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fo much prudence as this. However, I fhould not despair of feasonable remedies, had I the art to prevail with you to be unanimous in right meafures. The opportunities which have fo often efcaped us, have not been loft thro' ignorance or want of judgment, but through negli gence or treachery.-If I affume, at this time, more than ordinary liberty of fpeech, I conjure you to fuffer patiently thofe truths which have no other end but your own good. You have too many reafons to be fenfible how much you have fuffered by hearkening to fycophants. I fhall, therefore, be plain in laying before you the grounds of pet mifcarriages, in order to correct you in your future conduct.

You may remember, it is not above three or four years fince we had the news of Philip's laying fiege to the for trefs of Juno in Thrace. It was, as I think, in October, we received this intelligence. We voted an immediate fupply of threefcore talents; forty men of war were ordered to fea; and fo zealous we were, that, preferring the neceffities of ftate to our very laws, our citizens above the age of five-and-forty years were commanded to ferve. What followed-A whole year was spent idly without any thing done; and it was but in the third month of the following year, a little after the celebra tion of the feast of Ceres, that Charedemus fet fail, furnifhed with no more than five talents, and ten galleys not half-manned.

A rumour was fpread, that Philip was fick. That rumour was followed by another, that Philip was dead. And, then, as if all danger died with him, you dropped your preparations whereas, then, then was your time to push and be active; then was your time to fecure yourfelves, and confound him at once. Had your refolutions, taken with fo much heat; been as warmly fe conded by action, you had then been as terrible to Philip, as Philip, recovered, is now to you." To what purpofe, at this time, thefe reflections? What is done, cannot be undone."-But, by your leave, Athenians, though paft moments are not to be recalled, paft errours may be repeated. Have we not, now, a fresh provocation to war? Let the memory of overfights, by which you have fuffered fo much, inftruct you to be more vigi

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lant in the prefent danger. If the Olynthians are not inftantly fuccoured, and with your utmost efforts, you become affiftants to Philip, and ferve him more effectually than he can help himself.

It is not, furely, neceffary to warn you, that votes alone can be of no confequence. Had your refolutions, of themselves, the virtue to compaís what you intend, we fhould not fee them multiply every day, as they do, and upon every occafion, with fo little effect; nor would Philip be in a condition to brave and affront us in this manner. Proceed, then, Athenians, to fupport your deliberations with vigour. You have heads capable of advifing what is beft; you have judgment and experi ence to discern what is right; and you have power and opportunity to execute what you determine. What time fo proper for action? What occafion fo happy? And when can you hope for fuch another, if this be neglected? Has not Philip, contrary to all treaties, infulted you in Thrace? Does he not, at this inftant, straiten and invade your confederates, whom you have folemnly worn to protect? Is he not an implacable enemy? a faithlefs ally? the ufurper of provinces, to which he has no title nor pretence? a ftranger, a barbarian, a tyrant? and, indeed, what is he not?

Obferve, I beseech you, men of Athens, how different your conduct appears, from the practices of your ance tors. They were friends to truth and plain dealing, and detefted flattery and fervile compliance. By unanimous confent, they continued arbiters of all Greece, for the fpace of forty-five years, without interruption: a public fund, of no less than ten thousand talents, was ready for any emergency: they exercifed over the kings of Macedon that authority which is due to barbarians; obtained, both by fea and land, in their own perfons, frequent and fignal victories; and, by their noble exploits, tranf mitted to pofterity an immortal memory of their virtue, fuperiour to the reach of malice and detraction. It is to them we owe that great number of public edifices, by which the city of Athens exceeds all the rest of the world in beauty and magnificence. It is to them we owe so many stately temples, fo richly embellifhed, but, above all, adorned with the fpoils of vanquifhed ene

mies-But, vifit their own private habitations; vifit the houses of Ariftides, Miltiades, or any other of those patriots of antiquity;-you will find nothing, not the leaft mark or ornament, to diftinguish them from their neighbours. They took part in the government, not to enrich themfelves, but the public; they had no scheme or ambition, but for the public; nor knew any interest, but the public. It was by a clofe and fteady application to the general good of their country, by an exemplary piety towards the immortal gods, by a strict faith and religious honefty betwixt man and man, and a moderation always uniform and of a piece, they established that reputation, which remains to this day, and will last to utmoft pofterity.

