_Aristides_.--Did not you tell me, Demosthenes, when you began to speak
upon this subject, that you brought into the field of Chaeronea an army
equal to Philip's?

_Demosthenes_.--I did, and believe that Phocion will not contradict me.

_Aristides_.--But, though equal in number, it was, perhaps, much inferior
to the Macedonians in valour and military discipline.

_Demosthenes_.--The courage shown by our army excited the admiration of
Philip himself, and their discipline was inferior to none in Greece.

_Aristides_.--What then occasioned their defeat?

_Demosthenes_.--The bad conduct of their generals.

_Aristides_.--Why was the command not given to Phocion, whose abilities
had been proved on so many other occasions? Was it offered to him, and
did he refuse to accept it? You are silent, Demosthenes. I understand
your silence. You are unwilling to tell me that, having the power, by
your influence over the people, to confer the command on what Athenian
you pleased, you were induced, by the spirit of party, to lay aside a
great general who had been always successful, who had the chief
confidence of your troops and of your allies, in order to give it to men
zealous indeed for your measures and full of military ardour, but of
little capacity or experience in the conduct of a war. You cannot plead
that, if Phocion had led your troops against Philip, there was any danger
of his basely betraying his trust. Phocion could not be a traitor. You
had seen him serve the Republic and conquer for it in wars, the
undertaking of which he had strenuously opposed, in wars with Philip. How
could you then be so negligent of the safety of your country as not to
employ him in this, the most dangerous of all she ever had waged? If
Chares and Lysicles, the two generals you chose to conduct it, had
commanded the Grecian forces at Marathon and Plataea we should have lost
those battles. All the men whom you sent to fight the Macedonians under
such leaders were victims to the animosity between you and Phocion, which
made you deprive them of the necessary benefit of his wise direction.
This I think the worst blemish of your administration. In other parts of
your conduct I not only acquit but greatly applaud and admire you. With
the sagacity of a most consummate statesman you penetrated the deepest
designs of Philip, you saw all the dangers which threatened Greece from
that quarter while they were yet at a distance, you exhorted you