§8.1#2καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη γεγονώς, λογιζομένοις ἀπὸ Δεξιθέου εἰς Καλλίμαχον, ἐφʼ οὗ πρὸς Ὀλυνθίων ἧκε πρεσβεία περὶ τῆς βοηθείας, ἐπεὶ ἐπιέζοντο ὑπὸ Φιλίππου τῷ πολέμῳ, ἔπεισεν ἐκπέμψαι τὴν βοήθειαν· τῷ δʼ ἑξῆς, ἐφʼ οὗ Πλάτων ἐτελεύτησε, Φίλιππος Ὀλυνθίους κατεστρέψατο.
And when he was thirty years of age, calculating the time from Dexitheus to Callimachus, in whose archonship the embassy from the Olynthians came concerning aid, since they were hard pressed by Philip ¦845e in the war, he persuaded them to send out the aid; and in the following year, ¦25 in which Plato died, Philip overthrew the Olynthians.
ἔγνω δʼ αὐτὸν καὶ Ξενοφῶν ὁ Σωκρατικὸς ἢ ἀρχόμενον ἢ ἀκμάζοντα· τῷ μὲν γὰρ τὰ Ἑλληνικὰ ἐτελεῖτο τὰ περὶ τὴν ἐν Μαντινείᾳ μάχην, ἄρχοντα δὲ Χαρικλείδην ὁ δὲ πρότερον ἐπὶ Τιμοκράτους εἷλε τοὺς ἐπιτρόπους.
Socrates' disciple Xenophon also knew him either at his beginning or at his prime; for to the former (Xenophon) 'Hellenica' was finished with the events around the battle of Mantinea, under the archonship of Charicleides, whereas the latter (Demosthenes) had previously convicted his guardians under Timocrates.
φεύγοντος δʼ Αἰσχίνου μετὰ τὴν καταδίκην, ἵππῳ κατεδίωξεν αὐτόν· τοῦ δʼ οἰηθέντος αὐτὸν συλλαμβάνεσθαι καὶ προσπεσόντος καὶ συγκαλυψαμένου, ἀναστήσας αὐτὸν παρεμυθήσατο καὶ τάλαντον ἔδωκεν ἀργυρίου.
When Aeschines fled after his conviction, he pursued him ¦5 on horse; and when the latter thought he was being arrested and fell down and covered his face, Demosthenes raised him up ¦845f and comforted him, and gave him a talent of silver.
καὶ συνεβούλευσε δὲ τῷ δήμῳ ξενικὸν ἐν Θάσῳ τρέφειν, καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ τριηράρχης ἐξέπλευσε.
And he also advised the people to maintain a mercenary force in Thasos, and on this account he sailed out as trierarch.
σιτώνης δὲ γενόμενος καὶ κατηγορηθεὶς κλοπῆς ἀφείθη.
¦10 Having become a grain-buyer and having been accused of embezzlement, he was acquitted.
Φιλίππου δʼ Ἐλάτειαν καταλαβομένου καὶ αὐτὸς τοῖς ἐν Χαιρωνείᾳ μαχεσαμένοις συνεξῆλθεν ὅτε καὶ δοκεῖ τὴν τάξιν λιπεῖν, φεύγοντος δʼ αὐτοῦ βάτον ἐπιλαβέσθαι τῆς χλαμύδος, τὸν δʼ ἐπιστραφέντα εἰπεῖν
ζώγρει.
When Philip occupied Elatea, he himself also went out with those who fought at Chaeronea, at which time he is also believed to have left his post; and as he was fleeing, a bramble caught his cloak, and he, turning around, ¦15 said: 'Take me alive!' He also had as an emblem on his shield: 'With Good Fortune'.
εἶχε δὲ καὶ ἐπίσημον ἐπὶ τῆς ἀσπίδος
ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ
εἶπε μέντοι τὸν ἐπιτάφιον ἐπὶ τοῖς πεσοῦσι.
He nevertheless delivered the funeral oration over those who fell.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα πρὸς τὴν ἐπισκευὴν τῆς πόλεως τῇ ἐπιμελείᾳ προσελθὼν καὶ τῶν τειχῶν ἐπιμελητὴς χειροτονηθεὶς ἀπὸ τῆς ἰδίας οὐσίας εἰσήνεγκε τὸ ἀναλωθὲν ἀργύριον, μνᾶς ἑκατόν ἐπέδωκε δὲ καὶ θεωροῖς μυρίας τριήρους τʼ ἐπιβὰς περιέπλευσε τοὺς συμμάχους ἀργυρολογῶν.
After this, approaching the repairs of the city with diligence and having been elected supervisor of the walls, from his own property 846a he contributed the money expended, one hundred minae; and he also gave ten thousand (drachmas) to the festival fund, and embarking on a trireme, sailed around the allies collecting money.
