state in Greece,
and other generals had been elected in Phokion's absence to make war
against him, Phokion, when he returned from his tour among the
islands, advised them to make peace, and come to terms with Philip,
who on his part was quite willing to do so, and feared to go to war.
On this occasion a pettifogging Athenian, who spent all his time in
the law courts, opposed Phokion, and said, "Do you dare, Phokion, to
advise the Athenians to turn back when they have arms already in their
hands?" "Yes, I do," answered he, "and that too although I know that
in time of war I shall be your master, and in time of peace you will
be mine." As Phokion did not succeed, but Demosthenes carried his
point, and counselled the Athenians to fight as far as possible from
Attica, he said to him: "My good sir, let us not consider where we are
to fight, but how we can win the victory. If we are victorious, the
war will be kept at a distance, but all the horrors of war always
press closely upon the vanquished." After the defeat,[629] the noisy
revolutionary party dragged Charidemus to the tribune, and bade him
act as general. All the more respectable citizens were much alarmed at
this. They appealed to the council of the Areopagus to aid them,
addressed the people with tears and entreaties, and prevailed upon
them to place the city under the charge of Phokion. Phokion now
considered it necessary to submit with a good grace to the pleasure of
Philip, and when Demades moved that Athens should share the general
peace and take part in the congress of the Greek states, Phokion
objected to the motion before it was known what Philip wished the
Greeks to do. His opposition was fruitless, because of the critical
state of affairs; but when afterwards he saw the Athenians bitterly
repenting of what they had done, because they were obliged to furnish
Philip with ships of war and cavalry, he said: "It was because I
feared this that I opposed the motion of Demades: but now that you
have passed that motion you must not be grieved and downcast, but
remember that your ancestors were sometimes independent and sometimes
subject to others, but that they acted honourably in either case, and
saved both their city and the whole of Greece." On the death of Philip
he opposed the wish of the Athenians to hold a festival[630] because
of the good news: for he said that it was an unworthy thing for them
to rejoice, because the army which had defeated them at Chaerone