CEDIPUS THE KING. was the chief praise to hunt hard and live high, he so imitated their mode of life, that they themselves greatly admired him in these respects; and that by such conduct, he occasioned that, with whatever people he was, he was regarded as a leading man, and held in the utmost esteem. CORNELIUS NEPOS. CEDIPUS THE KING. [SOPHOCLES, a distinguished dramatic poet of Greece, born near Athens, B. c. 495, died in his 90th year, B.C. 406. Sophocles was early trained in music, gymnastics, ctc., and before the age of thirty began to write dramatic poetry. He soon acquired the supremacy on the Athenian stage, and his tragedies are still regarded as the most perfect which antiquity has produced. Sophocles wrote about 130 plays, but only seven have survived to us, of which the "Antigone," "Electra," and the "Edipus Tyrannus," are the finest. From the last of these the following extract is taken: (see Vol. V. p. 245 for a more extended biography of Sophocles.)] Chorus: O that my fate were fixed To live in holy purity of speech. Pure in all deeds whose law stands firm and high, In heaven's clear æther born, Of whom Olympus only is the sire, Nor ever shall forgetfulness o'erwhelm ; In them our God is great and grows not old. ANTISTROPH. I. But pride begets the mood of tyrant power; Scaling the topmost height, Down to the pit, where step that profiteth I cannot ask the Gods to stop midway STROPH. II. But if there be who walketh haughtily, Whom righteousness herself has ceased to awe, Fit meed for all his boastfulness of heart; 325 No longer will I go in pilgrim guise, To yon all holy place, Earth's central shrine, Nor unto Abe's temple, Not to far-famed Olympia, Unless these pointings of a hand divine In sight of all men stand out clear and true. For now they set at nought The oracles, half-dead, CEDIPUS. Persuade me not, nor counsel give to show Him whom the Gods do show accursed, the stock In that case, all men whence I drew my birth. O Polybus, and Corinth, and the home I thought was mine, how strange a growth ye reared, All fair outside, all rotten at the core; For vile I stand, descended from the vile. A father, brother, son, all kindreds mixed, Though skill of art may teach him to escape From depths of fell disease incurable. ANTISTROPH. II. So, gifted with a wondrous might, Above all fancy's dreams, with skill to plan, Now unto evil, now unto good, He wends his way. Now holding fast the laws, His country's sacred rights, That rest upon the oath of Gods on high, High in the state he stands. An outlaw and an exile he who loves The thing that is not good, In wilful pride of soul: Ne'er may he sit beside my hearth, ANTIG. Yes, for it was not Zeus who gave them forth, The unwritten laws of God that know not change, But live for ever, nor can man assign When first they sprang to being. Not through fear Of any man's resolve was I prepared Before the Gods to bear the penalty Of sinning against these. That I should die I knew, (how should I not?) though thy decroo Had never spoken. And, before my time If I should die, I reckon this a gain; For whoso lives, as I, in many woes, How can it be but death shall bring him gain? I should have given them pain. But as things are, CHOR. The maiden's stubborn will, of stubborn sire The offspring shows itself. She knows not yet To yield to evils. CREON. Know, then, minds too stiff Most often stumble, and the rigid steel A second outrage over it to boast, FABLES OF PHEDRUS. And laugh at having done it. Surely, then, SOPHOCLES.-Translated by E. H. Plumptre. Of Jove they sought another king, That Jove would once more hear their suit, FABLES OF PHÆDRUS. (PHEDRUS, a Latin fabulist, once a slave, of whom almost nothing is known except that he was a freedman of the emperor Augustus, wrote ninety-seven fables which have come down to us in Iambic verse. Many of them are simply free translations of the Greek fables known as Esop's, and their style is for the most part clear and pleasing.] THE FROGS DESIRING A KING. With equal laws when Athens throve, The Frogs, a freeborn people made, Which, as it dash'd upon the place, THE WOLF AND THE CRANE. Who for his merit seeks a price And now, forsooth, you'd bring your bill!