198 GREECE sonesus. It was at this time that Demosthe- nes, penetrating the ambitious designs of Phil- ip, came forward as his opponent; but little was done to check a danger which seemed so distant and uncertain, notwithstanding the orator's vehement appeals. In 350 Olynthus, alarmed at the encroachments of Philip, sent envoys to Athens to demand assistance; and their demand was supported by Demosthenes, in the three Olynthiac orations ; but a strong party headed by Phocion opposed him. Philip prosecuted his schemes almost uninterruptedly until Olynthus fell into his power (347), be- trayed by two of the leading citizens, Lasthe- nes and Euthycrates, and the Chalcidian pen- insula became subject to Macedon. Demosthe- nes now put forth strenuous efforts to organize a confederacy of the Grecian states, but with- out success. Overtures were then made for rec- onciliation with Thebes, to which the sacred war had become burdensome and exhausting ; and Philip, observing this tendency of things, and unwilling that such a combination of pow- erful states should take place, made advances to Athens. Ambassadors were despatched to Philip, among whom were Philocrates, the au- thor of the measure, Demosthenes and ^Eschi- nes, the orators, and Aristodemus, the actor. Some of the ambassadors were gained over to Philip's interest by bribery, as was charged by Demosthenes; and Philip immediately sent envoys to Athens, who arranged a treaty. A second embassy was sent from Athens to re- ceive from Philip the oath of ratification, with instructions to proceed at once to him wherever he might be. Instead of this, they went to Pella, and remained there until his re- turn from Thrace, where he was engaged in an expedition against Kersobleptes, an ally of the Athenians. The treaty was finally ratified at Pherre, after nearly three months' delay; but the Phocians were excluded, and Philip immediately passed the defile of Thermopylae, and all the towns of Phocis at once surren- dered. Philip then proceeded to Delphi, and called an assembly of amphictyonic deputies, who decreed that all the Phocian cities except Aba should be destroyed, and that they should repay by yearly instalments the treasures they had plundered from the temple, estimated at 10,000 talents, or about $10,000,000. The two votes formerly held by the Phocians in the amphictyonic council were transferred to the king of Macedon; Sparta was deprived of her rights there; and Philip was to share with the Thebans and Thessalians the % right of pre- siding at the Pythian games. These events occurred in 846. Macedon was now the lead- ing power in Greece. Philip commenced a se- ries of intrigues in the Peloponnesus, which Demosthenes endeavored to counteract by his personal presence, but with no result. Philip now began his preparations for an attack on the Persian empire, which he had probably long meditated, by inarching against Thrace
- uid menacing the Athenian possessions
in the Chersonesus, which brought his forces into conflict with Diopithes, who, not limiting himself to the defensive, invaded the places in Thrace which had submitted to Philip. The Macedonian king complained of these proceed- ings, but Diopithes was defended by Demosthe- nes, and retained in the command. In 341 Philip continued his movements, captured So- lymbria, and attacked Perinthus, but not suc- ceeding in taking it immediately, left a part of his army to continue the siege, and marched upon Byzantium. He addressed a letter to the Athenians, charging them with violating the peace. Demosthenes persuaded them to equip a fleet, which was unfortunately placed under the command of Chares, and the expe- dition was a failure. Phocion was then ap- pointed in his place, and, sailing with 12 tri- remes, forced Philip to raise the siege of Byzan- tium and Perinthus, and to withdraw from the Chersonesus. In 339 the amphictyonic coun- cil declared war against the Amphissian Lo- crians, for encroachments on the sacred lands of the temple at Delphi. Cottyphus was first appointed to the command of the amphicty- onic forces ; but failing^n the object of the ap- pointment, the amphictyons gave the command to Philip. Early in 338 he commenced his march ; but instead of proceeding directly to Amphissa, he seized Elatea, a town in Phocis, which commanded one of the principal ap- proaches to Boeotia and Attica. This move- ment, when known in Athens, produced great excitement and alarm. An assembly was summoned the next morning. Acting under the advice of Demosthenes, an embassy was despatched to Thebes, of which Demosthenes himself was the leading member ; they met ambassadors from Philip, who was anxious to prevent a union between the two cities. The earnest and eloquent representations of Demos- thenes carried the day, and an alliance was made. The united armies of Thebes and Ath- ens took the field, and, after gaining the advan- tage in two skirmishes, fought a decisive battle on the plain of Chaeronea. The fortunes of the day were decided by a charge made by the young Alexander upon the Theban sacred band, which was cut to pieces. The allied army was utterly defeated an event fatal to the independence of Greece. At Athens the greatest consternation prevailed, but vigorous measures were taken to put the city in a state of defence, and Demosthenes was appointed superintendent of the fortifications. Philip showed great moderation toward the Athe- nians, offering them favorable terms of peace, and dismissing their prisoners without ran- som. The Thebans were more severely dealt with ; the exiles were restored, the govern- ment was transferred to them, and a Mace- donian garrison was placed in the Cadmea. Philip called a congress of the states at Cor- inth, at which war was declared against Per- sia, and he was made commander-in-chief. In the autumn he returned to Macedonia to
