not to make these sacrifices, that they accuse, and say that _they_ will
be the cause of the war? I will inform you. {57} It is because[n] they
wish to divert the anger which you are likely to show, if you suffer at
all from the war, on to the heads of those who are giving you the best
advice in your own interests. They want you to sit and try such persons,
instead of resisting Philip; and they themselves are to be the
prosecutors, instead of paying the penalty for their present actions. That
is the meaning of their assertion that there are some here, forsooth, who
want to bring about war. {58} That is the real point of these allegations
of responsibility. But this I know beyond all doubt--that without waiting
for any one in Athens to propose the declaration of war, Philip has not
only taken many other possessions of ours, but has just now sent an
expedition to Cardia. If, in spite of this, we wish to pretend that he is
not making war on us, he would be the most senseless man living, were he
to attempt to convince us of our error. {59} But what shall we say, when
his attack is made directly upon ourselves? He of course will say that he
is not at war with us--just as he was not at war with Oreus,[n] when his
soldiers were in the land; nor with the Pheraeans,[n] before that, when he
was assaulting their walls; nor with the Olynthians, first of all, until
he and his army were actually within their territory. Or shall we still
say that those who urge resistance are bringing about war? If so, all that
is left to us is slavery. If we may neither offer resistance, nor yet be
suffered to remain at peace, no other compromise[n] is possible. {60} And
further, the issues at stake are not for you merely what they are for
other states. What Philip desires is not your subjection, but your utter
annihilation. For he knows full well that you will never consent to be his
slaves, and that even if you were willing, you would not know the way,
accustomed as you are to govern; and he knows that you will be able to
give him more trouble, if you get the opportunity, than all the rest of
the world. {61} The struggle, then, is a struggle for existence; and as