ἐφʼ οἷς πολλάκις ἐστεφανώθη, πρότερον μὲν ὑπὸ Δημομελοῦς Ἀριστονίκου Ὑπερείδου χρυσῷ στεφάνῳ, τελευταῖον δʼ ὑπὸ Κτησιφῶντος· καὶ γραφέντος τοῦ ψηφίσματος παρανόμων ὑπὸ Διοδότου καὶ Αἰσχίνου, ἀπολογούμενος ἐνίκησεν, ὥστε τὸ πέμπτον μέρος τῶν ψήφων τὸν διώκοντα μὴ μεταλαβεῖν.
For these things he was often crowned, first by Demomeles, Aristonicus, and Hypereides with a golden crown, and last by Ctesiphon; and when the decree was indicted as illegal by Diodotus and Aeschines, in his defense he won, so that the prosecutor did not receive the fifth part ¦5 of the votes.
ὕστερον δʼ Ἀλεξάνδρου ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀσίαν στρατευομένου καὶ φυγόντος Ἁρπάλου μετὰ χρημάτων εἰς Ἀθήνας, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐκώλυσεν αὐτὸν εἰσδεχθῆναι· ἐπειδὴ δʼ εἰσέπλευσε, λαβὼν Δαρεικοὺς χιλίους μετετάξατο· βουλομένων τʼ Ἀθηναίων Ἀντιπάτρῳ παραδοῦναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀντεῖπεν, ἔγραψὲ τʼ ἀποθέσθαι τὰ χρήματα εἰς ἀκρόπολιν μηδὲ τῷ δήμῳ τὸν ἀριθμὸν εἰπόντα· φήσαντος δʼ Ἁρπάλου ἑπτακόσια συγκατακομίσαι τάλαντα τὰ ἀνενεχθέντα εἰς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν, εὑρέθη τριακόσια καὶ πεντήκοντα ἢ ὀλίγῳ πλείονα ὥς φησι Φιλόχορος· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα φυγόντος Ἁρπάλου ἐκ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου, ἐν ᾧ ἐφυλάσσετο, μέχρις ἂν ἀφίκηταί τις παρʼ Ἀλεξάνδρου, καὶ πορευθέντος εἰς τὴν Κρήτην ἢ ὡς ἔνιοι ἐπὶ Ταίναρον τῆς Λακωνικῆς, αἰτίαν ἔσχεν ὁ Δημοσθένης δωροδοκίας, ὡς διὰ τοῦτο μήτε τὸν τῶν ἀνακομισθέντων μεμηνυκὼς μήτε τὴν τῶν φυλασσόντων ἀμέλειαν.
Later, when Alexander was campaigning against Asia and Harpalus fled with money to Athens, at first he prevented him from being received; but when he sailed in, having received a thousand darics he changed sides; 846b and when the Athenians wished to surrender the man to Antipater, he spoke against it, and wrote a decree to deposit the money on the acropolis without telling the people the sum; and when Harpalus said that he had brought up seven hundred talents which were carried up to the acropolis, ¦15 there was found three hundred and fifty, or a little more as Philochorus says; and after this, when Harpalus escaped from the prison in which he was being guarded until someone should arrive from Alexander, and went to Crete, or as some say to Taenarum in Laconia, ¦20 Demosthenes incurred the charge of bribery, ¦846c since because of this he had neither reported the amount of the money brought up, nor the negligence of the guards.
εἰσαχθεὶς δʼ εἰς δικαστήριον ὑπὸ Ὑπερείδου Πυθέου Μενεσαίχμου Ἱμεραίου Πατροκλέους, οἳ ἐποίησαν καταγνῶναι αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλήν, καὶ ἁλοὺς ἔφυγε, πενταπλασίονα ἀποτῖσαι μὴ δυνάμενος ʽ εἶχε δʼ αἰτίαν τριάκοντα τάλαντα λαβεῖν̓, ἢ ὡς ἔνιοι οὐχ ὑπομείνας τὴν κρίσιν.
Brought to court by Hypereides, Pytheas, Menesaechmus, Himeraeus, and Patrocles, who caused the Council of the Areopagus to condemn him, and being convicted, he went into exile, since he was unable to pay five times the amount ¦5 (he was accused of having received thirty talents), or as some say, because he did not await the trial.
μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον τῶν Ἀθηναίων Πολύευκτον πεμψάντων πρεσβευτὴν πρὸς τὸ κοινὸν τῶν Ἀρκάδων, ὥστʼ ἀποστῆναι αὐτοὺς τῆς τῶν Μακεδόνων συμμαχίας, καὶ τοῦ Πολυεύκτου πεῖσαι μὴ δυναμένου, ἐπιφανεὶς Δημοσθένης καὶ συνειπὼν ἔπεισεν.
After this time, when the Athenians sent Polyeuctuas ¦846d as an ambassador to the common assembly of the Arcadians, so that they might revolt from their alliance with the Macedonians, ¦10 and Polyeuctuas was unable to persuade them, Demosthenes appeared and speaking on the same side, persuaded them.
ἐφʼ ᾧ θαυμασθεὶς μετὰ χρόνον τινὰ κάθοδον εὕρατο, ψηφίσματος γραφέντος καὶ τριήρους ἀποσταλείσης.
Respected for this, after some time he obtained his recall, a decree having been written and a trireme sent.
