Source edition
Demosthenes. Orationes, Vol. I. Butcher, S. H., editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1903.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is a political oration delivered by the Athenian statesman and orator Demosthenes to the citizens of Athens, urging them to take action against the growing threat of King Philip II of Macedon. Demosthenes argues that Philip's rapid rise to power is primarily due to Athenian negligence rather than Philip's own strength, and he calls for immediate military intervention. He exposes the fragility of the Macedonian hegemony, which is built on injustice and deceit, pointing out the instability of Philip's alliances and internal dissent within Macedon. Furthermore, the orator criticizes the apathy of the Athenians, who remain idle while their enemy acts, and appeals to them to recover the courage of their ancestors who once fought for the freedom of Greece. Finally, he attributes past failures to political division and the factionalization of the tax-sharing system (symmoriai), concluding with a powerful plea for all citizens to contribute equally to the war effort and act in unity.