Many critics, ancient and modern, have regarded this as the greatest of
all Demosthenes' political orations. The lessons of history (from the
speaker's point of view) are repeated and enforced by the citation of
instance after instance. The tone of the speech, while less varied than
that of the last, is grave and intense. The passage (Sec.Sec. 36 ff.) in which
the orator contrasts the spirit of Athenian political life in the past
with that of his own day is one of the most impressive in all his works,
and the nobility of his appeal to the traditional ideals of Athenian
policy has been universally recognized even by his most severe critics.

The speech is found in the MSS. in two forms, of which the shorter omits a
number of passages[1] which the longer includes, though there are signs of
an imperfect blending of the two versions in certain places. It seems
probable that both versions are due to Demosthenes, and the speech may
have been more than once revised by him before publication or
republication. In which form it was delivered there is not sufficient
evidence to show.]


{1} Many speeches are made, men of Athens, at almost every meeting of the
Assembly, with reference to the aggressions which Philip has been
committing, ever since he concluded the Peace, not only against yourselves
but against all other peoples; and I am sure that all would agree, however
little they may act on their belief, that our aim, both in speech and in
action, should be to cause him to cease from his insolence and to pay the
penalty for it. And yet I see that in fact the treacherous sacrifice of
our interests has gone on, until what seems an ill-omened saying may, I
fear, be really true--that if all who came forward desired to propose, and
you desired to carry, the measures which would make your position as