Phocion.—­It happened because our opinions of her interests in foreign affairs were totally different; which made us act with a constant and pernicious opposition the one to the other.

Aristides.—­I wish to hear from you both (if you will indulge my curiosity) on what principles you could form such contrary judgments concerning points of such moment to the safety of your country, which you equally loved.

Demosthenes.—­My principles were the same with yours, Aristides.  I laboured to maintain the independence of Athens against the encroaching ambition of Macedon, as you had maintained it against that of Persia.  I saw that our own strength was unequal to the enterprise; but what we could not do alone I thought might be done by a union of the principal states of Greece—­such a union as had been formed by you and Themistocles in opposition to the Persians.  To effect this was the great, the constant aim of my policy; and, though traversed in it by many whom the gold of Macedon had corrupted, and by Phocion, whom alone, of all the enemies to my system, I must acquit of corruption, I so far succeeded, that I brought into the field of Chaeronea an army equal to Philip’s.  The event was unfortunate; but Aristides will not judge of the merits of a statesman by the accidents of war.

Phocion.—­Do not imagine, Aristides, that I was less desirous than Demosthenes to preserve the independence and liberty of my country.  But, before I engaged the Athenians in a war not absolutely necessary, I thought it proper to consider what the event of a battle would probably be.  That which I feared came to pass:  the Macedonians were victorious, and Athens was ruined.

Demosthenes.—­Would Athens not have been ruined if no battle had been fought?  Could you, Phocion, think it safety to have our freedom depend on the moderation of Philip?  And what had we else to protect us, if no confederacy had been formed to resist his ambition?

Phocion.—­I saw no wisdom in accelerating the downfall of my country by a rash activity in provoking the resentment of an enemy, whose arms, I foretold, would in the issue prove superior, not only to ours, but to those of any confederacy we were able to form.  My maxim was, that a state which cannot make itself stronger than any of its neighbours, should live in friendship with that power which is the strongest.  But the more apparent it was that our strength was inferior to that of Macedon, the more you laboured to induce us, by all the vehemence of your oratory, to take such measures as tended to render Philip our enemy, and exasperate him more against us than any other nation.  This I thought a rash conduct.  It was not by orations that the dangerous war you had kindled could finally be determined; nor did your triumphs over me in an assembly of the people intimidate any Macedonian in the field of Chaeronea, or stop you yourself from flying out of that field.