❤ THE FOX AND THE CROW. His folly in repentance ends, In state, was just about to dine. But she, now willing to display Let go the cheese of luscious taste, 327 328 THIRD PHILIPPIC OF DEMOSTHENES. of Thucydides his model for style, and it is said that he transcribed the writings of that historian no less than eight times. In 355 B. c. he delivered his oration against Leptines, with complete success. Soon after this he entered upon his great though unsuccessful life work, the defence of Grecian liberty against the designs of Philip of Macedon. eleven orations in all, four of which are especially denominated "philippics." Lord Brougham, in closing a high eulogium on Demosthenes, says, "Such was the first of orators. At the head of the mighty masters of speech, the adoration of ages has consecrated his place, and the loss of the noble instrument (the Greek language) with which he forged and launched his thunders, is sure to maintain it unapproachable forever."] THE ARGUMENT. This speech was delivered while Philip was advancing into Thrace, and threatening both the Chersonese and the Propontine coast. Demosthenes, alarmed by the formidable character of Philip's enterprises and vast military preparations, felt the necessity of rousing the Athenians to exertion He points out the danger to be apprehended from the disunion among the Greek states, from their general apathy and lack of patriotism, which he contrasts with the high and noble spirit of ancient times. From the past conduct of Philip he shows what is to be expected in future; explains the difference between Philip's new method of warfare and that adopted in the Peloponnesian war, and urges the necessity of corresponding measures for defence. The peaceful professions of Philip were not to be trusted; he was never more dangerous than when he made overtures of peace and friendship. The most powerful instruments that he employed for gaining ascendency were the venal orators, who were to be found in every Grecian city, and on whom it was necessary to inflict signal punishment, before they had a chance of oppos ing foreign enemies. The advice of Demosthenes now is, to despatch reinforcements to the Chersonese, to stir up the people of Greece, and even to solicit the assistance of the Persian king, who had no less reason than themselves to dread the ambition of Philip. [DEMOSTHENES, the most eminent orator of antiquity, and probably the greatest of whom history gives any account, was born in Attica, in the domos of Paeonia, near Athens, about 382, or, according to some authorities, in 385 B. C. His father (also named Demosthenes) was a cutler and maker of furniture. He died when his son was seven years of age, leaving fifteen talents (more than $15,000) to be divided between the young Demosthenes and his sister. The guardians converted a large part of this money to their own use. Demosthenes studied rhetoric with Isaeus, and philosophy, according to some authorities, with Plato. Cicero states that he was instructed in oratory by Isocrates, but the fact is not established. Demosthenes, when about eighteen years old, prosecuted his guardians, pleading his own cause, but though the case was decided in his favor, he received only a part of his dues. Before this time it is said that he had resolved to devote his whole attention to oratory, from witnessing the forensic triumphs of Callistratus. But his health was feeble, his manners ungraceful, his breath short, and voice stammering and indistinct. In order to remedy these defects, we are told that he adopted the practice of speaking with pebbles in his mouth: that he was wont to declaim upon the sea-shore, so as to be able to be heard in the Many speeches, men of Greece, are made tumult of popular assemblies; and that he often prac-in almost every assembly about the hostiliticed before a mirror, so as to observe and rectify any awkwardness of gesture. Nevertheless, his first appear. ance before a popular assembly was, according to Plu tarch, a failure, exciting only the laughter of the multitude. But encouraged by Satyrus, an actor, who gave him useful instruction, he devoted himself with the utmost diligence to his task. We are told that he shaved ene side of his head, that it might be absolutely impossible for him to go into society. He made the writings The events of the following year, when Philip attacked the Propontine cities, fully justified the warnings of Demosthenes. And the extraordinary activity which the Athenians displayed in resisting him, shows that the exertions of the orator had had their due effect, ties of Philip, hostilities which ever since the treaty of peace he has been committing against you as against the rest of the Greeks; and all (I am sure) are ready to avow, though they forbear to do so, that our counsels and our measures should be directed to his humiliation and chastisement: nevertheless, so low have our affairs been brought by THIRD PHILIPPIC OF DEMOSTHENES. fnattention and negligence, I fear it is a harsh truth to say, that if all the orators had sought to suggest, and you to pass resolutions for the utter ruining of the