Such, O men of Athens! were your ancestors: fo glorious in the eye of the world; fo bountiful and munifi cent to their country; fo fparing, fo modeft, so selfdenying to themfelves. What refemblance can we find, in the prefent generation, of these great men? At a time, when your ancient competitors have left you a clear ftage; when the Lacedemonians are difabled; the Thebans employed in troubles of their own; when no other state whatever is in a condition to rival or moleft you; in fhort, when you are at full liberty; when you have the opportunity and the power to become once more the fole arbiters of Greece;-you permit, patiently, whole provinces to be wrefted from you; you lavish the public money in fcandalous and obfcure uses; you fuffer your allies to perifh in time of peace, whom you preferved in time of war; and, to fum up all, you yourfelves, by your mercenary court, and fervile refignation to the will and pleafure of defigning, infidious leaders, abet, encourage, and ftrengthen the most dangerous and formidable of your enemies. Yes, Athenians, I repeat it, you yourselves are the contrivers of your own ruin. Lives there a man who has confidence enough to deny it let him arife, and affign, if he can, any other caufe of the fuccefs and profperity of Philip." But," you reply, "what Athens may have loft in reputation abroad, fhe has gained in fplendour at home. Was there ever a greater appearance of profperity; a greater face of plenty? Is not the city enlarged? Are not the ftreets better

paved, houfes repaired and beautified?"-Away with fuch trifles! Shall I be paid with counters? An old fquare new vamped up! a fountain! an aquedu&t! Are thefe acquifitions to brag of? Caft your eye upon the magiftrate, under whofe miniftry you boaft these precious improvements. Behold the defpicable creature, raifed, all at once, from dirt to opulence; from the loweft obfcurity to the ligheft honours. Have not fome of thefe upftarts built private houses and feats vying with the moft fumptuous of our public palaces? And how have thejr fortunes and their power increased, but as the commonwealth has been ruined and impoverished!

To what are we to impute thefe diforders; and to what caufe affign the decay of a flare to powerful and flourishing ia paft times?-The reafon is plain. The fervant is now become the mafter. The magistrate was then fubfervient to the people; punishments and rewards were properties of the people; all honours, dig nities, and preferments, were difpofed by the voice and favour of the people: but the magiftrate, now, has ufurped the right of the people, and exercifes an arbitrary authority over his ancient and natural lord. You miferable people ! (the meanwhile, without money, without friends) from being the ruler, are become the fervant; from being the mafter, the dependant: happy that thefe governours, into whole hands you have thus refigned your own power, are fo good and fo gracious as to continue your poor allowance to fee plays.

Believe me, Athenians, if, recovering from this lethargy, you would affume the ancient freedom and spiit of your fathers; if you would be your can foldiers and your own commanders, confiding no longer your affairs in foreign or mercenary hands; if you would charge yourfelves with your own defence, employing abroad, for the public, what you wafte in unprofitable pleafures at home; the world might, once more, behold you making a figure worthy of Athenians." You would have us then (you fay) do fervice in our armies, in our own perfons: and, for fo doing, you would have the penfions we receive in time of peace accepted as pay in time of war. Is it thus we are to underfland you?” --Yes, Athenians, 'tis my plain meaning. I would make

it a ftanding rule, that no perfon, great or little, fhould be the better for the public money, who fhould grudge to employ it for the public fervice. Are we in peace? the public is charged with your fubfiftence. Are we in war, or under a neceffity, as at this time, to enter into a war? let your gratitude oblige you to accept, as pay, in defence of your benefactors, what you receive, in peace as mere bounty.Thus, without any innovation; without altering or abolishing any thing, but pernicious novelties, introduced for the encouragement of floth and idleness; by converting only, for the future, the fame funds, for the use of the ferviceable, which are fpent, at present, upon the unprofitable; you may be well ferved in your armies; your troops regularly paid; juftice duly administered; the public revenues reformed and increased; and every member of the commonwealth, rendered useful to his country, according to his age and ability, without any further burden to the state.

This, O meu of Athens! is what my duty prompted me to reprefent to you upon this occafion.-May the gods infpire you, to determine upon fuch meafures, as may be moft expedient, for the particular and general good of our country!

XII. Jupiter to the inferiour Deities, forbidding them to take any part in the Contention between the Greeks and Trojans.

AURORA, now, fair daughter of the dawn,
Sprinkled with rofy light the dewy lawn;
When Jove conven'd the fenate of the fkies,
Where high Olympus' cloudy tops arise.
The fire of gods his awful filence broke :
The heav'ns, attentive, trembled as he spoke.-
"Celestial states! immortal gods !—give ear:
Hear our decree; and rev'rence what
ye hear:
The fix'd decree, which not all heav'n can move :
Thou, Fate fulfil it; and ye, Pow'rs! approve.-
What god fhall enter yon forbidden field?
Who yields affiftance, or but wills to yield,
Back to the fkies, with fhame, he fhall be driv'n,
Gafh'd with difhoneft wounds, the fcorn of heav'n:
Or, from our facred hill with fury thrown,

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