d Demosthenes,
"now I hear the voice of one that has been injured and beaten." Of so
great consequence towards the gaining of belief did he esteem the tone
and action of the speaker. When a thief, who had the nickname of the
Brazen, was attempting to upbraid him for sitting up late, and writing
by candlelight, "I know very well," said he, "that you had rather
have all lights out; and wonder not, O ye men of Athens, at the many
robberies which are committed, since we have thieves of brass and walls
of clay."

His first entering into public business was about the time of
the Phocian war. But the object which he chose for himself in the
commonwealth was noble and just, the defence of the Greek against
Philip; and in this he behaved himself so worthily that he soon grew
famous, and excited attention everywhere for his eloquence and courage
in speaking. He was admired through all Greece, the king of Persia
courted him, and by Philip himself he was more esteemed than all the
other orators. His very enemies were forced to confess that they had to
do with a man of mark; for such a character even Aeschines and Hyperides
give him, where they accuse and speak against him.

Demosthenes would never turn aside or prevaricate, either in word or
deed. Panaetius, the philosopher, said, that most of his orations were
written, as if they were to prove this one conclusion: that only what is
honest and virtuous is to be chosen; as that of the Crown, that against
Aristocrates, that for the Immunities, and the Philippics; in all which
he persuades his fellow-citizens to pursue not that which seems most
pleasant, easy, or profitable; but declares over and over again,
that they ought in the first place to prefer that which is just and
honorable, before their own safety and preservation.

Excepting only Phocion, he far surpassed, even in his life and manners,
the other orators of his time. None of them addressed the people so
boldly; he attacked the faults, and opposed himself to the unreasonable
desires of the multitude, as may be seen in his orations. Theopompus
writes, that the Athenians having by name selected Demosthenes, and
called upon him to accuse a certain person, he refused to do it; upon
which the assembly being all in an uproar, he rose up and said, "Your
counselor, whether you will or no, O ye men of Athens, you shall always
have me; but a sycophant or false accuser, I shall never be." And his
conduct in the case of Antiphon was