Pompeii. Pompeium ut videret? Sciebat in Alsiensi esse. Villam ut perspiceret? Millies in ea fuerat. Quid ergo erat mora, et tergiversationis? Dum hic veniret, locum relinquere noluit.

Age nunc, iter expediti latronis cum Milonis impedimentis comparate. Semper ille antea cum uxore: tum sine ea nunquam non in rheda; tum in equo: comites Græculi, quocunque ibat, etiam quum in castra Etrusca properabat; tum nugarum in comitatu nihil. Milo, qui nunquam, tum casu pueros symphoniacos uxoris ducebat, et ancillarum greges: ille, qui semper secum scorta, semper exoletos, semper lupas duceret, tum neminem, nisi ut virum a viro lectum esse diceres. Cur igitur victus est? Quia non semper viator a latrone, nonnunquam etiam latro a viatore occiditur: quia, quamquam paratus in imparatos Clodius, tamen mulier inciderat in viros.-Pro Milone, c. 20, 21.

If instead of hearing these transactions related, you saw them painted, it still would appear manifest which of the two parties was the conspirator, and which of them had no evil design; when the one should be seen sitting in a carriage, with his wife, and in his cloak. What is there about him that leaves a limb free? dress, or conveyance, or company? Who so ill prepared for fight as yonder man who sits entangled in his mantle, cooped up in a carriage, tied down by his wife? Look now at that other figure,-first leaving the city in a hurry; and why? In the evening-why should he now start? It is late--why should this time of all others suit him? He turns aside

to Pompey's Villa. In order to see Pompey? But he is known to be at Alsium. In order to see the Villa ? But he has been there a thousand times before. Then why this delay, and this turning aside from the high road? Because he does not choose to leave the spot until Milo shall come up.

Now, then, compare the journey of the robber prepared for action, with that of Milo encumbered in his route. Till then he had always travelled with his wife; on that day he was alone. Before, he always was in his carriage; that day he was on horseback. Formerly, wherever he went his Greeks were with him, even when on his march to the

Etrurian camp. On this occasion there was no trifling accompaniments. Milo was now, for the first and only time in his life, attended with his wife's chorus singers, and her whole household of waiting-women. Clodius, who had always travelled with strumpets, always with boys, always with bawds, on that day had not a creature with him, but such as you would call picked men. How then came it to pass that he was overpowered? Why, because it is not always the traveller who is overcome by the robber, but sometimes the robber too is slain by the traveller-because, although Clodius had fallen upon the unprepared, himself ready for action, yet the effeminate had fallen among men!

73

TRANSLATION

FROM

DEMOSTHENES.

ORATION ON THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHERSONESE.

INTRODUCTION.

CERSOBLEPTES, king of the country, had ceded the Chersonese to Athens; but Cardia, a principal town, having put itself under the protection of Philip, Diopeithes was despatched to plant a colony in the peninsula, according to the policy of the Greeks when they wanted to retain any acquisition of distant territory. This general, without any orders to that effect, but relying on support at home from the party of Demosthenes, attacked Maritime Thrace from the Chersonese, regarding Philip's conduct towards Cardia as a sufficient act of hostility to justify this aggression. The result of this incursion was a large booty, which he placed in safety in the peninsula. The Macedonian party of course inveighed bitterly against the proceedings of Diopeithes, as an infraction of the peace which nominally subsisted between Athens and Macedon. The inimitable speech, of which a translation is here attempted, was Demosthenes' answer to their attacks. It unites all the great qualities of his prodigious eloquence in a remarkable degree; and, excepting in the article of invective, of which there is hardly any, it may fairly be placed on the same line with the Great Oration itself. Indeed, in point of argument and conciseness, and when judged by the severest rules of criticism, it has no superior.