commonwealth, we could not, methinks, be worse off than we are. A variety of circumstances may have brought us to this state; our affairs have not declined from one or two causes only: but, if you rightly examine, you will find it chiefly owing to the orators, who study to please you, rather than advise for the best. Some of whom, Athenians, seeking to maintain the basis of their own power and repute, have no forethought for the future, and therefore think you also ought to have none; others, accusing and calumniating practical statesmen, labor only to make Athens punish Athens, and in such occupation to engage her, that Philip may have liberty to say and do what he pleases. Politics of this kind are common here, but are the causes of your failures and embarrassment. I beg, Athenians, that you will not resent my plain speaking of the truth. Only consider: you hold liberty of speech in other matters to be the general right of all residents in Athens, insomuch that you allow a measure of it even to foreigners and slaves, and many servants may be seen among you speaking their thoughts more freely than citizens in some other states; and yet you have altogether banished it from your councils. The result has been, that in the assembly you give yourselves airs and are flattered at hearing nothing but compliments, while in your measures and proceedings you are brought to the utmost peril. If such be your disposition now, I must be silent: if you will listen to good advice without flattery, I am ready to speak. For though our affairs are in a deplorable condition, though many sacrifices have been made, still, if you will choose to perform your duty, it is possible to repair it all. A paradox, and yet a truth, am I about to state. That which is the most lamentable in the past is best for the future. How is this? Because you performed no part of your duty, great or small, and therefore you fared ill had you done all that became you, and your situation were the same, there would be no hope of amendment. Philip has indeed prevailed over your sloth and negligence, but not over the country: you have not been worsted; you have not even bestirred yourselves. If now we were all agreed that Philip is at war with Athens and infringing the peace, 329 nothing would a speaker need to urge or advise but the safest and easiest way of resisting him. But since, at the very time when Philip is capturing cities and retaining divers of our dominions and assailing all people, there are men so unreasonable as to listen to repeated declarations in the as sembly, that some of us are kindling war, one must be cautious and set this matter right: for whoever moves or advises a mea sure of defence, is in danger of being accused afterwards as author of the war. I will first then examine and determine this point, whether it be in our power to deliberate on peace or war. If the coun try may be at peace, if it depends on us (to begin with this,) I say we ought to maintain peace, and I call upon the affirmant to move a resolution, to take some measure, and not to palter with us. But if another, having arms in his hand and a large force around him, amuses you with the name of peace, while he carries on the operations of war, what is left but to defend yourselves? You may profess to be at peace, if you like, as he does; I quarrel not with that. But if any man supposes this to be a peace, which will enable Philip to master all else and attack you last, he is a madman, or he talks of a peace observed towards him by you, not towards you by him. This it is that Philip purchases by all his expenditure, the privilege of assailing you without being assailed in turn. If we really wait until he avows that he is at war with us, we are the simplest of mortals: for he would not declare that, though he marched even against Attica and Piraeus, at least if we may judge from his conduct to others. For example, to the Olynthians he declared, when he was forty furlongs from their city, that there was no alternative, but either they must quit Olynthus or he Macedonia; though before that time whenever he was accused of such an intent, he took it ill and sent ambassadors to justify himself. Again, he marched toward the Phocians as if they were allies, and there were Phocian envoys who ac companied his march, and many among you contended that his advance would not benefit the Thebans. And he came into Thessaly of late as a friend and ally, yet he has taken possession of Phere: and lastly he told these wretched people of Oreus, that he had sent his soldiers out of good-will to visit them, as he heard they were in trouble and dissension, and it was the part of allies |