Affairs of GREECE during the second Period of the Sacred War, when MACEDONIA was implicated

SECTION I

New Views of the War-party in Athens. Trespass on the Delphian Treasury, Methonë taken by Philip. Invasion of Thessaly by the Phocians, assisted by Athens, opposed by Macedonia: Victory of Onomarchus and Distress of Philip: Death of Onomarchus, and liberal use of Victory by Philip

The conquest of the rich territory of the Chersonese, and the reduction of the once formidable monarchy of Thrace to receive law from the Athenian people, were, with whatever uncreditable circumstances accompanied, great and splendid advantages, balancing, in no small degree, the losses in the wars with the allies and with Macedonia, and powerfully promoting among the Athenian people the credit of the party which had put them forward. But the Macedonian war remained, and the Phocian war; in the former of which Athens was a principal party, and in the other had a deep interest. The difficulties and dangers hence arising, one party in Athens, had they power, would easily have obviated. By negotiation with Macedonia, for which its king at every opportunity showed himself ready, they would have made peace for the republic, and by a sincere union with Lacedæmon, for settling the affairs of Phocis, they would have given quiet to distracted Greece. But neither measure suited the professors of war and trouble. The maintenance of the sacred war they considered as especially favorable to their views; and, from the circumstances of Phocis and of Thessaly, their ingenuity drew means for making others fight their battles.

Affairs of ATHENS and MACEDONIA, from the Renewal of Hostility between them, to the End of the War between the ATHENIANS and their Allies, called the Confederate or Social War

SECTION I

Alliance, of Macedonia with Olynthus against Athens. Negotiation between Athens, Macedonia and Olynthus. Hostilities prosecuted. Successes of the Allies

In all Grecian history there is scarcely any period more interesting than that with which we are now ingaged, and for that interesting period we are almost without an antient historian. The Sicilian annalist, Diodorus, fuller on the concerns of his native iland, assists, for the general history of Greece, principally by the ground he affords for connection and arrangement of materials given by others, especially the orators, but even for this he often fails. Occasional assistance we gain from Plutarch, but the orators furnish incomparably the richest mine. The testimony of an orator however must be received with much caution. For facts indeed, of general notoriety among those before whom he spoke, his first object, persuasion, would generally forbid gross falshood. But, whatever he might venture to disguise would receive a coloring from the purpose of his argument: where he might venture to feign, even fiction may be suspected. Toward ascertaining truth, adverse orators, in the scanty opportunities offering, should be compared; the course of events, the character of the times, the characters of parties, the character of the orator himself, his purpose in the moment, and the opportunity for answering him, should be considered.

Affairs of GREECE, from the Election of PHILIP King of MACEDONIA to be General of the AMPHICTYONS, till his Death

SECTION I

Extraordinary Policy of Demosthenes. Confederacy of Grecian States under the Influence of the Athenian War-party. Hostilities against Macedonia, without declared War. Requisition of Forces for the new Sacred, or Amphissian War. Conclusion of the new Sacred War

The election of the king of Macedonia to the office of general of the Amphictyons, making him the constitutional head of a great confederacy of Grecian republics, almost in the moment of failure of the avowed project of the Athenian war party for a great confederacy against him and his Grecian allies, again placed that party in circumstances most discouraging. Opportunity thus was so opened for establishing the prevalence of the peaceful, and for consolidating that friendly connection, of Athens especially, but of all Greece, with Maoedonia, which the peaceful party, as the writings of Isocrates show, earnestly desired, that ground of hope for the war-party again to obtain the lead might seem hardly discernible. But as quicksightedness, dexterity, and boldness were never yet so wanted in the cause, so never beforewere they equally shown. The very conception of the ideä, which Demosthenes next carried into practice, appears extraordinary.