The attempt here made is accompanied with a deep feeling of its necessary failure in many essential particulars. The thing aimed at has been to try how far the meaning of every word in the original could be given best in the English, and as nearly as possible, the Saxon idiom. Under the feeling how widely asunder the design and execution. are placed, there is, perhaps, some consolation to be derived from reflecting, that the object in view is really unattainable, as the excellence of the original is altogether unapproachable. It is rather an experiment upon our own language than upon the Greek.

Ir would be well, Athenians,* if all who addressed you delivered themselves altogether without prejudice and without partiality, each propounding whatsoever he deemed most advisable, especially when you are assembled to deliberate upon public affairs of the greatest importance. But since some speakers are actuated partly by a spirit of contention, partly by other similar motives, it remains for you, men of Athens, you, the people,‡ laying aside all other considerations, what things you deem best for the country, those things to resolve, and (those things) to do.

The question, then, relates to the affairs of the Chersonese, and the military operations which Philip has now for nearly eleven months been carrying on in Thrace. But this debate has for the most part turned upon what Diopeithes is doing and designs to do. Now, as for those

* See Cæsar's Speech (Sallust, Bell. Cat., c. 47), the exordium of which is nearly taken from this.

† Igoάyovraι λy. Happily rendered by Leland, "whose speeches are dictated;" but the end of the paragraph is not literal, nor does it contain all the matter of the original.

‡ Yμãs Tods Toλλous. Neither Laharpe, nor Francis, nor Auger, take any account of this expression; but it is material, being in opposition here to the and the λiyovres, from whom Demosthenes appeals to the whole people. Wolf sees this in its true light, and renders the phrase by rov dňov (Apud Reiske, Appar. Crit., i., 75.) In other instances the οἱ πολλοὶ are in opposition to the οἱ ὀλίγα, as towards the end of this Oration.

offences of which parties may be accused at any time, and which by law it rests with you to punish when you think fit, either immediately or after a while, I am of opinion that such matters may be reserved for further consideration,* and that there is no necessity that either I, or any one else, should contend+ much about them at present. But as for those places of which Philip, the unprovoked enemy of the country, and at the head of a large force on the Hellespont,§ is endeavouring to surprise||-places which, if we let slip this opportunity, we never again can hope to rescue T as to them I am clear that we ought instantly to take our determination and make our preparations, nor suffer ourselves to be drawn aside from this course by other contentions ** and other charges.

But astonished as I have been, Athenians, at many things that are oftentimes addressed to you, I own I have never been more astonished than to hear what was lately said in the Senate; that it is the duty of a statesman to counsel either absolutely making war,tt or maintaining

* ExomeTv Byxwgev, "it is admissible to deliberate;" "there is time enough to look after them." Leland connects this with the antecedent κἂν ἤδη δοκῇ, κ. τ. λ., but this cannot be.

† Some MSS. have inxugirdas without the d, "to pronounce confidently," dogmatically."

Trágxwv. This cannot be left out as most translators do, Wolf among the rest; it is not here merely "actual" or "existing," but "beginning," "; aggressor."

§ Leland's "hovering about the Hellespont" is not infelicitous, though perhaps not quite the true sense; for he was actually in the countries g Eλλovrov, and therefore was about, and not hovering about. He had alighted.

Пgoλaßsv, clearly is, "to anticipate" or "surprise," given well in Wolf,præripere." Leland, only "making attempts on;" which gets rid of the meaning, instead of giving it.

¶ Kav draž voregńowμev, x. T. . literally; "and if this once we be too late, we never shall be able to save them;" the relative to connect this with the antecedent ra.

**'Axodgavas, "run away." Leland, "in the midst of foreign clamours and accusations." This is not the meaning. He refers to the accusations of which he had been speaking, and it is to those that the "running away" is supposed to be. The sense is given either by "running away after," &c., or "being drawn aside by," &c.

†† Η πολεμεῖν ἁπλῶς, ἢ ἄγειν τὴν εἰρήνην. Their argument was peace or war, one thing or another, either do nothing at all, or come to