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 by the Athenian orator Demosthenes, in which he cautions the citizens of Athens against a premature war with the Persian King and urges them to prioritize their own military preparedness. Demosthenes argues that hasty action would hinder solidarity with other Greek states and instead proposes a highly practical plan to modernize the Athenian navy by expanding and reformulating the "Navy Boards" (symmoriai). In the core of the speech, he presents a detailed plan of fiscal and military reform, systematically allocating three hundred triremes and tax evaluations into twenty tax districts. He dismisses exaggerated fears of the Persian King's wealth, asserting that in times of actual crisis, the citizens of Athens will willingly contribute their own resources and stand united. Ultimately, he concludes by emphasizing Athens' role as a mediator in the Greek world, urging the assembly to maintain a strong defensive posture and avoid unnecessary preemptive strikes.