§1οὐχὶ ταὐτὰ παρίσταταί μοι γιγνώσκειν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ὅταν τʼ εἰς τὰ πράγματʼ ἀποβλέψω καὶ ὅταν πρὸς τοὺς λόγους οὓς ἀκούω· τοὺς μὲν γὰρ λόγους περὶ τοῦ τιμωρήσασθαι Φίλιππον ὁρῶ γιγνομένους, τὰ δὲ πράγματʼ εἰς τοῦτο προήκοντα, ὥσθʼ ὅπως μὴ πεισόμεθʼ αὐτοὶ πρότερον κακῶς σκέψασθαι δέον.
Men of Athens, it does not occur to me to hold the same views when I look at our actual situation and when I look at the speeches I hear; for I see that the speeches are made about punishing Philip, but the facts have reached such a point that we must first consider how we may not ourselves suffer harm.
οὐδὲν οὖν ἄλλο μοι δοκοῦσιν οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα λέγοντες ἢ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν, περὶ ἧς βουλεύεσθε, οὐχὶ τὴν οὖσαν παριστάντες ὑμῖν ἁμαρτάνειν.
Therefore, those who speak in this way seem to me to make a mistake, presenting to you a subject of deliberation that is not the actual one.
§2ἐγὼ δέ, ὅτι μέν ποτʼ ἐξῆν τῇ πόλει καὶ τὰ αὑτῆς ἔχειν ἀσφαλῶς καὶ Φίλιππον τιμωρήσασθαι, καὶ μάλʼ ἀκριβῶς οἶδα· ἐπʼ ἐμοῦ γάρ, οὐ πάλαι γέγονεν ταῦτʼ ἀμφότερα·
But I know very well indeed that there was once a time when it was possible for the city both to keep its own possessions safely and to punish Philip; for both of these happened in my own lifetime, and not long ago.
νῦν μέντοι πέπεισμαι τοῦθʼ ἱκανὸν προλαβεῖν ἡμῖν εἶναι τὴν πρώτην, ὅπως τοὺς συμμάχους σώσομεν.
Now, however, I am convinced that it is enough for us to secure this first—namely, how we shall save our allies.
ἐὰν γὰρ τοῦτο βεβαίως ὑπάρξῃ, τότε καὶ περὶ τοῦ τίνα τιμωρήσεταί τις καὶ ὃν τρόπον ἐξέσται σκοπεῖν· πρὶν δὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν ὀρθῶς ὑποθέσθαι, μάταιον ἡγοῦμαι περὶ τῆς τελευτῆς ὁντινοῦν ποιεῖσθαι λόγον.
For if this is securely established, then it will also be possible to consider whom one shall punish and in what manner; but before establishing the starting point correctly, I consider it futile to make any speech whatsoever about the end.
§3ὁ μὲν οὖν παρὼν καιρός, εἴπερ ποτέ, πολλῆς φροντίδος καὶ βουλῆς δεῖται· ἐγὼ δʼ οὐχ ὅ τι χρὴ περὶ τῶν παρόντων συμβουλεῦσαι χαλεπώτατον ἡγοῦμαι, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἀπορῶ, τίνα χρὴ τρόπον, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, πρὸς ὑμᾶς περὶ αὐτῶν εἰπεῖν.
Therefore, the present crisis, if ever indeed, requires much anxiety and deliberation; and I do not think that the most difficult thing is to advise what is necessary concerning the present situation, but I am at a loss as to this: in what manner, men of Athens, I ought to speak to you about them.
πέπεισμαι γὰρ ἐξ ὧν παρὼν καὶ ἀκούων σύνοιδα, τὰ πλείω τῶν πραγμάτων ἡμᾶς ἐκπεφευγέναι τῷ μὴ βούλεσθαι τὰ δέοντα ποιεῖν ἢ τῷ μὴ συνιέναι.
For I am convinced, from what I know by being present and hearing, that the majority of our opportunities have escaped us through our unwillingness to do our duty rather than through our lack of understanding.
ἀξιῶ δʼ ὑμᾶς, ἂν μετὰ παρρησίας ποιῶμαι τοὺς λόγους, ὑπομένειν, τοῦτο θεωροῦντας, εἰ τἀληθῆ λέγω, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, ἵνα τὰ λοιπὰ βελτίω γένηται· ὁρᾶτε γὰρ ὡς ἐκ τοῦ πρὸς χάριν δημηγορεῖν ἐνίους εἰς πᾶν προελήλυθε μοχθηρίας τὰ παρόντα.
And I ask you, if I speak with frankness, to tolerate it, considering this—whether I speak the truth—and for this purpose, so that what remains may become better; for you see how, from some people speaking to please you, the present state of affairs has reached the height of wretchedness.
§4ἀναγκαῖον δʼ ὑπολαμβάνω μικρὰ τῶν γεγενημένων πρῶτον ὑμᾶς ὑπομνῆσαι.
