File:The story of the greatest nations, from the dawn of history to the twentieth century - a comprehensive history, founded upon the leading authorities, including a complete chronology of the world, and (14762988234).jpg

Identifier: storyofgreatestn02elli (find matches)
Title: The story of the greatest nations, from the dawn of history to the twentieth century : a comprehensive history, founded upon the leading authorities, including a complete chronology of the world, and a pronouncing vocabulary of each nation
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Ellis, Edward Sylvester, 1840-1916 Horne, Charles F. (Charles Francis), 1870-1942
Subjects: World history
Publisher: New York : F.R. Niglutsch
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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Olynthus was the head of thirty-two towns, and, when in B.C. 350 Philip cap
tured one of them in Chalcidice, Olynthus awoke to its danger and sent envoys
to Athens to beg for help. It was on this occasion that Demosthenes delivered
his three Olynthiac orations, in which with burning eloquence he urged an
alliance with Olynthus. He was opposed by the dry, cynical, but pure and dis-
interested statesman Phocion, whom Demosthenes feared more than any other
man. His opposition so crippled the efforts of the Athenians that Philip cap-
tured town after town of the confederacy, and finally (B.C. 347) secured Olynthus
itself, razed it to the ground and sold the inhabitants into slavery. This made
Philip master of the whole of the Chalcidian peninsula.
No one could now fail to see the peril of Athens. The freedom of the
Greek towns on the Hellespont was threatened and the possessions in the
Chersonese were in danger. Demosthenes turned his efforts to persuading his
countrymen to form an alliance among the Grecian states, to check the over-
shadowing power that threatened the liberty of all. Many of the politicians
Text Appearing After Image:


THE SEARCH OF DIOGENES

Greece—The Philippics of Demosthenes 239

who had formerly opposed him arrayed themselves on his side, but their efforts
came to nothing.
The attention of the Athenians was next turned toward a reconciliation
with Thebes, where the progress of the Sacred War seemed favorable to the
plan, for Thebes was weary of the exhausting struggle. The shrewd Philip
saw his danger, and in the summer of B.C. 347 made several overtures to the
Athenians, which were received with suspicion by some, and with favor by
others. It was decided to send ten ambassadors to Philip's court, among
whom was Demosthenes. This was one of the occasions when the Macedonian
used gold and lavish hospitality with effect. The peerless orator was incorrup-
tible, but it was not so with his companions, enough of whom yielded to the
blandishments of Philip to render the whole scheme a dismal failure. Subse-
quent attempts were brought to naught, and in the end Philip conquered all
Phocis, occupied Delphi, and assembled the Amphictyons to pronounce sen-
tence upon those that had taken part in the sacrilege committed there.

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