PROGRESS OF PHILIP 233 thus that Philip, without any express declaration of war, com- menced a series of hostile measures against Athens, and deprived her of several valuable maritime possessions on the coast of Ma- cedonia and Thrace, besides his breach of faith respecting the cession of Amphipolis. 1 After her losses from the Social War ; and her disappointment about Amphipolis, she was yet farther mortified by seeing Pydna pass into his hands, and Potidaea (the most important possession in Thrace next to Amphipolis) into those of Olynthus. Her impoverished settlers returned home, doubtless with bitter complaint against the aggression, but also with just vexation against the tardiness of their countrymen in sending relief. These two years had been so employed by Philip as to ad- vance prodigiously his power and ascendency. He had deprived Athens of her hold upon the Thermaic gulf, in which she now seems only to have retained the town of Methone, instead of the series of ports round the gulf acquired for her by Timotheus. 2 He had conciliated the good-will of the Olynthians by his cession of Anthemus and Potidaea ; the latter place, from its command- ing situation on the isthmus of Pallene, giving them the mastery of that peninsula, 3 and ensuring (what to Philip was of great im- portance) their enmity with Athens. He not only improved the maritime conveniences of Amphipolis, but also extended his ac- quisitions into the auriferous regions of Mount Pangaaus eastward of the Strymon. He possessed himself of that productive coun- try immediately facing the island of Thasos ; Avhere both Thasians and Athenians had once contended for the rights of mining, and 1 Diodorus (xvi. 8), in mentioning the capture of Potidaea, considers it an evidence of the kind disposition of Philip, and of his great respect for the dignity of Athens (fythavftpuirui; irpoaEveynu/LiEvof) that he spared the persons of these Athenians in the place, and permitted them to depart. But it was a great wrong, under the circumstances, that he should expel and expropriate them, when no offence had been given to him, and when there was no formal war (Demosth. Or. de Halonneso, p. 79. s. 10). Diodorus states also that Philip gave Pydna, as well as Potidsea, to the Olynthians ; which is not correct. 1 Demosthenes, Philippic i. p. 41. s. 6. . . .ei%o[iev TTOTE ij/teif Hiidva* Kal Horidaiav Kal ME-&UVJJV, Kal navr a rbi r OTTOV TOV rov OIK. slot tv *?(,), etc.
- Demosthenes, Philipp. ii. p. 70. s. 22.