And I think it necessary first to remind you of a few past events.
μέμνησθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ὅτʼ ἀπηγγέλθη Φίλιππος ὑμῖν ἐν Θρᾴκῃ τρίτον ἢ τέταρτον ἔτος τουτὶ Ἡραῖον τεῖχος πολιορκῶν.
Remember, men of Athens, when it was reported to you, three or four years ago, that Philip was in Thrace besieging the Heracon Wall.
τότε τοίνυν μὴν μὲν ἦν μαιμακτηριών·
At that time, then, it was the month of Maimacterion.
πολλῶν δὲ λόγων καὶ θορύβου γιγνομένου παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐψηφίσασθε τετταράκοντα τριήρεις καθέλκειν καὶ τοὺς μέχρι πέντε καὶ τετταράκοντʼ ἐτῶν αὐτοὺς ἐμβαίνειν καὶ τάλανθʼ ἑξήκοντʼ εἰσφέρειν.
After many speeches and much clamor among you, you voted to launch forty triremes, and that you yourselves up to forty-five years of age should embark, and to contribute sixty talents.
§5καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα διελθόντος τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ τούτου ἑκατομβαιών, μεταγειτνιών, βοηδρομιών· τούτου τοῦ μηνὸς μόγις μετὰ τὰ μυστήρια δέκα ναῦς ἀπεστείλατʼ ἔχοντα κενὰς Χαρίδημον καὶ πέντε τάλαντʼ ἀργυρίου.
And after this, that year having passed: Hecatombaeon, Metageitnion, Boedromion; in this month, barely after the Mysteries, you dispatched ten empty ships with Charidemus, and five talents of silver.
ὡς γὰρ ἠγγέλθη Φίλιππος ἀσθενῶν ἢ τεθνεώς (ἦλθε γὰρ ἀμφότερα), οὐκέτι καιρὸν οὐδένα τοῦ βοηθεῖν νομίσαντες ἀφεῖτʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὸν ἀπόστολον.
For when it was reported that Philip was ill or dead (for both reports came), thinking that there was no longer any opportunity to send help, you abandoned the expedition, men of Athens.
ἦν δʼ οὗτος ὁ καιρὸς αὐτός· εἰ γὰρ τότʼ ἐκεῖσʼ ἐβοηθήσαμεν, ὥσπερ ἐψηφισάμεθα, προθύμως, οὐκ ἂν ἠνώχλει νῦν ἡμῖν ὁ Φίλιππος σωθείς.
And yet this was the very opportunity; for if we had then sent help there eagerly, as we had voted, Philip, having been saved, would not now be troubling us.
§6τὰ μὲν δὴ τότε πραχθέντʼ οὐκ ἂν ἄλλως ἔχοι· νῦν δʼ ἑτέρου πολέμου καιρὸς ἥκει τις, διʼ ὃν καὶ περὶ τούτων ἐμνήσθην, ἵνα μὴ ταὐτὰ πάθητε.
What was done then indeed cannot be otherwise; but now the opportunity for another war has come, because of which I have mentioned these things, so that you may not suffer the same.
τί δὴ χρησόμεθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τούτῳ;
How then, men of Athens, shall we make use of this?
εἰ γὰρ μὴ βοηθήσετε παντὶ σθένει κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν, θεάσασθʼ ὃν τρόπον ὑμεῖς ἐστρατηγηκότες πάντʼ ἔσεσθʼ ὑπὲρ Φιλίππου.
For if you do not help with all your might to the extent of your ability, observe how you will have campaigned entirely on behalf of Philip.
§7ὑπῆρχον Ὀλύνθιοι δύναμίν τινα κεκτημένοι, καὶ διέκειθʼ οὕτω τὰ πράγματα· οὔτε Φίλιππος ἐθάρρει τούτους οὔθʼ οὗτοι Φίλιππον.
The Olynthians were there, possessing a certain power, and affairs stood thus: neither did Philip dare to attack them, nor did they trust Philip.
ἐπράξαμεν ἡμεῖς κἀκεῖνοι πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἰρήνην· ἦν τοῦθʼ ὥσπερ ἐμπόδισμά τι τῷ Φιλίππῳ καὶ δυσχερές, πόλιν μεγάλην ἐφορμεῖν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ καιροῖς διηλλαγμένην πρὸς ἡμᾶς.
We made peace, and they with us; this was like a certain obstacle and difficulty for Philip, that a great city, reconciled to us, should lie in wait for his opportunities.
ἐκπολεμῶσαι δεῖν ᾠόμεθα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου, καὶ ὃ πάντες ἐθρύλουν, πέπρακται νυνὶ τοῦθʼ ὁπωσδήποτε.
We thought it necessary to drive these men into war by every means, and what everyone was whispering about has now been accomplished in one way or another.