whose body was hung upon a gallows; and 3000 who were taken prisoners, were thrown into the sea by Philip's order, as so many sacrilegious wretches, the professed enemies of religion. Lycophron delivered up the city of Pheræ, and restored Thessaly to its liberty by abandoning it. By the happy success of this expedition, Philip acquired for ever the affecion of the Thessalians, whose excellent cavalry, joined to the MaceMonian phalanx, had afterwards so great a share in his victories and those of his son.

Phayllus, who succeeded his brother Onomarchus, finding the same resources as he had done, in the immense riches of the temple, raised a numerous army; and, supported by the troops of the Lacedæmonians, Athenians, and other allies, whom he paid very largely, went into Boeotia, and invaded the Thebans. For a long time success and defeat were nearly equal on both sides; but at last Phayllus being attacked with a sudden and violent distemper, after suffering the most cruel torments, ended his life in a manner worthy of his impieties and sacrilegious actions. Phalecus, then very young, the son of Onomarchus, was placed in his room; and Mnaseas, a man of great experience, and strongly attached to his family, was appointed his counsellor.

The new leader, treading in the steps of his predecessors, plundered the temple as they had done, and enriched a'i his friends. At last the Phocæans opened their eyes, and appointed commissioners to call those to account who had any concern in the public moneys

Demet. Phaler. de Elocu. c, iii.

↑ Diod. p. 432-435.

A. M. 3652.

Upon this, Phalecus was deposed; and, after an exact inquiry, it was found, that from the beginning of the war there had been taken out of the temple upwards of 10,000 talents; that is, about 1,500,000l. Philip, after having freed the Thessalians, resolved to Ant. J. C. 352. carry his arms into Phocis. This is his first attempt to get footing in Greece, and to have a share in the general affairs of the Greeks, from which the kings of Macedon had always been excluded as foreigners. With this view, upon pretence of going over into Phocis, in order to punish the sacrilegious Phocæans, he marches towards Thermopyla, to possess himself of a pass which gave him a free passage into Greece, and especially into Attica. The Athenians, upon hearing of a march which might prove of the most fatal consequence to them, hasted to Thermopylæ, and possessed themselves very seasonably of this important pass, which Philip did not dare attempt to force; so that he was obliged to return back into Macedonia.

SECTION III.

Demosthenes, upon Philip's attempt on Thermopyla, harangues the Athenians, and ani mates them against that prince. Little regard is paid to his advice. Olynthus, upon the point of being besieged by Philip, addresses the Athenians for succour. Demosthenes endeavours by his orations to rouse them from their lethargy. They send but a very weak succour, and Philip at length takes the place.

As we shall soon see Philip engaged against the Athenians, and as they, by the strong exhortations and prudent counsels of Demosthenes, will become his greatest enemies, and the most powerful opposers of his ambitious designs, it may not be improper, before we enter upon that part of the history, to give a short account of the state of Athens, and of the disposition of the citizens at that time.

We must not form a judgment of the character of the Athenians, in the age of which we are now speaking, from that of their ancestors, in the time of the battles of Marathon and of Salamis, from whose virtue they had extremely degenerated. They were no longer the same men, and had no longer the same maxims nor the same manners. They no longer discovered the same zeal for the public good, the same application to the affairs of the state, the same courage in enduring the fatigues of war by sea and land, the same care in managing the revenues, the same willingness to receive salutary advice, the same discernment in the choice of generals of the armies, and of the magistrates to whom they intrusted the administration of the state. To these happy, these glorious dispositions, had succeeded a fondness for repose, and an indolence with regard to public affairs; an aversio.. for military labours, which they now left entirely to mercenary troops; and a profusion of the public treasures in games and shows; a love for the flattery which their orators lavished upon them; and an unhappy facility in conferring public offices by intrigue and cabal: al' the usual forerunners of the approaching

ruin of states. Such was the situation of Athens at the time when the king of Macedon began to turn his arms against Greece.

A. M. 3652.

We have seen that Philip, after various conquests Ant. J. C. 352. had attempted to advance as far as Phocis, but in vain; because the Athenians, justly alarmed at the impending danger, had stopped him at the pass of Thermopyla. Demosthenes,* taking advantage of so favourable a disposition, mounted the tribunal, in order to set before them a lively image of the impending danger with which they were menaced by the boundless ambition of Philip, and to convince them of the absolute necessity they were under, from hence, to apply the most speedy remedies. Now, as the success of his arms and the rapidity of his progress spread throughout Athens a kind of terror, bordering very near upon despair, the ora tor, by a wonderful artifice, first endeavours to revive their courage, and ascribes their calamities solely to their sloth and indolence. For, if they hitherto had acquitted themselves of their duty, and that in spite of their activity and their utmost efforts Philip had prevailed over them, they then indeed would not have the least resource or hope left. But in this oration, and all those which follow, Demosthenes insists strongly, that the aggrandizement of Philip is wholly owing to the supineness of the Athenians; and that it is this supioness which makes him bold, daring, and swells him with such a spirit of haughtiness, as even dares to insult the Athenians.

See, says Demosthenes to them, speaking of Philip, to what a height the arrogance of that man rises, who will not suffer you to choose either action or repose; but employs menaces, and, as fame says, speaks in the most insolent terms; and not contented with his first conquests, which are incapable of satiating his lust of dominion, engages every day in some new enterprise. Possibly you wait till necessity reduces you to act. Can there be a greater to freeborn men thun shame and infamy? Will you then for ever walk in the public squares with this question in your mout.is, 'What news is there? Can there be greater news, than that a Macedonian has vanquished the Athenians, and made himself the supreme arbiter of Greece? Philip is dead,' says one; 'No,' replies another, he is only sick.' (His being wounded at Methrone had occasioned all these reports.) But whether he be sick or dead is nothing to the purpose, O Athenians! for the moment after Heaven had delivered you from him (should you still behave as you now do,) you would rise up another Philip against yourselves; since the man in question owes his grandeur infinitely more to your indolence, than to his own strength.

6

But Demosthenes, not satisfied with bare remonstrances, or with giving his opinion in general terms, proposed a plan, the execution of which he believed would check the attemp of Philip. In the first place, he advises the Athenians to fit cut a fleet of fifty galleys, and to resolve firmly to man them themselves. He requires them

• Demosth 1 Philip.