before it was known what Philip wished the Greeks to do.  His opposition was fruitless, because of the critical state of affairs; but when afterwards he saw the Athenians bitterly repenting of what they had done, because they were obliged to furnish Philip with ships of war and cavalry, he said:  “It was because I feared this that I opposed the motion of Demades:  but now that you have passed that motion you must not be grieved and downcast, but remember that your ancestors were sometimes independent and sometimes subject to others, but that they acted honourably in either case, and saved both their city and the whole of Greece.”  On the death of Philip he opposed the wish of the Athenians to hold a festival[630] because of the good news:  for he said that it was an unworthy thing for them to rejoice, because the army which had defeated them at Chaeronea had been weakened by the loss of only one man.

XVII.  When Demosthenes spoke abusively of Alexander, who was even then at the gates of Thebes, Phokion said to him, in the words of Homer,

     “‘Rash man, forbear to rouse the angry chief,’

who is also a man of unbounded ambition.  When he has kindled such a terrible conflagration close by, why do you wish our city to fan the flame?  I, however, will not permit these men to ruin us, even though they wish it, for that is why I have undertaken the office of general.”

After Thebes was destroyed, Alexander demanded Demosthenes and his party, with Lykurgus, Hypereides, and Charidenus to be delivered up to him.  The whole assembly, on hearing this proposal, cast its eyes upon Phokion, and, after calling upon him repeatedly by name, induced him to rise.  Placing by his side his most beloved and trusted friend, he said:[631] “These men have brought the city to such a pass, that if any one were to demand that Nikokles here should be delivered up to him, I should advise you to give him up.  For my own part, I should account it a happy thing to die on behalf of all of you.  I feel pity also, men of Athens,” said he, “for those Thebans who have fled hither for refuge; but it is enough that Greece should have to mourn for the loss of Thebes.  It is better then, on behalf of both the Thebans and ourselves, to deprecate the wrath of our conqueror rather than to oppose him.”

We are told that when the decree refusing to give up the persons demanded was presented to Alexander, he flung it from him and refused to listen to the envoys; but he received a second embassy headed by Phokion, because he was told by the older Macedonians that his father had always treated him with great respect.  He not only conversed with Phokion, and heard his petition, but even asked his advice.  Phokion advised him, if he desired quiet, to give up war; and if he wished for glory, to turn his arms against the Persians, and leave the Greeks unmolested.  Phokion conversed much with Alexander, and, as he had formed a shrewd estimate of his character, was so happy