As to other marks of
honour and respect, Demosthenes had not an equal share in them; they
were bestowed principally upon Aeschines and Philocrates. They,
therefore, were large in the praise of Philip on all occasions, and
they insisted, in particular, on his eloquence, his beauty, and even
his being able to drink a great quantity of liquor. Demosthenes, who
could not bear to hear him praised, turned these things off as trifles.
"The first," he said, "was the property of a sophist, the second of a
woman, and the third of a sponge; and not one of them could do any
credit to a king."
Afterward, it appeared that nothing was to be expected but war; for, on
the one hand, Philip knew not how to sit down in tranquillity; and, on
the other, Demosthenes inflamed the Athenians. In this case, the first
step the orator took was to put the people upon sending an armament to
Euboea, which was brought under the yoke of Philip by its petty
tyrants. Accordingly he drew up an edict, in pursuance of which they
passed over to that peninsula, and drove out the Macedonians. His
second operation was the sending succor to the Byzantians and
Perinthians, with whom Philip was at war.
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