Philip entirely destroyed Olynthus and thirty-two other
towns, sold their inhabitantsinto slavery, brought the
whole of Chalcidice within the Macedonian Empire, and
celebrated his conquests by a festival in honour of the
Olympian Zeus at Dium.
...................................................
It may be that many of the Hellenes would be glad to
serve under him against Egypt,[n] againstOrontas,[n]
or against certain other foreign powers--not from a
wish that the king should conquer any such enemies,
but because each desires individually to obtain some
private means to relieve his present poverty.
But I cannot believe that any Hellene would march
against Hellas. Whither will he turn afterwards?
Will he go to Phrygia and be a slave?
....................................................
And indeed it is not even to the king's own interest
to conquer the Hellenes with a mercenary force;
for an army which has conquered us is, even more
certainly,[n] stronger than he; and his intention
is not to destroy us only that he may fall into the
power of others: he wishes to rule, if it may be, over
all the world; but if not, at least over those who
are already his slaves.
....................................................
For the Olynthians know well that they are not fighting
now for honour and glory, nor for a strip of territory,
but to avert the devastation and enslavement of their
country.
.....................................................
Surely it is not like sober or high-minded men to submit
light-heartedly to the reproach which must follow upon
any shortcomings in the operations of the war through want
of funds--to seize your weapons and march against Corinthians
and Megareans,[n] and then to allow Philip to enslave
Hellenic cities, because you cannot find rations for your
troops.
.....................................................
Who was it that persuaded you to send embassies almost as
far as the Red Sea, on the ground that Philip was plotting
against Hellas, and that it was for you to foresee this and
not to sacrifice the interests of the Hellenes?
Was it not Eubulus who proposed the decree, while the
ambassador to the Peloponnese was the defendant Aeschines?
What expressions he used in his address to the people, after
he arrived there, is best known to himself: but I know you
all remember what he reported to you. {305} Many a time
in the course of his speech he called Philip 'barbarian'
and 'devil';
.........................................................
and Macedonians, foreigners, men who never were Amphictyons
in the past, are now forcing their way to recognition;
taken from:
PHILIPPIC
