Source edition
Aristides. Vol. 1. Dindorf, Wilhelm, editor. Leipzig: Reimer, 1829.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is a persuasive oration delivered by Athenian envoys to the Thebans, urging them to form an alliance against the rising threat of Philip II of Macedon. The speaker begins by warning the Thebans against short-term gains, citing the tragic fate of Olynthus as a historical precedent of how Philip's deceptive support leads to ultimate ruin. He then argues that Philip’s true objective is the subjugation of both Athens and Thebes, exposing the self-contradictions in the Macedonian envoys' arguments. Emphasizing that conflicts among Greeks are akin to civil war compared to the threat of external barbarians, the envoy highlights the historical and mythical bonds between Athens and Thebes. Finally, criticizing the apathy of other Greek city-states, he implores the Thebans to reclaim their honor and preserve their freedom from catastrophic enslavement by standing together with Athens in a grand alliance.