seem very far removed. And you must be sensible that whatever
wrong the Greeks sustained from Lacedaemonians or from us was at least
inflicted by genuine people of Greece; and it might be felt in the same
manner as if a lawful son, born to a large fortune, committed some fault
or error in the management of it; on that ground one would consider him
open to censure and reproach, yet it could not be said that he was an
alien, and not heir to the property which he so dealt with. But if a
slave or a spurious child wasted and spoiled what he had no interest
in--Heavens! how much more heinous and hateful would all have pronounced
it! And yet in regard to Philip and his conduct they feel not this,
although he is not only no Greek and no way akin to Greeks, but not even
a barbarian of a place honorable to mention; in fact, a vile fellow of
Macedon, from which a respectable slave could not be purchased formerly.

What is wanting to make his insolence complete? Besides his destruction
of Grecian cities, does he not hold the Pythian games, the common
festival of Greece, and if he comes not himself, send his vassals to
preside? Is he not master of Thermopylae and the passes into Greece, and
holds he not those places by garrisons and mercenaries? Has he not
thrust aside Thessalians, ourselves, Dorians, the whole Amphictyonic
body, and got pre-audience of the oracle, to which even the Greeks do
not all pretend? Yet the Greeks endure to see all this; methinks they
view it as they would a hailstorm, each praying that it may not fall on
himself, none trying to prevent it. And not only are the outrages which
he does to Greece submitted to, but even the private wrongs of every
people: nothing can go beyond this! Still under these indignities we are
all slack and disheartened, and look towards our neighbors, distrusting
one another instead of the common enemy. And how think ye a man who
behaves so insolently to all, how will he act when he gets each
separately under his control?

But what has caused the mischief? There must be some cause, some good
reason why the Greeks were so eager for liberty then, and now are eager
for servitude. There was something, men of Athens, something in the
hearts of the multitude then which there is not now, which overcame the
wealth of Persia and maintained the freedom of Greece, and quailed not
under any battle by land or sea; the loss whereof has ruined all, and
thrown the affairs of Greece into confusion.