τῶν δʼ Ἀθηναίων ψηφισαμένων οἷς ὤφειλε τριάκοντα ταλάντοις κοσμῆσαι αὐτὸν τὸν βωμὸν τοῦ σωτῆρος Διὸς ἐν Πειραιεῖ καὶ ἀφεῖσθαι, τοῦτο γράψαντος τὸ ψήφισμα Δήμωνος Παιανιέως, ὃς ἦν ἀνεψιὸς αὐτῷ, πάλιν ἐπὶ τούτοις ἦν πολιτευόμενος.
Since the Athenians voted that he should use the thirty ¦15 talents which he owed to decorate the altar of Zeus the Savior in Piraeus and be released from the debt, Demon of Paeania, who was his cousin, having written this decree, he was again engaged in politics on these terms.
Ἀντιπάτρου δʼ εἰς Λάμειαν ὑπὸ τῶν Ἑλλήνων συγκλεισθέντος τῶν Ἀθηναίων εὐαγγέλια θυόντων, πρός τινα τῶν ἑταίρων Ἀγησίστρατον ἔφη οὐ τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχειν τοῖς ἄλλοις περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων
ἐπίσταμαι γάρ
εἰπεῖν
τοὺς Ἕλληνας στάδιον μὲν πολεμεῖν καὶ εἰδότας καὶ δυναμένους, δόλιχον δʼ οὐκέτι
Φάρσαλον δʼ ἑλόντος Ἀντιπάτρου καὶ, πολιορκήσειν ἀπειλοῦντος Ἀθηναίους, εἰ μὴ τοὺς ῥήτορας ἐκδοίησαν, καταλιπὼν ὁ Δημοσθένης τὴν πόλιν ἔφυγε πρῶτον μὲν εἰς Αἴγιναν ἐπὶ τὸ Αἰάκειον καθεδούμενος, φοβηθεὶς δʼ εἰς Καλαυρίαν μετέστη.
When Antipater was shut up in Lamia by the Greeks, 846e and the Athenians were sacrificing for good tidings, he said to one of his companions, Agesistratus, that he did not have the same opinion as the others about the state of affairs; 'for I know,' ¦25 he said, 'that the Greeks know how and are able to fight a short race (stadion), but no longer a long race (dolichos).' When Antipater took Pharsalus and threatened to besiege the Athenians unless they surrendered the orators, Demosthenes left the city and fled first to Aegina to sit at the shrine of Aeacus ¦5 as a suppliant, but being afraid he removed to Calauria.
ἐκδιδόναι δὲ τοὺς ῥήτορας τῶν Ἀθηναίων ψηφισαμένων κἀκεῖνον, καθέζετο ἱκέτης ἐν τῷ τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος ἱερῷ· ἐλθόντος δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτὸν Ἀρχίου τοῦ Φυγαδοθήρου ἐπικαλουμένου, ὃς παρέβαλεν Ἀναξιμένει τῷ ῥήτορι καὶ πείθοντος αὐτὸν ἀναστῆναι, ὡς φίλον Ἀντιπάτρῳ γενησόμενον, εἶπεν ὅτι
οὔτε, ὅτε ἐτραγῴδεις, ἔπειθές με οὔτε νῦν πείσεις συμβουλεύων
τοῦ δʼ ἐπιχειροῦντος βιάζεσθαι, ἐκώλυσαν αὐτὸν οἱ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν· καὶ Δημοσθένης ἔφη
οὐ σωτηρίας δεόμενος κατέφυγον εἰς Καλαυρίαν, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἐλέγξων Μακεδόνας καὶ τὰ τῶν θεῶν βιασομένους,· αἰτήσας τε γραμματεῖον ἔγραψεν, ὡς μὲν Δημήτριος ὁ Μάγνης φησί, τὸ ἐπὶ τῆς εἰκόνος αὐτοῦ ἐλεγεῖον, ἐπιγεγραμμένον ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ὕστερον
"
εἴπερ ἴσην ῥώμην γνώμῃ, Δημόσθενες, ἔσχες,
οὔποτʼ ἂν Ἑλλήνων ἦρξεν Ἄρης Μακεδών. "
When the Athenians voted to surrender the orators ¦846f and him among them, he sat as a suppliant in the temple of Poseidon; and when Archias, who was called 'the hunter of exiles', came to him (he had studied under Anaximenes ¦10 the orator) and tried to persuade him to rise, saying that he would become a friend to Antipater, Demosthenes said: 'Neither when you were acting in tragedies did you persuade me, nor will you persuade me now with your advice.' And when he attempted to use force, those of the city prevented him; and Demosthenes said: 'Not ¦15 because I was in need of safety did I flee to Calauria, but to convict the Macedonians and those who are about to violate even the things of the gods.' ¦847a And having asked for a tablet he wrote, as Demetrius of Magnesia says, the elegiac couplet upon his statue, which was inscribed by the Athenians ¦20 later: 'If you had had strength equal to your judgment, Demosthenes, never would the Macedonian War-God have ruled over the Greeks.'